Consider your perfect day for a second. An ideal day for most of us is one in which we complete activities with purpose. Work comes easily and seamlessly on a beautiful day. Then you have the rest of the night to do anything you want.
Consider how nice it would be to have it every day. You certainly can.
Craig Ballantyne, the renowned website Early To Rise editor, teaches us how to accomplish just that in his book The Perfect Day Formula. It is based on Epictetus' teachings from antiquity. Epictetus followed a school of thought known as Stoicism, which emphasizes living a virtuous, moral, and fruitful life.
Control, Conquer, and Concentrate are the three Cs that make up the perfect day formula. Learn to control what you can and deal with the rest. To win your days, learn to conquer the chaos in your life. Try and focus on the things that are most important to you.
What should you do to have a perfect day? Master your mornings, overcome the chaos of your afternoons, and focus on what counts in the evenings.
"Structure = freedom" is one of the formula's fundamental principles. It may sound contradictory, but you must first establish a structure to accomplish the fundamentals to attain freedom. The trick to becoming more productive and less overwhelmed is structure.
Part One: Control the Morning
Habits are quite strong. We must govern our mornings by harnessing and utilizing them. The proper procedures ensure that the right actions are taken automatically.
Although you have no control over the outside world, you have power over your ideas, words, and behaviors. You are in charge of your actions. You also have power over your success.
The time you get out of bed is a significant ritual in your life. Getting up fifteen minutes earlier is the finest move you can make. Even if you don't feel like it, start with your most important task first thing in the morning.
This may be challenging at first, but it is the only way to achieve significant progress in your life.
Your morning triumphs begin with appropriate preparation the night before. You must have a strategy in place for the next morning. It will be simpler to conquer procrastination if you get up early.
When people get up early in the morning, they usually get as much work done three times. According to studies, starting your day with a win puts you in a good mood. The positive attitude you have in the morning will carry you through the rest of the day.
Make it a habit to do this every day. Nothing is simple at first, but anything worthwhile is worth the effort. You must be willing to take action to match your degree of desire. Making and following your own rules for living will lead you to a life of prosperity and knowledge.
Follow your rules as if they were divine law. Ensure your rules are in line with your objectives and aspirations.
- Make a rule that you will not have more than a couple of drinks if you wish to drink less.
- Make it a practice to read a book per week if you want to improve your intelligence.
Rules provide a solid foundation for success. They are really important.
Each day, we all follow the same set of rules. At red lights, we come to a halt. We manage to keep out of trouble. Similarly, your own rules will compel you to make sound judgments and make resisting temptation simple. You won't have to rely on willpower if you follow the guidelines. They will lead you to actions that are in line with your objectives.
Consider your rules as a means to get rid of negative behaviors and replace them with good ones. Every day, we are pressed into making decisions that make us feel terrible and sorry. It will be simpler to make better judgments with less effort if regulations are implemented.
You will be more successful if you keep a to-do list. Break down your to-do list goals into smaller goals to help you plan your calendar more realistically. This will assist you in achieving your goals. Schedule particular chores with a start and finish time, and target your most important task first thing in the morning.
To get more accomplished and have a perfect day, start making your to-do list the night before. A daily routine is required. If you know your priorities, you may create a pattern and script for tomorrow to get the best results.
You must define a start and finish time for all jobs in your script. This keeps time vampires from draining the life out of your schedule. To organize your day, start at the end and work backward. Your least critical chores should be scheduled for when you have the least brainpower during the day.
It's a good idea to keep a thankfulness and achievement diary. No matter how minor, jotting down accomplishments serves as a reminder that we are getting closer to our objective. It simply takes five minutes and will make your life more fulfilling and happy.
Temptations come at us from all sides. Make a list of things you don't want to do to counteract this. Make a list of what you'll and won't do each day. Include specific items that address your limitations and the challenges you face daily.
Keep your composure and persevere. You can't allow your worst behaviors to become habits if you want to be successful. You have the systems and the power to say no; utilize them to take control of your day.
Although procrastination is appealing, you must resist it. The easiest approach to do so is to take action. Even if you don't want to, just do it. Don't give up.
It's difficult to break bad habits. You'll probably get off course but having a trigger to remind you of what you're doing.
Triggers are small tactics that stop you from doing something you don't want to do. If you see yourself falling into a poor habit, summon the tiniest amount of discipline to set your trigger. Anything that encourages you to get back on track may be your trigger.
Seven steps are the key to developing steely behaviors.
Step 1: Figure Out What Matters and Focus on It
To be successful, we must first complete the most basic tasks. Determine what is most important to you, and then utilize the remaining stages to develop habits that will allow you to devote your time to it.
Step #2: Identify Steps to Success and Rules for Your Life
No one is flawless, but setting boundaries may prevent you from feeling disappointment, guilt, and the regret of squandered days.
Step #3: Create a Checklist for New Habits
To make it easier to start, break down new behaviors into action items.
Step #4: Prepare the Night Before
Make a checklist and map out a simple route to success.
Step #5: Remove All Obstacles
Remove as many roadblocks, distractions, and harmful behaviors as you can. It will be easier for you to make and keep to the appropriate selections due to this.
Step #6: Take Massive Action
Put what you speak into practice and put what you teach into action. You have so much power. Make a move.
Step #7: Learn and Improve
This will be challenging at times. When this occurs, remember to learn from your mistakes.
Getting up fifteen minutes earlier and completing your top goal is the single most essential aspect in gaining charge of your mornings, and therefore your day.
There is a mechanism in place to assist you in getting up on time.
- Stop ingesting caffeine ten hours before bedtime.
- Stop eating and drinking three hours before bedtime.
- Stop working two hours before bedtime.
- Switch off all phones, TVs, and laptops an hour before bedtime.
- Also, don't use the snooze button in the morning.
There are three key principles to follow to plan your perfect day.
Decide when you'll go to bed and when you'll get up each day.
Make a list of the first action step you'll take each morning to get closer to your objectives and aspirations.
Make a basic health plan.
Determine the behaviors that will help you stick to your guidelines. Create bigger rules after you've got those in place. Make guidelines for how you'll manage your calendar, your emails, your vices and temptations, and how you'll cope with the many sources of stress in your life.
You will have control over your morning and your life if you follow these rules and practices.
Part Two: Conquer the Afternoon
Five success pillars can help you accomplish your top objective in life. You must accept responsibility for who you are, what you do, and where you are in life.
The First Pillar: Planning and Preparation
Everything you do either gives you the potential for success or places another roadblock in your path.
You will make the correct judgments and do the right things if you are prepared. It will assist in removing as much temptation as possible. You'll stay on track if you plan to avoid them.
The Second Pillar: Professional Accountability
We could all use the help of a coach. They will mentor us as well as keep us accountable.
If you have the opportunity, becoming a mentor is also useful. This will assist you in comprehending the significance of what you are teaching. You will learn by teaching others.
The Third Pillar: Social Supports
The good energy of others around you might help you have the best day of your life.
Make sure your personal and professional networks are full of individuals who are positive and encouraging. Find people who motivate you, improve you, and whom you admire.
The Fourth Pillar: An Incentive
Although delayed gratification is tough, it is definitely worth the effort.
According to studies, those who can defer pleasure are more reliable and have more success in life. You may exercise your delayed gratification muscle and reap the benefits by doing so.
The Fifth Pillar: The Big Deadline
Humans have a natural "Big Deadline" in our existence, and realizing that we're running out of time should be enough to motivate us to act now. Use the power of deadlines to your advantage.
The deadline instills urgency in our efforts and encourages us to persevere in the face of adversity.
You may establish deadlines for your workday (no matter what, complete by 5:30 p.m.) and daily chores (this phone call will be no longer than fifteen minutes). You should also establish a timeframe for yourself to achieve your objectives. It will motivate you to take the necessary steps.
When you have all five pillars in order, you will have laid the groundwork to ensure that your top priority in life is met. With them, you can deal with the madness of the afternoon.
Part Three: Concentrate on What Counts
After you've established your success foundation, you'll need to construct a life vision. Consider what is important to you and focus on it. Take steps that support this vision.
Perhaps you don't feel like you're where you want to be in life. This is due to a lack of clarity in your eyesight. Your hard effort will be misdirected if you don't do this. Having a vision might help you stay focused and resist temptation.
Spend an hour imagining where you want your life to be in three to five years. Then, with people who can assist you, share your initial draft. Make certain they can be trusted and helpful. Set precise goals to help you realize your vision.
Limit yourself to four goals to prevent being overly ambitious. Make one for yourself:
- your health
- your prosperity
- social self
- personal enrichment
After you've set your goals, break them down into smaller goals that will help you get closer to them. Determine what steps are required to attain the desired outcome.
Express your thoughts with individuals who will encourage you. They can be found in an online community or among individuals you know in person. They, whoever they are, will just by being there, assist you in achieving your objectives.
Maintain your fortitude. Continue to get closer to your objectives. Accept that you are alone responsible for your own life. It is entirely up to you to document your perfect day.
Your success begins the moment you wake up. Make a schedule for your day. Get up early in the morning. Before you do anything else, focus on your top objective. Make your day more structured.
Handle whatever you can, make do with what you can't, and focus on the important things.
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