To achieve the ultimate level of efficiency you need to follow an AM and PM routine. It’s important to hit the ground running without having to think about what to do next especially when you’re trying to clear the morning cobwebs. Establish a simple routine—especially for the first few hours of each morning, perhaps something like:
- 0500-0515 Wakeup, Wash face, brush teeth, restroom, brew coffee
- 05:15-0530 Recite prayers
- 0530-0600 Review Email, drink coffee, eat a small snack
- 0600-0650 Begin work on the to-do list and goals
- 0650-0700 Drive to the health club
- 0700-0800 Exercise
- 0800-0810 Drive home
- 0810-0830 Shower and dress for work
- 0830-0845 Drive to work
- Work
This routine is obviously for someone who doesn’t have to care for a young child. Even if your routine needs to be different and/or smaller, is irrelevant, it’s important to have a routine you can use every day of the week. If you need to catch up on your sleep on the weekend, have a modified routine for Saturday and Sunday, but make sure you follow a routine, 7 days a week.
Exercise every day
Do some form of exercise every day. Clean your apartment, walk around the block, go to the gym, wash the car, or do some other sort of activity every day. The adage of taking a day off or exercising 2-3 days a week is a mistake. If you take one day off, you will want a second and a third, etc. Do you see where this is headed? It’s why you haven’t been consistent all these years.
Exercise should be a habit—a good one. The only way to be consistent is to do something every day until your mind is trained and it becomes part of your life. Exercise does not have to be boring. Consistency and change and are important success factors to live a healthy and energetic lifestyle. Doing something different keeps activities more exciting. Change your exercise routine frequently for better results.
In the evening it’s just as important to follow a routine, but much simpler. It may look something like this:
- 2000-2030 Clean dishes and kitchen after eating dinner
- 2030-2100 Reply to any work-related requests
- 2100-2130 Floss, brush teeth, lay out work clothes and workout clothes for the next day
- 2130-2200 go to sleep
On your days off you can modify it somewhat based on your plans i.e., family commitments, date night, road trip or just wanting to sleep in a bit because you stayed up late the night before.
