How To Have A Great Day EVERYDAY
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There are FIVE things I try to do every day. Each of these things makes a small improvement in my life, and contributes towards long term success. I can’t think of a single time I had a bad day after accomplishing ALL FIVE of my daily goals. Even when I only get three or four of these things done, it still usually turns out to be a pretty good day… And over time, these great days add up, and build into a great life!
There is only 24 hours in a day, and you’re asleep for a third of that. I’ve listed these in order of importance, because sometimes things are beyond your control, and you have to prioritize your time.
PHYSICAL HEALTH: Sleep, Nutrition, & Exercise
Taking care of your body is the most important thing you can do every day. You only have one body, and your physical health affects everything else in your life. One of the biggest reasons I can accomplish so much is because my body is strong, and gives me the health and energy I need to do everything necessary to pursue my dreams. Taking good care of my body has allowed me to mostly ignore the negative effects of age, and I rarely miss a day due to illness or fatigue.
Sometimes life throws you a curve ball, and you get stuck pulling a late night, fueled by pizza and soda. Sometimes there are just not a lot of good options, and we all have deadlines to meet. But if this becomes a habit, rather than the occasional emergency, your health and energy will suffer. Keep in mind that it can often take several days of healthy living, to fully recover from an unhealthy day.
BEING PRODUCTIVE: Work, Earn Money, And Pursue Long Term Goals
It’s important to our sense of being to be productive each day. Most people need to earn money to pay their bills… But working is especially important, even for those who are wealthy enough that they don’t need to work. Most people need to work on something in order for their life to have meaning. Without meaning, a person can easily fall into depression. It’s important to have a basic vision of what kind of future you want, and then take small steps each day towards that general direction. If you are disciplined about working towards your goals, it will add up over time. Even if you don’t reach your specific goal, your life will still be improved, overall, from having worked towards a positive direction.
I try to work hard, without interruptions, for about 4 hours each day. That’s one of the reasons I wake up so early; so that I have time to be really productive before other people wake up and begin to distract me. Most people show up at their job and waste a lot of their time at work, and only accomplish a few hours of productivity. It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you actually focus and work hard for 4 hours. Besides, after 4 hours of hard work, your productivity begins to fall off, especially in creative, or highly technical fields. It also helps to fill your spare time during the day with minor tasks that add to your productivity, especially if these tasks don’t require a lot of focus.
DEVELOP YOUR MIND: Learn Something New & Pursue Challenging Hobbies
Our mind is the greatest tool we have, and unlocking our mind’s full potential is the fastest way towards achieving wealth and success in life. The sum of human knowledge is expanding faster than we have the capacity to learn it. However that should not prevent us from pursuing our interests and learning new skills. It’s important to build a broad foundation of knowledge. This helps us become more well rounded in our abilities, and also helps us see through many of the lies and manipulations that are common in modern life. I try to spend a few hours each day reading, and I will often play videos in the background while I’m working on boring tasks which don’t require a lot of concentration. It’s important to look for small opportunities to make additional use of otherwise wasted time.
It’s also important develop hobbies that challenge and exercise your mind. Mental exercise helps keep your mind young and flexible, and also reduces the likelihood mental degradation that comes with old age. Additionally, many hobbies can develop into side businesses. My computer store is a great example of a hobby turned business. I think it’s important for people to develop multiple streams of income, even if they have a good job. It can bring enjoyment and challenge to your life, and the extra money is helpful when unexpected events inevitably occur.
RELAXATION: Take A Break, Take A Nap, Or Play Some Video Games
Stress is a poison that kills you slowly. Stress weakens your immune system, interferes with creativity, causes depression, and can lead to all sorts of long term health problems. Yet stress is elusive and can have a variety of causes. In general, stress occurs when life is not proceeding in a natural fashion. Humans are not biologically inclined to work hard, only to see the majority of their earnings wasted away by bills and taxes. It is unnatural for people to act politely towards a rude customer in order to get the sale. Yet modern society often requires us to do things that go against our biological nature, and that can cause a lot of stress… and pushing ourselves too hard will only make things worse. Above all else, we must be true to who we are, or we doom ourselves to live a stressful and unhappy life!
This is why it’s supremely important to take some time each day to relax and get plenty of sleep. (Yes, sleep is so important that I mention it TWICE in this article!) And it’s important to find relaxing activities that lend themselves to our individual nature. For example, I enjoy physical activities, building things, and playing video games. Often, I want to relax alone, because social situations require a lot of energy for me. I find that I’m a much nicer person after I’ve had a hot cup of tea and walked my dog in the morning. However, I have friends who feel most relaxed when surrounded by large numbers of people, so you’ve got to find what works best for you. My advice is to find relaxing activities that also lend towards a healthy lifestyle, and bring you in tune with your natural self. Also, I find that multiple short breaks is more relaxing and productive than a single long break; and is also more time efficient. Finally, take a nap, or meditate, before going into a stressful situation, like an important business meeting. You will find that your mind is more focused, and you will be more likely to make a good impression.
LONG TERM IMPROVEMENTS: Improve Your Environment, Improve Efficiency, And Add Beauty To Your Life
Improving your immediate environment is the least important in the short term, but it is the most important in the long term. The improvements to your mood, and additional productivity due to efficiency, from living in a better environment, will add up to great benefit, over time! It’s easier to make improvements on things that you own. It often feels like a waste of time to improve an apartment you are renting. Though Improvements can be made by throwing out clutter, or upgrading furniture, or even just a small improvement to how you organize things.
One of the biggest improvements I made recently, was setting up a workout area right next to my desk. This makes it really convenient for me to exercise a little bit while I’m taking a break from work. I also rotated my desk to give me easier access to the workout area. Placing a stool next to my desk to set my laptop on only took a minute, and yet made a huge improvement to my efficiency. Sometimes the little things will make the biggest difference. I recently spent $10 buying a plastic organizer for my car, which also made a noticeable improvement to my daily life.
The goal is to make improvements that simplify, improve efficiency, and add beauty to your life. It’s important to be patient when improving your environment. I remember my house when I first bought it, and it still amazes me how much better my life is all these years later. You will not see immediate effects, but I promise they add up over time. Eventually, you will look back on your life in amazement as well.
THE BIG TAKE AWAY: How Do I Apply This To My Life?
I didn’t come up with the idea for this system over night, but rather I developed and improved upon it over most of my life. When I was young, my dad told me that the best way to climb a mountain was to put one foot in front of the other, in a generally upward direction. I didn’t realize it at the time, but he was telling me the secret for success in life!
If you do something productive each day, and continue to make small improvements to your life, eventually it will all add up, and you will move closer to success and happiness! Furthermore, you only have so much time and energy, so it’s important to prioritize your efforts where they will make the biggest impact on improving you life… And remember that it is important to be happy.
1. Take care of your body, it’s the only one you’ve got.
2. Do something productive each day, and take steps towards a better future.
3. Develop your mind. It’s your most powerful tool.
4. Relax, and be true to who you are, because stress will kill you slowly.
5. Improve your environment, simplify what you can, and bring beauty to your life.