The Early Bird Gets Stuff Done
As I continue in my search for financial and life freedom (to be able to pursue my passions), my time is constantly filled up with tasks I have to constantly prioritize & re-prioritize.
Currently on my plate are:
Ensuring my economic engine is still running well (my full time job at Google)
Side health business (+ another 2 potentially in the works)
Studying for my personal trainer certification
Creating content for both this blog and my youtube channel
Ensuring that I keep healthy by getting my healthy dose of exercise everyday (because I enjoy it thoroughly and I know the benefits it brings me)
I found myself in a dilemma most people face: ‘I don’t have enough time to do everything’. Yet, I’m personally starting to find that as such a weak excuse, because I truly believe that at any given point of time, you actually have the power to choose what you most want to do at that point of time. It’s honestly a game of ‘give and take’ with your time, so what are you willing to ‘give up’ doing so that you are able to work on your pursuits? What are you going to prioritize in your limited time?
For example, instead of choosing to binge watch 3 hours of TV, I could choose to use the time to be studying or editing a youtube video. Instead of saying ‘I don’t have time for the gym’ - I can make time for the gym by setting aside a dedicated time for myself to be at the gym to workout. I usually do this in the afternoons, and have set that 1 hour as my non-negotiable time - meaning I will decline any meeting or call that is placed during this time. It may seem extreme, but my health is a priority and I will not compromise it.
Okay, I’m already prioritizing my time well, but it still isn’t enough! How do I get even more out of my day?
I’ve always been a night owl in my early twenties. I’d stay up till 3am playing games or watching shows I can’t get enough of. I end up waking up super late the next day and end up ‘wasting’ half the day away. So how do you create more time for yourself? You wake up earlier and make the time for yourself! It’s not the easiest thing getting out of bed in the mornings, but after trying it out for a few weeks, I realized that the outcome are SO worth it!
If you look at some of the most successful people in the world - they all have morning routines and really utilize them to their advantage! I’ve recently finished reading this book (for the second time actually) called ‘My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired’ - by Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander. They’ve interviewed a ton of successful people about their morning routines - and one common factor between most of them is that they wake up quite early to ‘get stuff done’. They plan and prioritize their mornings so that that optimise it to their benefit! Of course, everyone’s morning routine was slight different, but there were quite a few similarities most individuals mentioned, which I personally attest to from my experience in waking up early.
I’ve started to wake up at 6AM everyday, and the extra 2 hours its gives me to do my stuff really helps. I’m able to study, blog, get some reading done, edit some videos… (okay, I was too ambitious and tried to do everything at the start but that didn’t work, so pivoting!)
Here are some of the benefits of waking up early which I have learnt to appreciate:
The quiet of the morning - this means no Interruptions. It’s precisely because it’s so early, no one will be there to bother you. No pings, emails or calls of any sort. The time is truly yours to get your stuff done.
Clarity of Mind. It’s the best time for me to work on my more creative pursuits like blogging. I also find that it’s a good time for me to study as well, as I can easily absorb and process the information in the morning.
My mornings are calming - No longer do I end up rushing to gobble down my breakfast so that I can dial into my meetings on time. I get to enjoy my breakfast in peace! Ah, the simple pleasures in life.
I get to do the things that are the most important to me in the long run. I check them off my to-do list for the mornings - and I feel amazing that I’ve been able to do that! I feel much happier because I feel like I’m really prioritizing things that are truly important to me first. Think about it, after a long day at work, your brain is tired, and most people would have to dig up the extra willpower to ‘hustle’. I’ve tried it and it takes an extraordinary amount of discipline to do so.
I will say though, that I definitely have not been getting enough sleep. Sleep is super important - and that’s the one thing everyone compromises on - and I’m guilty of that as well. There are so many studies showing the detriments of not getting enough sleep - one of which is not having your body muscles grow / maintain as much as they should! So don’t compromise on this. I’m still learning, and I do realize that the most difficult thing for me isn’t getting out of bed in the morning, rather it’s having the discipline to get myself to go to bed by 11pm!
If it’s more time you’re looking for, I’d highly recommend you to try waking up earlier, and establishing a morning routine. Perhaps in my next post, I’ll share my morning routine, and some tips on how to get out of bed (totally understand this as a pain point and turn off for many people!) As with any habit, it takes time to develop and get used to - but I promise you, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks on this one.
And yes, to confirm: Jamie is now an early bird and a morning person.
Resources
‘My Morning Routine; How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired’ - Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander (Book | Depends on your reading speed)
