Begin the Day Deliberately

by Kirk Miller

There is a daily process we teach in our Getting the EDGE classes called Begin the Day. It consists of a set of steps at the beginning of each day which enables us to start the day with a clear head, an empty inbox and a plan of action for the day. This process is key to maintaining and living the EDGE system. I can always predict what kind of day I am going to have by one simple measurement, and that is how I begin the day.

I work in downtown Austin and live in one of the surrounding suburbs. One of the keys to beginning my day well is to get an early start in order to make sure I am well ahead of the morning traffic. It is truly amazing what a difference 15 minutes can make. If I leave my house at 6:30 am I am virtually guaranteed to be in the office at 7am, with a quiet hour of time to begin the day calmly and deliberately. I am also then able to plan out a course of action, gather my thoughts and set my sail for the day. It allows me to start with a clear head, an empty inbox and a strategy.

Interestingly enough, if I hit the snooze button for an extra few minutes or spend extra time getting my things together instead of preparing the night before, it usually causes me to leave later. Even 15 minutes later can make a huge difference, and in some cases put me right in the middle of the morning rush hour traffic. By the time I get to work on those days, I am in a state of rush, sometimes getting into the office after others have arrived and having no time to give any forethought to plan out my day. This is the equivalent to an athlete rushing out onto the field without any stretching or preparation whatsoever. How we begin can set the course for how the rest of the day plays out.

Plan ahead and commit to your own Begin the Day process and see what a difference it can make in your life and your work. It is one of the key best practices of the most productive people in the world.