5 Ways You Should Never Start Your Day
How you start your day goes a long way to determine how it will go. Unfortunately, a lot of people start their day reacting and thus never gain control over their day.
There are different power strategies that productive people have uncovered to help get their day started. What works for each person is quite different. It also depends on what stage the person is in life.
However, we can agree on the horrible ways to get the day started. The first step in understanding what to do is first to understand what you shouldn’t do.
Here are a few ways you should not start your day:
1. Jumping Out of Bed or Rushing
This often happens when you wake up and realize that you are late. The default action for the brain is to try and cover up and make the appropriate meeting or schedule. But even at that, you are probably still going to be late. Plus, you are set to have a horrible day.
So, if you wake up late instead of jumping and rushing, call the appropriate person and let them know you are having a delay and would be late. If you can reschedule, that is better. If lateness is unacceptable, ask someone to fill in for you.
It is better to call early that you will be 40 minutes late (or make preparations for that) than to show up 5 minutes late
If all that is impossible for you, then never wake up late. Sleep early or have afternoon naps.
2. Checking Work Messages on Your Phone
Many of the productivity gurus often say checking your phone first thing after you wake up is a bad thing. But the fact is that it depends on what you are checking.
Some people do get sweet messages from loved ones every morning. Reading them and sending some of those can be a great way to start the day. What absolutely should not be done is checking work messages.
The way most people use their phones, there is no separation between work and social. And not all social is positive. So, if you can filter your phone to be able to see positive, caring and gratitude messages only when you wake up, then picking up your phone first thing in the morning might be a great idea.
However, negative messages, work messages are things you shouldn’t be looking at first thing in the morning.
3. Noise or Loud Music
This is easy. Your day is disrupted if you wake up to noise or loud music. Some like waking up to music. Interestingly, there are those who are used to waking up to loud music. They can get used to the early disorientation but there is something about silence.
Personally, I wake up the second time I open my eyes. The first time, I close it back for a few minutes to wrap up the sleep. That is only possible where there is no loud music or noise.
Waking up as a result of being disturbed is definitely one of the things you want to avoid.
4. Talking
Don’t pick that call
Even saying “good morning” should be after you have been awake for some time. Allow your mind to boot. Fresh awake is the best time to be mute. This is especially for people who generally talk a lot.
When most people start talking after waking up, it is often reactive. As a simple example, they feel compelled to reply “good morning” when someone says the same to them. The point is that it is reactive. It is a reply.
How about this:
If you have someone who tells you “good morning” every morning, think of a nonverbal way to respond.
The first thing that comes out of your mouth for the day has to set the tone for the day. So, boot before you talk.
5. Over-thinking
Some people wake up to the thought of what they could have done better the day before. Some start thinking of what the weird dream they just had could mean. That is over-thinking.
The thoughts will come, but it is your responsibility to tame your wandering mind.
Bring yourself into the present
If over-thinking is your major challenge, you can start the day by thinking on the things you are most grateful for. An early morning gratitude ritual is an amazing way to send out the early morning negative thoughts.
Finally, I’d like to leave you with this saying:
A bad day can start good but a good day rarely starts bad
Cheers!
