There are some mornings that are just destined to be great. You wake up early, get things done, and generally feel like a boss at productivity. Other mornings? Not so much. What are the factors that make the difference between getting off to a flying start and that other kind of morning, where you’re just staring at the coffee machine with epic brain fog? Well, the secret could lie in having a ‘morning strategy’ – a routine to follow that gets you off to the best possible start. It’s a secret that a lot of business leaders have, and it’s all about working out what works best for you.
Get Prepared
Business, war, love stories… the one success factor running like a thread through life is that old Cub Scout motto – ‘Be prepared’. Those who plan are far more likely to get off to a successful start on the morning. Instead of running around, with wet hair from the shower, rooting through the washing machine to locate that one shirt, burning toast as you go (sound familiar?), then you need to set aside half an hour each evening to prepare for the next day. First, go through your list of to-do’s, and prioritise them. This gives you a clear direction and a focus for the morning which saves time. Second, get your clothes ready to go. Make sure you have a full outfit, including socks, underwear etc all washed, dried, pressed and hanging up, to cut down on time wasted getting ready. Make sure you have your keys, travel passes and everything else you will need gathered together in one place. Finally, you can even prep a healthy breakfast to grab and go – overnight oats, savoury muffins or smoothies are all ideal. Not only will you get a better night’s sleep with your subconscious knowing everything is taken care of, but you’ll have a calm morning with plenty of time and headspace to concentrate on the challenges of the day ahead. It’s such a big payoff for a little time investment.
Streamline Your Processes
When you do get to work, there are a few tricks to stop your morning running off track. You already have your to-do list – aim to complete the most daunting task on it, or at least make a start, in your first hour. This is when your energy and brainpower tend to be at their peak – so save the busy work for the hour after lunch. Make a pact with yourself not to deal with your emails for this first hour – you’ll waste time on ‘quick’ replies and have your focus drained by less important issues. Reserve that first hour for ticking off a couple of tasks on your list, and you’ll feel energised. Limit the amount of time you have to spend on business admin tasks but choosing cloud-based systems that take care of the paper trail – services such as www.payroll.services and invoicing software like QuickBooks can save hours. It’s also important when you arrive at your desk to switch your phone off and put it away. It may only seem like a few seconds, but time spent checking notifications stops the flow of your productivity and adds up to a lot of wasted time. Don’t be tempted to look until lunch time.
