1: We’ve decided to get up an hour earlier to experience a miracle morning.
Terrific. That’s step #1.
But will we be energized and ready to go?
“Today started lasted night,” says philosopher Brian Johnson, creator of the Heroic Coach Program.
Meaning: The choices we make tonight will determine our level of energy and focus tomorrow morning.
2: To create a “masterpiece life,” Brian tells us, we begin by creating “masterpiece days.”
The key to creating masterpiece days is focusing on the parts of our day where we have maximum control: The beginning and end of the day – what he calls the AM and PM bookends.
Today, we will focus on the three specific actions we can take to maximize the effectiveness of our PM bookend.
Suggestion: See Brian’s ideas as a gift. Not a chore to be done.
First, get a good night’s sleep. Brian argues sleep is not just a pillar of health; it is the foundation on which all the other pillars rest.
The sleep researchers tell us we need 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Not time in bed. Time asleep. So, if we are going to get up at 6 am, we need to be in bed around 10 pm.
Second, implement a “digital sunset.” Brian uses the metaphor of a snow globe. Stimulating ourselves (shaking the snow globe) by watching Netflix or answering emails up until the moment we fall asleep will directly impact the amount and quality of our sleep. The solution: Turn off all devises, what be calls a “digital sunset,” one hour before bedtime.
Third, enforce a “shutdown complete.” The idea here is to create a bright line between our work day and time with family and friends. Brian suggests having a specific time (5 pm? 6 pm?) when our work day is over. Hard stop.
3: Brian suggests ritualizing it. When the clock hits the appointed hour, we power off our computer and say, “Shutdown complete.” Work is done until the following morning.
Lots of benefits here. Knowing we have a hard stop will naturally increase our work intensity. When we work with energy and focus, we get more done.
We also will be much more present with the people we care about. In their book 5 Gears, authors Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram outline five modes: recharge, connect, social, task, and focus. Being intentional about recognizing what the moment calls for and fully embracing that mode is the key to happiness and success.
When we are working, we work! When we are playing, we play! Trying to do both at the same time is the road to burnout and ineffectiveness.
More tomorrow!
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Reflection: Do I want more definition between my personal and professional lives?
Action: Experiment with a digital sunset one hour before I go to sleep tonight.
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