Many of us like to ease into our work day. Read e-mails, check schedules, wander down the hall and chat a bit; anything to delay getting into a higher mental gear for more important work.<\/p>\n
Some of the more successful people I\u2019ve been associated with have a different start. Deliberately they begin with their toughest<\/em> task for the day.<\/p>\n One quite successful senior V.P. of Sales did all of his most difficult customer call-backs at the top of his day. Or started with an hour\u2019s worth of senior client management cold calling and business development. He claimed it was the most productive part of his day. He was fresh, the client was fresh, and often conversations became creative in ways that wouldn\u2019t be likely four hours later.<\/p>\n I had a salesman who knew that I liked to be at my desk early. Invariably Al would call well before the normal start of work, usually to plead for a special deal or a favour to placate a key account. It must have worked because he kept doing it for years.<\/p>\n At the top of the day, we have our highest level of optimism and mental energy. Our minds aren\u2019t yet cluttered with minutia or the remnants of other people\u2019s rants and problems. We look at issues with a sense that they are resolvable with a bit of thought and goodwill. Our belief in our own capabilities is at its highest. Our intent to \u201ccarpe diem\u201d \u2013 seize the day \u2013 is still intact. We can constructively engage those who later in their day will be turned off and tuned out.<\/p>\n An early win generates more mental energy and optimism to drive creative risk-taking and stronger expressions of vision or direction. We have clarity of thought and confidence of expression. Our \u201cgame\u201d has been upped exponentially.<\/p>\n So, how can we make this a re-occurring experience? What habit should we start? What amount of daily time planning is necessary?<\/p>\n