Steve Jobs was once said that he begins his day with one simple question. “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, he knows he needs to change something.
Mornings can be the most productive time of the day. The concentration and motivation levels are high, the adrenaline is pumping and the grey cells area buzzing. Even a research suggests that you need to complete the major task of the day in the morning.
But it also matters whether you are a morning person or not. For instance, Sundar Pichai is not a morning person. He takes time with newspaper and tea routine, before he gets going for the day.
If you are a morning person, you can begin your day like Alice in Wonderland; think of 6 impossible things before breakfast.
Author Ron Friedman says that checking mails is probably the worst way to start your day. It puts you into a reactive mode and takes away your focus from the priority list.
David Karp, the Tumbler Founder would keep his mails unread till he reached his desk at work. And then prioritise reading them from personal, to staff to professional mails.
Margaret Thatcher, the most popular British Prime Minister used to start her day sharp at 5 listening to a BBC radio programme about the countryside. This way she knew about her citizens and stayed motivated to work for them.
How you end your previous day can also boost your productivity for the next day. For instance, Kenneth Chenault, CEO of American Express makes a Tomorrow List for the next day, as his last task before he calls it a day.
So the best habit is to get a quick exercise and accomplish the major tasks of the day that require your focus. This way you are left with a sense of accomplishment for the rest of the day, and go through the other demands of duty confidently and calmly.
