Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
First Hour of the Day
Last night, I heard an interview of Tim Ferris, author of The 4-Hour Workweek, on the radio. I had mixed feelings when I read the book. While Ferris makes some good suggestions—don’t waste time on stuff that really doesn’t need to be done—he also relies on tactics like outsourcing to India, which is trickier than he implies, and also doesn’t really feel right to me.
His new book is a compilation of his interviews of leaders in the worlds of sports, business and the military. One question he asks each of them is what they do in the first 60 minutes of the day. I am always interested in the habits and routines of people I admire, and I find this a particularly interesting question. The interviewer turned the tables on Ferris, asking about the first hour of his day. Ferris explained an elaborate ritual involving tea, meditation and two different journals. My morning routine isn’t nearly as high-falutin’ as his, and I don’t have the luxury of an hour, but it’s still a routine and I believe that sticking to it gets my day off to the right start. It has evolved over the years, and I’m sure it will continue to evolve, but the key is that I am disciplined about maintaining it.
What’s your morning routine? Are you disciplined about it? Would you like to change or improve it? The beginning of the year is coming, but why wait? Whether your aim is to get to work on time or start meditating on a daily basis, your morning routine is going to help you get there.