The first quarter of the year has passed. How is it working out? Are you in flow?
Perhaps start by being totally proactive in the mornings . You see you can get 90 percent or more of your work done in the morning its called the Profit Zone!
How do you do this? Here some tips to make your mornings totally productive:
First, I’m defining work as stuff that you do, important stuff. Ideally, meetings can be shoved out of the picture.
Second, this approach is built on the Pareto principle. The Pareto principle states that 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your efforts. Getting your work done in the morning means that you can take a leaner approach to the important tasks–a smart approach.
1. Schedule your day the night before.
Every day, you should list all your tasks and when you’re going to do them the following day. You will not be productive unless you plan out everything you’re going to do the next morning.
Quick tip: Don’t schedule too much. Keep it simple such as going to smash 30 calls (old OFI books or past clients).
2. Clean your office the night before.
Clutter in your office creates distractions. A sticky note on your desk that says “Call Bob ASAP!” can throw off your whole day.
Showing up to work in a spic-and-span environment helps you to think clearer and work harder.
3. Wake up at an ungodly hour.
To really get stuff done, you’ve got to get up in time to make it happen.
I recommend anytime from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. If your morning routine takes a little longer, bump your wake-up time back a little more.
Obviously, you’ll need to adjust your bedtime accordingly.
4. Exercise.
Scientific evidence shows that morning exercise can make us think better, work better, and become more productive.
I read a book from Harvard’s John Ratey – Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. He writes that exercise is essential for reaching “high-performance levels in intellectually demanding jobs.” Ps. Real Estate
A quick run or 30-minute yoga session in the morning can prepare you for a powerful session of getting stuff done.
5. Stick to your schedule.
Don’t let yourself get off the course that you’ve mapped out. You have a limited amount of time. Don’t ruin the schedule.
Take your schedule, allow it guide you, and you’ll be able to accomplish more.
6. Give yourself 20 minutes to reach flow.
Flow is when you’re in the zone. This happens when you are completely absorbed in your activity, single mindedly accomplishing things at a high level and rapid pace.
It takes some time to reach flow, so if you don’t feel productive or engaged in your work, just give it some time.