A few people on Twitter and Facebook have marveled at my level of productivity. Sometimes I marvel at it, too. I’ve been asked multiple times how I stay so ridiculously productive all the time. The simple answer is “fear of failure” but you probably weren’t thinking in that direction. Thing is, I don’t really see myself as all that productive; I guess because our culture currently conflates productivity with “making lots of money” which I don’t, but such is the lot of an artist. At least for now. But hopefully my little tips and tricks can help you jump-start your own productivity and help you slay your daily routine.
Discipline is really key, here; you gotta make yourself do things you may not want to. My morning routine actually begins the night before. Lately I’ve been writing down everything I need to do the next day in a daily planner book. Phone apps are nice, but there’s just something about physically writing stuff down that hits different. I may add to the list the next morning, but writing stuff down the night before helps me "get a running start on the day.
I try to get up at the same time every day; 5:30. That probably seems insane to a lot of you; sometimes it seems insane to me, too, but I remind myself that I’m a descendant of farmers who all got up 4 AM and did more in a few hours than most office workers do in a whole day.
Then I say my morning prayers; this is an important time for me because it helps me get my head and heart right with the Creator. We do not exist for ourselves only, after all, and we must keep this at the forefront of our minds as we work.
After that, the morning routine changes depending on the time of year. In the spring and summer, I typically go outside immediately after prayer to do my morning exercise. I find that it is very helpful to exercise at the beginning of the day. These usually consist of various drills from my karate class; combat drills, kicking, punching, stances, etc.
However, I have found it's vitally important to get sunlight early in the morning. Natural sunlight improves mood and cognitive function. During the fall and winter, the sun doesn’t typically rise until 7 AM or later, so I usually wait until it does. In the meantime, I usually work on whatever artwork I have to do that day, then at 7, I head out to exercise as the sun rises.
Now, it’s worth mentioning that I avoid looking at social media during this time, especially Twitter. I’ve found that looking at social media early in the morning can destroy productivity. You’re so concerned about the demands of others and what people are saying that you can’t focus on your own needs. You waste time looking at memes instead of doing what needs to be done. I say this to myself as much to anyone else.
Now after exercise, I go in to make my breakfast. I think it’s important to eat a high-protein breakfast in this morning, as it boosts my energy and cognitive function. I typically eat eggs, toast, cream of wheat and a cup of strong black tea with honey. I prefer black tea to coffee.
Then I go on with my day. Now, after this my routine changes with the time of year, as I said earlier. At the time of writing, I usually schedule my social media posts for the day and check my emails. I read the Daily Stoic email by Ryan Holiday, which has helped me in a number of ways. I schedule newsletters for the coming week.
Now, during the spring and summer, this changes. I often like to spend a half-hour to an hour working in the garden in the morning; weeding, hoeing, pruning, picking, fertilizing, watering, etc. Then I go in and schedule posts for the day.
When that’s done, I go for a walk with the dog. It’s really important to take breaks and go our for some fresh air and sunlight, as I said above. I have to go out frequently or I go nuts. It’s sort of a reset button for your brain.
After that, well, that depends on what I have on the table for the day. That tends to change from day to day, week to week, etc. What really matters is nailing that morning routine. As I said, discipline is key, and don’t expect yourself to nail all these things at once.
So what tricks have you learned to stay productive? Write me in the comments. Can’t comment? Become a paid subscriber for only $5/month to comment as much as you like. Click below to subscribe.
Thanks for reading and have an excellent week.