I am not someone who gets up and immediately gets to work.
I need some time to wake up, explore some Facebook, and sip some coffee.
The people around me finally have started to appreciate this reality after years of dealing with the Pre-coffee Grumpus.
I don't know if The People That I Live With are getting smarter or if I have been just getting grumpier, but my five year old was shaking his head the other morning and mumbling, "leave her alone. She hasn't had her coffee."
But once those critical things are done, it's way too easy to slip into the slacking trap, where I play on Facebook or do something to procrastinate.
One simple change totally transforms my day.
It's a change that you can make, whether when you arrive at the office or in your house after the kids get on the bus. If you have kids at home, make this happen while the kids eat breakfast or during morning cartoons.
That change?
Spend the first twenty minutes of your day doing things that will make your day successful.
Set a timer and get started.
For me, that means that I glance at the supper menu and do anything that needs to be done this morning to make supper happen.
Today, that meant boiling the red beans and setting them to soak for two hours, flipping the turkey in the brine for putting in the oven later, and getting out the pancake mix for the mess of waffles that I plan to feed into the freezer.
(Should I worry that only the small red beans were available this week at the produce stand?)
Next, I threw in a load of laundry.
Then, I checked my planner and did today's MUST do (sending an e-mail in today's case).
For those in offices, I recommend checking your planner for any deadlines, setting out files for any meetings, checking your e-mail for any emergencies, and checking your mail/in-box.
This case is affordable and amazing for miles for today's meetings.
TIP: If you work in an office, add this twenty minute routine either right before leaving for work or right when you get home. It will change your life.
For those at home, in addition to laundry, supper, and planner must-dos, I recommend a load of dishes (but that is assigned to someone else in my house - the seven year old - so I didn't have to worry about it).
It's twenty minutes that you probably think that you don't have. But, truly, it will save you MORE than twenty minutes a day in the long run.
Imagine if supper was already defrosted and marinated when you got home.
Imagine if your laundry never piled up.
Imagine if you didn't have to worry that you had forgotten something important because the most critical thing on your task list (other than having coffee, obviously) was completed first thing in the morning.
That first twenty minutes - and how you spend them - really does matter.
Imagine if supper was already defrosted and marinated when you got home.
Imagine if your laundry never piled up.
Imagine if you didn't have to worry that you had forgotten something important because the most critical thing on your task list (other than having coffee, obviously) was completed first thing in the morning.
That first twenty minutes - and how you spend them - really does matter.
4 comments:
Hi Giftie again! I just saw your planner inserts, and though, isn't it new year, and you have a new fc binder, then how is that that you have the same kind of inserts in a new year? Haven't you used them all?
I bought a bunch three years ago on clearance. They are undated, so I will use them until they run out.
I bought a bunch three years ago on clearance. They are undated, so I will use them until they run out.
I'm the same way in the morning. I need a little time to wake up. For me, it's nice to be able to read for a bit, especially if I'm working through a Bible study book. It centers my thoughts for the day. Then I can glance at my plan, and start to get ready for the things that need to be dong that day.
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