How to Start Your Day successfully and get off to a Good start avoiding pitfalls of minor disasters, losing keys, phone, or possibly your patience!
First things first – Game Plan
Starting your day successfully starts with a game plan. A simple plan. What does this look like?
Do you really think about how to start your day or do you roll out of bed, shower, eat breakfast, check the news, get dressed and head out? Many of us would say “yes.” And what seems to be the problem with that?
If that is a game plan that works for you then great. However, often times that isn’t always a working game plan.
You may not be able to find your clothes, and realize they weren’t washed. The phone charger where it usually always is, is no longer there, and you spend endless minutes trying to find it knowing if you don’t have it your phone will die and you won’t get those essential phone calls, texts and messages. Lastly, the car has no gas in it. Someone borrowed it, a friend or family member and they meant to get gas, but ran out of time and now you are out of gas and you are out of time.
Football Coach Approach
Plan for the unexpected and don’t be shocked when the unexpected happens.
I am talking about coaches, football, game plans but really it is your morning and your day we are talking about. How can you simply do things to make life a little more easy on yourself? Here are some simple ways to do that.
I remember our daughters soccer coach who was an amazing person that she learned a lot of teamwork from. He would yell at her on the field when she got tackled…”If you are not bleeding get up, get the ball, and get playing!” We use this all the time now. If you are breathing, if you are up, awake, get playing in the game of life.
Plan your day
Plan your day. If you are going to work you need the following:
- Work outfit, clean and ready to put on. Nothing that needs to be pressed, a button sewn on, or doesn’t fit.
- Your work essentials: Phone, tablet, work papers and resources, perhaps your lunch or snacks for fuel, and plugs in and chargers.
- Gas in the car
- Keys- know where they are. Have a place you put them every time.
Get ready for your day
How to Start Your Day Successfully-When I get ready there are certain things I just do to help myself get my day going.
- Coffee is a must, so I try never to run out of coffee and cream.
- Devotions – I am a believer and I have found that devotions keep me filled up inside so I do not personally run on empty. Emptiness leads to inner collapse. Having been there before I try to be wise in what fills me up. I simply listen to great worship music (there are countless playlists for easy going worship, popular worship, instrumental worship, happy worship on Apple Music, Youtube videos, Amazon music, Spotify, etc) One last thing, I find that reading scriptures (Psalms and Proverbs are a wonderful place to start) have a big impact on my soul and spirit, making me strong and ready for the day.
- Next I try to have my makeup and hair supplies corralled in a location, baskets and bins.
- I try to not spend countless hours or minutes looking for things when I need to be at work at a certain time. With that thought in mind if I see something (makeup, phone chargers, bible notebook) in the wrong place I pick it up and take the 30 seconds I know it will take and I go put it where I need it. I know I will need it to get ready so I tend to it and maintain it TO AVOID FRUSTRATION WHILE GETTING READY!
- Clean clothes, or an idea of what to wear, that is already clean. I do a load a day of work clothes. I work for hospice, so dressing nice is essential. I deal with people who need me and need a kind word. It is better if I look nice and professional while assisting them.
- Gas in the car
- A backpack or computer messenger bag with all my basic work essentials so if I happen to forget to grab something on a busy morning I have a spare in my bag. This has been a big save for me. When I am able I buy spare plug ins, chargers, keto type snacks, earphone buds, extra pens, white out tape, paper clips, etc.
Get what you need for the day
When planning your week and your days it is simple to jot down a few notes, a grocery list of sorts- get paper, pens, a new phone charger for the car, ear plugs, or a bag to carry it all. Then when you are able, get those needed items. Be ahead of the game!
Before School sales are a great time to buy extra plug ins, phone and tablet chargers, snacks, pens, paper, notepads, paper clips, earphone buds, etc. Stock up so even if you forget to take your important things with you you have a spare in your backpack or messenger bag.
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Schedule time for interruptions
You know things happen. So it is wise when planning to not schedule meetings, lunch, interviews, kids sports practices back to back. Give yourself some margin. You will be glad you di.
Plan Big
An overview of the day, your week or your month is a way to plan big. Writing in kids games, sports practices, getting your hair done at a salon, buying groceries, birthdays, anniversaries, special events. When you fill in the calendar for the month it helps you better see what days to plan down time, or an extra event like going to the movies or shopping that day. However busy weekends where there are soccer tournaments are not a time to paint the bathroom or schedule a big project.
Activities and projects. Write them in.
Plan Specific
Plan specific days or events. For example if you are planning to go to a birthday party for one of your kids you know that they will need to wear clean clothes, take a gift. You will need to leave at a certain time to arrive at a certain time. You are planning – specific details rather than a broad overview (we will get there when we get there!)
For more productivity planning and tips for planning your days go HERE.
For printables, planners, productivity resources and more visit me HERE I have plenty of resources to help corral the wild horses of your day!
A little change here and there makes a big difference over time. We still look for keys, wallets, phones and other important daily things. Why? Because we get distracted coming in, going out, leaving, arriving. It just happens. 🙂
If you need a simple to follow daily planner check some of the ones I’ve put together HERE.
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