The number one tip given by every productivity guru is waking up early. This is to make sure the most important task of the day is done and dusted. The effect this action has on the rest of the day is tremendous. Also, the feeling of ticking off the task from your to-do list, the relief, is just icing on the cake. However, for this plan to succeed, it must be backed up by multiple tiny steps to be done on the previous day.

Attitude/mindset: A simple way to achieve the required mindset for success is by watching or reading what the additional benefits of your task are. Be it any action. For me, putting these thoughts before sleep made sure excitement is intact for the session. The environment around us also makes or breaks the mindset. Beforehand, prepare the room for the task on hand by laying out all the things needed and tidying up helps clear mental space.

Steps taken to mitigate failure: Beforehand, try and predict where you may fail and plan actions against it. This knowledge comes with the repetition of the task, continuously removing the obstacles, tiny or otherwise, and making it pleasurable will help with consistency.

Head starters: Not every task can have a head start option, e.g., If you plan on meditating or working out. Otherwise, make a head start and wake up knowing that the initial struggle is taken care of. Go ahead, write those first few lines, read and assimilate a paragraph, prepare veggies/fruits for a healthy breakfast.

Progress tracking: Numerous free apps are available for tracking progress and keeping you accountable. These apps are vital tools to improve consistency. Once you start putting in continuous successful days, the chances of breaking the streak will lessen. When I say streak, it does include cheat days. The number of those varies from task to task and person to person. Apart from these, you missed a day, no big deal. Although, never miss twice without inevitable reasons. This will just increase the chances of discontinuing the chain and make resuming more difficult.

A couplet written by 15th century Indian mystic poet and Saint Kabir Das goes “What you have to do tomorrow, do it today and what you have to do today, do it right now. If the moment is lost, how will the work be done?”. One of the interpretation of the Doha (couplet), which fascinates me, is to live in the moment. My dear reader, let us mark today as ‘day one’ instead of ‘one day’.

Comment below your thoughts or suggestions about the blog. I look forward to them eagerly.

Until next time:)