I am writing this the day after Father’s Day. And to be honest, I had a GREAT day. It was wonderful and while not every day can be that awesome (I would have a heart attack from the meat consumption) it did get me thinking about creating your PERFECT day.
And while we all know that April 25th is the perfect day, it’s not too hot, not too cold, you can wear a light jacket (and it’s my Wife’s B-day)…while not every day can BE 4/25…we can all have our version of that great day almost every day.
Designing Your Ideal Day is like preparing for a superhero mission. There’s some prep work, every hour counts, and every decision matters. So here is how I would structure your day for peak performance, productivity and enjoyment:
Morning Routine: Starting the Day Right
Technically I think this starts the night before…but bear with me as we move chronologically through the day.
- Waking Up: Set a consistent wake-up time. New sleep research actually focuses on a consistent wake up time being more important than a consistent sleep time. Use a gentle alarm or natural light to ease into the day. Pro-tip – they make smart blinds that will self raise around a certain time or the sunrise to allow you to wake up to sunlight and make you feel like you have your own JARVIS.
- Self-Care: Hydrate, brush your teeth, and take care of your skin. Incorporate light exercise or stretching to wake up your body. I have a whole morning routine set in Alexa that goes through all of this (in 5 minutes tops). Then I go for a run/walk/ruck everyday at 6am. Not only does it wake me up from the exercise but I ALSO get the benefit of some time in the sun. It’s like starting the day like Superman, soaking in those rays…even if I don’t leap a tall building or outrun a speeding bullet.
- Healthy Breakfast: Fuel up with a balanced meal. Avoid heavy or sugary foods that might cause energy crashes later. For me, I skip breakfast and intermittent fast on days I don’t lift weights. On days I lift I try to get some complex carbs, protein, and my greens in the morning. Think of it as feeding your body like Popeye with his spinach.
- Don’t Fall Down the Rabbit Hole: Try to stay off of your phone for as long as possible in the morning (or minimize the time if you’re using it for your alarm/calendar/etc). Avoid going down the rabbit hole like Alice in Wonderland.
Work or Primary Activity: Seize the Day
- Set Intentions for the Day: This could be meditation, breathing exercises, or quiet reflection. Or it could just be looking at your calendar and to-do list for the day. At the very least set your intentions for the day, much like Batman preparing his gadgets.
- Focused Work Sessions: When it comes to work, I am a BIG eat the frog guy. The concept being if you eat a frog first thing in the morning, your day can only get better (attributed to Mark Twain, but he never actually said as near as I can tell). I calendar EVERYTHING and try to get the biggest and hardest stuff into the morning slots. I also like the Pomodoro technique for productivity. It’s named after a tomato and includes a 25 minute timer for you to do things in those blocks and then have a 5-minute break. Whatever you end up doing, take regular breaks to avoid burnout…but also make sure you get things DONE. Imagine yourself as Tony Stark in his lab, focused and productive, but knowing when to take a break and hang out with Pepper Potts.
- Collaboration and Meetings: Schedule time for team meetings and collaboration. Ensure meetings are productive and concise, like the Avengers’ strategy sessions. You can check out my newsletter on meetings here. I know a lot of people who focus on having a full day of meetings one day per week. That’s not me, but I do like having my meetings early when everyone is focused and then we can all get the work done afterwards (plus Dan Pink in Drive tells us that 75% of people are more focused in the morning and more creative in the afternoon).
Midday Break: Recharge and Refuel
- Lunch Break: Take a proper lunch break away from your desk. Incorporate movement, like a walk or stretching, to re-energize. I get 10,000 steps a day, so either I will have a networking lunch or I will take a short walk around lunch. Think of it as taking a break like Ferris Bueller—your lunch break should be a chance to reset and enjoy.
- Healthy Eating: Plan nutritious, balanced meals. Choose snacks that provide energy without causing crashes and keep portions controlled. This is WAY easier said than done for me.
- Hydration: Drink water throughout the day, limiting caffeine (I know, I know…lawyers live on the stuff) and sugary drinks. For me, I have a 64 oz stainless steel bottle I carry around. During 75 hard I would drink an entire one before 10am and then try to have the second refill done by dinner. Now that I am not doing 75 hard, if I get 64 oz done by the end of the lunch I am happy with anything else I drink later in the day.
Afternoon and Evening Activities: Finish Strong
- Productive Work Continuation: Continue with your primary activities. Tackle afternoon slumps with energizing tasks. Again, 75% of people are more creative in the afternoon, so I actually like filming and writing content in the afternoons (as long as I have large blocks between meetings). Think of it as channeling your inner Dr. Strange, focusing to learn the newest spell…or Gandalf totally disappearing from everyone to show up White instead of Grey…
- Wind Down: Gradually shift from work mode to personal time. Create an end of work routine that works for you. I go through my calendar, move whatever I didn’t do to the next open slot (or my assistant does it). I go back through my email once quickly, and then I look at tomorrow’s calendar. Then I am done.
- Pro-tip – think about shutting off certain apps on your phone after work is over. Maybe have your email, calendar, and case management app shut off at 5pm. You can get back into them with a few taps…but those extra few taps save me a LOT of headaches and keep me focused on my family, friends, and life after work hours are over.
Personal Time and Hobbies: Pursue Your Passions
- Hobbies: Not hobbits…hobbies…Dedicate time to hobbies and activities that bring joy. Ensure it’s a regular part of your routine. I cannot stress this enough, a lot of times my hobbies get me more cases. No one really cares that I am a lawyer, but if their disc golf buddy is the only lawyer they know…when it comes up, they come to me.
- Social Connections: Make time for family, friends, and social activities. Building relationships and social support is key to overall well-being. Seriously, the longest study on happiness is summed up by that last paragraph. If you want to be happy, have strong connections with people. This might not be something you can do EVERY day. But have a weekly dinner with rotating friends. Join a monthly book club. Sign up for an adult sports league. Take some of the things you like doing and actually put them on your calendar and make time for them.
Nighttime Routine: Prepare for Tomorrow
- Reflecting on the Day: Journal or note down key reflections and gratitude. Review accomplishments and areas for improvement. My family does this around the dinner table (in a more fun way than it might sound and I love them 3000).
- Again Don’t Fall Down the Rabbit Hole: 99% of my phone shuts off at 7pm to stop me from doom scrolling or getting lost in something. Even WITH the change to limiting blue light that the phones have now…I still get worked up with my phone v other things. We have been playing a lot of card/board games as a family, my 6 year old is pretty great at UNO, and picked up the junior versions of monopoly/ticket to ride/etc. It’s been fun and awesome to spend this time together.
- Preparing for Tomorrow: Set out clothes, pack lunch, and organize your workspace. Review your schedule and priorities for the next day. If you did this as part of your work wind down and it gives you anxiety…skip it now, otherwise you might benefit from doing it again briefly. I prefer to check my calendar at the end of the work day and at night (again as part of an alexa nighttime routine). Sometimes I have had dreams which solved or changed a project I was going to work on the next day.
- Wind Down and Relaxation: Engage in activities that help you unwind, like reading, light stretching, or meditation. Set a consistent bedtime. Again, wake up time might be more important, but I still think a great day starts with the night before.
- And I want to be REALLY clear here – my best wind down is watching tv for 30-60 minutes. Ideally my son is in bed (or his room) at 8pm and my wife and I will watch TV until closer to 9 and then I can roll over and go to bed. I know this violates EVERY rule/study/etc. But it works for me 95% of the time. If I don’t do this I toss and turn a lot more. So try my advice and then see what works for you.
Until then, keep your cape ready and your routines optimized!