Hack Your Morning and Win the Day

This article on having a productive morning is compiled from a book called Good Morning, by Seye Kuyinu. It’s a 50-page book I stumbled upon in a newsletter. It’s much like a motivational read.

I liked the “process” Seye follows to control the day. And following the steps will help you win your morning and be in a position to pursue things you love.

Check Good Morning on Goodreads

This article summarises everything in the book, about hacking into a productive morning.

It starts the night before

Seye mentions it’s important to take a proper sleep. Without it, you’ll feel burned out, take poor decisions, and make mistakes.

To have a better sleep:

• Have a regular sleep schedule. If you can’t sleep before 10, go to bed after that. But have a regular time, like around 11 PM. Follow it regularly, if not daily.
• Consider your bed, only a place to sleep. If you work from bed (like me), you might face problems in getting a proper sleep. But you can associate your sleeping schedule with other rituals, e.g., putting away the laptop and other items.
• Have a routine before sleeping. Drinking a glass of water by bed, taking a walk, or changing into a dress for the night can all help you in getting a good night’s sleep. Also, if you feel sleepy while reading, do that.

And the most important… have the intention to sleep.

If you’ve goals to accomplish, write the questions and thoughts you have. Get them off your head before you go to sleep. While sleeping, your subconscious will work to find the solutions. It will do the wandering. Then jot down the thoughts as you wake up while they’re still fresh.

Put your brain in idle mode

The brain consists of neurons in different regions and different states. They use electrical activity to communicate. And brain waves are produced by synchronised electrical pulses from neurons communicating with each other.

Alpha waves are present when your brain is in an idle state. It’s when you’re meditating, daydreaming or deeply engrossed in TV. This alpha state is when you’re generating brilliant and beautiful ideas. Yep, just before you fall asleep.

So, when you lay in bed, practice mindful meditation. Think about a beautiful situation. Rest. You might fall asleep in 3-5 minutes.

Also read: You Have More Time than You Think

Prepare your digital devices

The use of digital devices is associated with taking longer to fall asleep. It also results in less sleep.

But, if you absolutely need to use your phone during the night, at least turn on the blue light filter. You’ll find it in the display settings. It might be called Night Mode in your phone. No, not Dark Mode; it’s entirely different.

You can download an app if your phone doesn’t offer any such setting.

Also, don’t pick the phone first thing in the morning. Else, you’ll be lost in the notifications. However, if you sleep with your phone, if it’s that important, turn off all the app notifications which aren’t necessary for you.

Begin your day in a quiet place

Start with these 4 rituals…

• Meditation – Meditation reduces the stress levels. Good daily practice will make it easy for you to be in a responsive state rather than a reactive state. It can also help you fall asleep quickly and soundly.
• Affirmation – Affirmations are positive thoughts and beliefs that are said out loud. You can whisper too. When done right after meditation, they stay longer in your conscious mind and keep you calm.
• Gratitude – Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what you have, rather than what you want. Gratefulness is associated with increased energy, optimism, and empathy. When you regularly practice gratitude, you’ll feel more alive and sleep better.
• Time Scheduling – Write the top 3 tasks of the day, and others you want to tackle. You can create a schedule or just make a mental note; whatever works for you.

Listen to the rhythms

Music is a mood, as well as energy, booster. Music with a strong beat stimulates the brain and causes the brainwaves to sync with the rhythm. Slow beats can resonate with the meditative brainwaves, and fast beats can make you alert and concentrate on thinking.

Similarly, podcasts can help you grow personally and professionally. They can educate you and help you learn more subconsciously. You can listen to them while busy with tasks like jogging or commuting.

And it’s up to you to choose what to listen and when.

Play hard, love hard!

Fun is just as much fun if you put off work to enjoy it. Playfulness is one of the most critical creative attitudes. It frees your mind and helps you tackle problems from a different perspective.

And that was all about having a productive morning.

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