If you’re reading this on your phone and only woke up 10 minutes ago, you’ve already made a bad move for the day.
But a big thumbs up to you if you’re reading this a little later in the morning with extra points earned for making the bed or giving your partner a hug.
Avoiding the phone first thing in the morning may be a foreign concept for some of us, but according to trends forecaster and business analyst Michael McQueen it’s a habit we should drop quick smart.
McQueen said scrolling through email or checking social media or the weather wasn’t the best start to the day because it put us in the reactive rather than the proactive seat.
Instead it was better if we began the day with something which made us feel as if we were in control.
The author of “Momentum: How to Build it, Keep it, or Get it Back” thinks the first 10 minutes of our day are the most crucial and starting out on the right foot sets the tone for the rest of the week.
“A lot of people operate on autopilot so jump straight on the phone,” McQueen said. “But this means they instantly start spending the day reacting and they’re not in the driver’s seat.”
And while liking that photo on Facebook or responding to a tweet may seem harmless, it has an unintended effect.
“Straight away the day has been directed by someone else,” McQueen said.
Instead he suggests creating more productive habits for the first 10 minutes of each day.
It may sound odd at first but simple changes can create better habits in a relatively short time.
“Something simple like making the bed or being grateful for what you achieved the day before can make all the difference,” he said.
“The idea is it’s you deliberately doing something rather doing something unintentionally.”
McQueen said research shows starting the day with a positive habit sets in motion a positive chain reaction.
“It’s not really known why something like making the bed works, whether it means you feel less chaotic or have a better sense of well being, it’s just something positive,” he said.
McQueen said checking emails or social media first thing could have a negative impact on your day by inducing stress and anxiety.
“My advice is get up, connect with people you love, feel grateful and reflect on what you’ve achieved the day before not focus on what you have to do today,” he said.
“Exercise, get moving and clear your head.”
People who start doing this will find they are not only far more productive but less stressed and more likely to form good habits.
“Bad habits are hard to break but forming good habits doesn’t need to be difficult, it just takes a little time,” he said.
“High capacity people get stuff done and tend not to take unintentional or reactive actions.”