I extracted the content which I considered as the most meaningful in this book below.
Hope these briefs can help you comprehend a lot from this book!
One of the reasons why the #5SecondRule is so empowering is because it turns you into the kind of person who operates with a bias toward action. If you tend to overthink every move, you will discover the energy and confidence to stop thinking and actually move. Using the Rule strengthens your belief that you do have the ability to control your own fate-because you are proving it to yourself one push at a time.
Effective Daily Routine
1. I get up when the alarm rings.
We went over the importance of this when you learned about the Wake Up Challenge. The alarm rings. I get up. The end. For peak productivity, you should NEVER hit the snooze button. There’s actually a neurological reason why, one that I learned while conducting research for this book.
You know that getting a good night’s sleep is important for productivity. But I bet you didn’t know that how you wake up is just as important as how you sleep.Scientists have recently discovered that when you hit the snooze button it has a negative impact on brain function and productivity that can last up to four hour! Here’s what you need to know.
We sleep in cycles that take about 90 to 110 minutes to complete. About two hours before you wake up, these sleep cycles end and your body starts to slowly prepare to wake up. When your alarm rings, your body is in wakeup mode. If you hit the snooze button and drift back to sleep, you force your brain to start a new sleep cycle that is 90 to 110 minutes long.
When the “snooze” alarm goes off 15 minutes later, the cortical region of your brain, which is the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, attention, alertness, and self-control, is still in the sleep cycle. It won’t be able to snap awake—it needs 75 more minutes to finish what that snooze button started.
It can take up to four hours for this “sleep inertia” condition to wear off and for your cognitive functions to return to their full capacity. That’s why you feel so darn groggy when you get up after hitting the snooze. It’s not because you didn’t get enough sleep. It’s because once you hit the snooze button, you started a new sleep cycle and then interrupted it. On days when you hit the snooze button, there’s no way you’re at your best.
So, I’m dead serious about this. The alarm goes off. No snooze button. Get up. Not negotiable.
2. I walk to the bathroom and turn off the alarm.
My husband and I do not have our phones or alarm clocks in our bedroom or on our nightstands. Where is my phone? In the bathroom. Close enough so I can hear the phone ring if someone calls and the alarm ring in the morning. But, far enough so I don’t fall to temptation. If my phone is on the nightstand, I will grab it without thinking and stay in bed reading emails. You know you’re guilty of the same. If it’s in reach, it’s easy to grab without thinking. A majority of adults read emails before they get out of bed, and a recent study from Deloitte reports that one-third of adults and one-half of those under the age of 35 actually wake up and check their phones in the middle of the night. By putting my phone/alarm in the bathroom, I’m making it harder to succumb to the habit of reaching for my phone, and I am setting myself up for a good night’s sleep.
3. I brush my teeth and focus on the day ahead.
I use the 3 to 5 minutes of time that I spend washing my face and brushing and flossing my teeth to focus my thoughts on what I really want and need to do for ME and MY big-picture goals. This is not a to-do list. This is a “must list.” It’s a moment when I consciously collect my thoughts and think of one or two things I might not feel like doing but that I must do today—for my goals, dreams, and business growth. Researchers call these SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely).
4. I get dressed, make my bed, walk into the kitchen, and pour a cup of coffee.
Have you noticed what I haven’t done yet? I haven’t looked at my phone or gone online to check email. Why? Because I know that the second I do, I will lose my focus. The moment you check email, read the news or surf social media, someone else’s priorities jump in front of yours. Do you think that Bill Gates and Oprah are lying in bed scrolling through social feeds? Nope, and neither should you. You must put yourself first, so do not check email until you plan YOUR day.
5. I write down my 1 to 3 “musts” and why they are important.
In my cheapo daily planner that I bought at an office supply store, I jot down the one, two, or three things that I feel I must do today—that are for ME. There are a couple of reasons why this is an important step: one, because I am a visual person, and two, according to research by Dominican University of California psychology professor Dr. Gail Matthews, by simply writing down your goals, you are 42% more likely to achieve them. Having them written in my planner means that I’ll see them throughout the day and be reminded to act. Having the “why” statement reminds me of why these goals are important and gives me an added push.
If I put them in my electronic calendar, I’ll forget about it. Half the time, I walk into a room and can’t remember what I walked in for—so I “stalk myself with my musts” by keeping them written down. When they are in my planner, which is something that I look at throughout the day, I’m cued visually. Seeing my “musts” reminds me to do these tasks. You can do this in a notebook, in your calendar, wherever—just write them down and keep them with you.
6. I plan my day and take 30 before 7:30 a.m.
I plan and often execute the most important “musts” FIRST, before I check my phone or go online and check email. I do this using a tool I call “30 before 7:30 a.m.”
I take 30 minutes before 7:30 a.m. to plan out my day. During this time block, I either start working on my two or three musts or I schedule time to get them done later in the day. If I am home, I try to start this planning session at 7:00 a.m. when the last one of our kids leaves for the bus. These 30 minutes are critical to my success.
By setting up your day to make sure that you “focus on the right things,” as Jeremy does, you prime yourself to be “much more productive” and successful in accomplishing your goals for the day.
The concept of “30 before 7:30 a.m.” cannot be done once you walk into the office. You must do this at home or at your favorite coffee shop or on the train or sitting in your car in the parking lot. I’m not kidding. The moment you walk into your office and answer that first email or take that first call, your day is gone.
7. I plan my quitting time.
Here’s something else I learned from research. In addition to planning my day, I also plan the time I will stop working. That’s right. Every day, when I start my day, I determine what time I will stop working and hang out with my family. Having a deadline for stopping or redirecting does two things: it makes me more intentional with the time I have and that makes me more productive.
There’s a principle called Parkinson’s Law—work expands to whatever time you give it. So give your workday a deadline. A deadline is important for stamina and mental health. It forces you to focus and be serious about taking the break from work. It’s a break that we all need to be present with our families and give our brains the time to rest, recharge, and reset that they require. I’m not going to lie, I’ve had to use the rule to force myself 5- 4- 3- 2- 1 to turn off the computer to stop working for the day more often than I would like to admit.
Using this daily routine has helped immeasurably. It is how I put my priorities ahead of putting out daily fires. I feel more in control because I own my actions from the moment the alarm rings. I have more clarity (which helps spot opportunities) because I’ve defined the 2-3 big picture musts that will move my goals forward.
If I notice myself detouring from my routine or getting distracted, that’s a moment of power. I use the Rule, 5- 4- 3- 2- 1 to get back on track. Of course, you can create any routine that works, but if you are looking for a way to start, try mine. Lots of people have found great success adding exercise, meditation, and gratitude lists to their morning routines. Road test them all to see what works best for you.
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