One of the most popular issues my clients bring up, besides how to make more moola, is how to do more in a day. Unfortunately, even the smartest time management tools can’t give you more time each day. This forces you to create a different relationship with time, and ditch the “not enough” train of thought.
My approach to time is a combination of practical tools, structures, spirituality, and emotional wellness. If you want to do more, you’ve got to begin with the inner game.
When you wake up in the morning, decide what kind of day you’re going to have. Will it be good, grumpy, fun, rushed, peaceful, productive, or an adventure?
Morning is the easiest time to push the reset button on your attitude.
Disregard the urge to plow into your day with full force. Always do one or more morning practices to be grounded and focused before you start “doing.”
These practices can work wonders:
- Walk, run, work out, row, or do another activity that creates a mind-body connection.
- Journal, do automatic writing, or jot morning pages, where you just dump what’s in your head onto paper.
- Meditate or do a guided visualization.
- Connect with your vision board or bucket list.
- Connect to your yearly, monthly, and weekly biz goals.
- Sip a cup of joe or tea while reading something pleasant or enjoying the view.
- Write about what an awesome day you’ll have, as if it’s already happened.
Once you feel like you can powerfully move forward in a calm manner, it’s time to set your intentions for the day. This is how you leverage the power of attraction. If you start your day without doing this, you’re asking for a day you look back on and say, “Where did my day go?” or “This day went from bad to worse.”
It’s important to only choose a maximum of five actions you want to complete each day. Fewer is better. Decide which actions will feel the most fulfilling to complete and that you’ll enjoy doing. If there’s something you must complete because of a deadline, decide that it’ll be easy to complete.
Focus is the name of the game. Give yourself completely to whatever you are doing in any given moment. You’ll experience more peace and will actually get more done than if you multitasked all day long.
You can experience the feeling of time expanding when you stay present to the moment. It takes a bit of trust to know that what needs to get done will get done. Whatever doesn’t get done is fine.
If you beat yourself up over what didn’t get done, then you’re asking for misery. This life is meant to be enjoyed, not to be a productivity master. But if you’re clear about your intentions and find flow in your day, you can experience joy and reach your most important goals.
Peace, joy, and fun are the biggest factors in profit attraction, not how many tasks you can get done in a day.
I always ask myself if what I’ve chosen to do for the day will move me toward what I want and if it will make me happy. Whatever you choose to do for the day, align yourself 100% behind it. No regrets. You’ll have another clean slate tomorrow. =)