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Why have a morning routine?

meditate-1851165_1920If you’re a regular in self-development circles, then the term “morning routine” is not a new one for you. For those not as familiar with the idea, a morning routine is a set of actions that you routinely perform each morning that set you up for your day. It’s all about optimum performance and getting off on the right foot so you are at your best. It puts your mind and energy in the right space so you can operate effectively and efficiently.

There are things that we can do that will bring our mind and our energy levels up to that optimum level for productivity and focus within our work. As we are all different human beings, this is going to look very different for each of us. Also, depending on what work you are doing, your approach may even vary for that reason too. If you want to regularly create a “peak state” where you can work at your best, it comes down to regularly doing things that will bring you into that space, “setting you up” so-to speak.

Here’s how to get started in establishing your morning routine:

1. Have a think about what your “ideal” working day would be like. How would you start the day? List any activities/rituals/habits that you would ideally like to start your day with. Eg. this might include exercise, yoga/meditation, listening to music, eating certain foods, getting up at a certain time, writing in a journal, preparing your work in a certain way etc.

2. Now look at your list and choose your absolute top 3 ideas- the ones that you’d totally love to do to start your day.

3. Make a plan to incorporate the 3 morning rituals into your morning. Starting with just a few days a week, complete the 3 morning rituals.

4. Review the outcomes: At the end of each day for just 1 week, take 5 minutes to reflect on how your day went. Consider your level of productivity and how you felt on the days when you did the morning routine compared to those when you did not. Was the routine easy to incorporate or do you need to simplify it? Ultimately the question is: Did the morning routine improve your focus, energy and productivity?

5. Refine and repeat. Make small changes to improve the effectiveness of your morning routine. Don’t be afraid to change it completely to see what might work better for you. Once you are seeing and feeling the results, keep it going. The key to repeating it is to track it. So draw up a checklist and each day you complete your morning routine, check it off.

A good morning routine can really change your life and work productivity. You’re essentially tailoring an approach that optimizes your enjoyment and productivity of your work. You’ll no doubt find, like I did, that a morning routine, however small or simple, will also truly enrich your whole day. Before you know it, you’ll be convincing everyone to create one!

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5 tips to curb shiny object syndrome

The latest marketing advice, the latest productivity hack… that next thing, it’s the new shiny object that can be so intriguing! It offers a potential solution, a new way. It shines bright and evokes possibility. So we stop what we’re doing and follow it, wherever it leads. Often, it leads us off track from what we’re currently doing. If you (like me) can be susceptible to shiny object syndrome and find yourself trying something new before you’ve mastered what you’re already working on, then read on, these tips are for you:

1. Keep your eyes on your own work

If you keep your focus on what’s right in front of you, you’re less likely to get distracted by other things that come up. You can easily create this focus by reviewing your goals and plan every week, at least once. Read over your key outcomes and focus on the step in your goals plan that you are currently working on. This will remind you of the importance of what you’re already doing and keep your eyes focused on your own work.

2. Catch and release

This is a good technique you can easily implement. Often the we don’t want to miss out on the potential that the shiny object may hold, whether it’s a solution or an idea. You can still capture the great idea of that shiny object, but the the key is to “catch and release”. What I mean is, capture the idea by noting it in a Dropbox Paper list and then just let it go. Let it sit in the list and think no more of it. It’s still there, you can come back to it later.

3. Unsubscribe

Take a look at all the emails that hit your inbox each week. Do they all relate to your current goals? Are they teaching you one method or many methods to do one thing? More information is not more power, it’s more confusion. You need to simply. eg. If you’re working on marketing, decide on one marketer or marketing technique to follow and unsubscribe from all other emails on marketing.

4. Embrace monogamy

It’s time to commit to your current shiny object for a specific period of time. We often decide on a course of action and, being human, expect results in a short period of time. When this doesn’t happen, we become doubtful and start believing that other options would be better…and off we go to find a shiny object. You need to give your current shiny object a realistic amount of time to come into fruition before moving on. Set a specific amount of time that you will work on your current course of action to give it a good chance to bring you the results.

5. Finish before you start

How many unfinished tasks do you currently have? Shiny object syndrome can leave behind a trail of unfinished tasks that bank up and clog your office and mental space. Start a new way to work by finishing your task before starting another. This particularly applies to smaller and less time-consuming tasks, rather than the larger projects, but the outcome is the same. By finishing one thing before you start another, you’ll be nipping that shiny object issue in the bud permanently.

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Don’t be busy, be productive!

Want to get more done in your business without spending more time? Today I share 3 techniques that you can easily implement to ramp up your productivity. It’s easy to get caught in the whir of “busyness”. How many people do you talk to that say “I’m so busy” or “I’m flat out, I have so much to do”? I’d like you to take a step back and really think about these comments thoughts. You’ve likely at some point said these aloud to someone or to yourself. I’d like to suggest that what you’re really saying is a version of “I’m important”. Modern society has bought into this idea that “I am busy, therefore I matter/what I do matters”. This is why it’s often difficult for many of us to not be busy.

Have you ever looked at the definition of “busy”?  Busy= “having a great deal to do”. Let’s look at the definition of “productive”. Productive= “Producing or having the power to produce”. Do you see the difference? “Busy” is having many things to do. “Productive” is actually producing something, creating results, creating the outcomes you want. When you switch your focus to being productive and actually producing results, the more you can accomplish in less time. Want some of that?           Me too. That’s why I implemented these 3 Productivity Hacks to create more in my business without spending more time.

  1. Create Specific Outcomes
    Get specific about what you want completed and by when. Not just for your goals, but for every task you do. Productivity is about creating outcomes, getting things done. You need to decide what you will get done now, in this particular time that you will work on this task.
    Example: If your task is to write an article: Your specific outcome might be that you will write the introduction and the outline for the article within 1 hour. Specific outcome (introduction + outline) and specific time frame (within 1 hour).
  1. Don’t multi-task
    Multi-tasking is a myth. Your brain cannot do two things at once. What it actually does is switch from doing one thing to doing another. And guess what? This slows you down. Do only one thing at a time. Give it all your attention and focus.
  1. Compress time
    More is completed in compressed time, so your job is to compress time. How? Simply set a shorter period of time than you normally would to spend on a task. Set a timer and aim to complete the task within that shorter period of time. Most of us do this exceptionally well, unconsciously. Ever leave a task to the last minute? You suddenly have a shorter period of time in which to complete the task to meet the deadline. You work like crazy, completely focused, and, guess what? You get it done in a very short space of time. The trick is to use this technique consciously to compress time regularly with your tasks way before their deadlines. Try it! I think you’ll find that this will take your productivity to a whole new level!


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The Power Of Priorities

Do you feel focused and purposeful in your business? Or is it more like a “buzzing” of busyness and not many outcomes at the end of your week? I have one simple strategy to recommend that will rid you of this “busyness” instantly. 
Why are we so busy? Because we think we need to do everything and that everything is important. This makes us over work and fractures our focus. At the end of the week there is not much to show for all of that out-pouring of energy. Is this really what your business and lifestyle was meant to look like? 
You can take back control right now: stop treating all tasks equally. This means you need to simply find and follow your true business priorities. What are the top 3 tasks that only you can do, that drive your business forward? Is it sales? Is it consulting? Is it networking? Creating content? Sit down and take time to consider the most important things you need to do that will make the difference to your business. Narrow it down to 3 priorities only. These are your Power Priorities. Power Priorities go first, above all else on your task list. Better still, create a chunk of time in your schedule that is only for these Power Priorities. How much time can you spend on them in a week? What if you doubled that or tripled it? What would the results be? Put it in your schedule and find out. Focusing on your Power Priorities will make you feel more purposeful but it will also get you results. At the end of your week and compounding over time, you will have more and more hours spent on the things that are truly building your business. You will create real results and a sense of focus and purpose you’ve never had before, I promise. Try it!