What should you say no to in the morning to have a more productive day?

Vio Vanica
38 replies
Mine would be any piece of technology (phone, laptop, ipad, etc). Wondering what is it for you?

Replies

Dawn Veltri
Definitely my phone. If I look at it first thing in the morning then I am looking at it all day.
Dawn Veltri
@viorica_vanica Yes, I have downtime set on my phone. I can bypass it of course but it usually gives me the nudge I need to put my phone down.
Daniel Baum
@dawn_veltri1 I find the phone light really helpful for waking up. I know I could just turn on an actual light but find its not the same. Any suggestions?
Vio Vanica
@dawn_veltri1 Yes I know what you mean, do you have mornings when you don't use it?
Dawn Veltri
@daniel_baum That blue light really wakes up our brains but so does a run if you’re into that 😂. I’m not sure on suggestions I think there are daylight alarm clocks that would do the same thing but I’m not sure.
Daniel Baum
@dawn_veltri1 I like to run... but have to get out of bed first! Daylight alarm clock could do the trick - thanks!
Cica-Laure Mbappé
Sometimes I just leave my phone in the furthest room of the house to not be tempted to look at it. Works like a charm to stay focused all morning 😀
Vio Vanica
@cica_laure_mbappe yes, I have to do that more often!
Julia Doronina
No Instagram, only after breakfast!
Alexander Moen
I have a very controlled morning routine, as that sets my mental state for the day. No phone or computer or email. I read my goals outloud. When I'm going through my morning routine (brushing my teeth, etc) I'm thinking about my day ahead and what the big things are to tackle. I'm aware of my mental state and if it's distracted or not on point, I give it focus and put it on point.
Johannes Grenzemann
@alexander_moen that makes sence. Maybe should reduce my mail & messaging consumption directly after wakeup 🤔 and try to focus more on my goals. Will try this out! Interesting input, thx!
Alexander Moen
@jgrenzemann let me know how it goes. It doesn't sound like it'd make a big difference, but it does, especially in the long run. Think of it like other people getting to control your thoughts and actions (via email, whatever media story in your feed, etc. When you read that it hijacks your thoughts) versus you getting to focus on and prepare for your biggest moves of the day.
Vio Vanica
@alexander_moen Love your routine Alexander. Do you have like a vision board that you see every day or is it like reading from your journal?
Nathan Challen
@alexander_moen @jgrenzemann there is a small window of time in your waking state that is the most insightful you'll have in the whole day! Use it to create. Not read the news, email, notifications etc.. those are other peoples' agendas.
Alexander Moen
@viorica_vanica no vision board, but I have my longer-term goals written down, as well as a couple excerpts from "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill. I have them all memorized, although I still occasionally read them as well, and say it out loud either way. I aim for some feeling when I say them and try to be mindful and actually think about and visualize what I'm saying, rather than robotically regurgitating some memorized lines.
Shekhar Chandra
reddit ! goes from news to meme real fast !!
Nathan Challen
No phone, email, news, notifications until you have set the agenda and know what your most important tasks are for the day TO YOU. Do those... then look at what other peoples agendas are.
Vio Vanica
@emotf love the prioritization, how did you come to this structure?
Nathan Challen
@viorica_vanica long story! In short, I am a productivity geek 🥸. And this is just one part of a method I teach in my upcoming 'Flow state on demand' course. https://www.producthunt.com/upco...
Inna Proshkina
sleep, gym, piano, cat... and a bunch of other things that take time from work
Arpit Mishra
No meetings. I am more focused, use less social media in morning hours. Hate when interrupted by meetings. Like to schedule them after lunch.
Rish A
Your anxiety/stress. The best advice I've gotten is "Everytime you start to spiral about something, write it on a list, and move on."
Vio Vanica
@rishika_anchalia and what do you do with the list? What is the idea of the list, just to create the headspace?
Rish A
@viorica_vanica It works for me because 1- it doesn't feel like having to "forget" or "get over" the problem. Listing it down somewhere means I can come back to it and it doesn't feel like I'm forcing myself to ignore a problem. 2- it feels more "real" and therefore deal-able (that's not a word but I don't have the right word for it lol). Like, a list I can refer to every time I'm worried I am stressed over nothing. And a list I can tackle every time I do have the energy. What I do with the list: schedule out time to just spiral/worry every couple days.
Daria Novikova
I try to avoid resetting the wake-up alarms and stop snoozing and don't touch the phone as soon as I get up
Vio Vanica
@daria_novikova14 ohh the snoozing part is very familiar, thank you for sharing Daria!
Linda Liepa
Definitely phone - I tend to switch off wi-fi to not lose focus from social media updates. Also, no chit-chatters with colleagues as I work in the office. I tend to put on my headphones not to be disturbed.
Vio Vanica
@linda_liepa nice Linda, I am curious to learn what's your routine without the phone, feel free to share if you would like to!
Linda Liepa
@viorica_vanica I shared morning "no's" while I'm at work 😀 If we talk about the morning routine after I wake up, I don't use my phone till I make breakfast as I like to enjoy Youtube videos while eating. My routine is pretty simple. I start the morning with a glass of water that is next to my bed. Then I go to the bathroom and have a stretch afterward. After the stretch, I quickly make breakfast, eat and then head out. Pretty simple 😀
Ignacio Jiménez Navarro
Conference calls, I try to schedule all of them in the evening because I feel mucho more productive talking to people after having done all the grunt work. 😎
Vio Vanica
@ignacio_jimenez_navarro Would love to apply this with the calls on the second half of the day, when do you usually start your calls in the evenings?
Deniz Aslan
not lazing around and exercising :)
Vio Vanica
@deniz_fox what do you think would help you do it?
Deniz Aslan
@viorica_vanica what gets you out of bed in the morning ? maybe this could be
Eden Tadesse
No mobile internet and if I'm being hyper-focused, no phone calls either. You set your phone on flight mode and keep it at least 2m away from your workspace. 💻