Seven Things I Do before 7:00 AM
I guess I would consider myself a creature of habit. I’m not sure that this is a bad thing, but I do tend to get into a routine and it occurred to me that I do a number of things the same way when I am NOT traveling.
Here is a list of seven things I do before 7:00 AM:
- Check the status of the revenue for the month—a few passwords, a click or two, and magically I know the revenue for the month by department. I am sure most companies do this, but if you don’t, this might be something that you look to change early in 2007.
Make sure I have read Daily Research News and the news on Worldopinion.com from the day before. This is a very easy way to know what is going on in the research world. If you would like to receive emails from them daily, you should sign up right away.
- Check my Outlook calendar. I like to make sure I am totally prepared for the day and make sure I don’t need to think about any last minute preparation for any meetings.
Check my email and make sure I have less than 44 emails in my inbox. This way I can glance and see all of them as opposed to scrolling down.
- Go to excite.com and read the headline news.
- Check my office and cell voicemail. My goal here is to ensure that I have returned all calls and also update myself with any information that may have been on my voicemail.
- Call my friend Rick “Rooster” Hurwitz and debate the world of sports on my way to work. Yes, this one is done around 6:00am.
Why is this important? For me, I am trying to not only be prepared, but get off to a quick start. I find that I can accomplish a great deal if I get in early, think about the day and make any last minute changes that are needed.
Are you a creature of habit? What do you do? I look forward to reading your comments.
November 24th, 2006 at 1:17 pm
Like Merrill I am an early morning person. Here is how I spend the first 4 hours a typical work day.
1. Check e-mails
Those of you who have participated in the Time/Stress Management seminars that Jon Last and I have presented know that my day usually behinds at 4:30 AM (PST). By 5 AM I am checking my e-mails. There are not many, but I usually come across an early morning request from an East Coast client and an issue that occured from the previous night’s data collection. With my support team on Central time, I can have e-mails ready for them when they come to their office at 8 AM and have resolution before 10 AM EST.
2. Exercise
Come 5:15 - 5:30 AM I am out the door and exercising. I usually log in a 2 to 3 mile run or a 5 mile mountain walk. I will not go on about the benefits of physical exercise, but during this 60 to 90 minute time period I am mentally able to review the past day and plan for the the day ahead. It is a very special time of the day for me.
3. Tuesdays and Thursdays with Bruce
On Tuesdays and Thrursday mornings I trained with my good friend Bruce Bialosky. We both share a passion for baseball, music, politics, films and other life substaining interests. Bruce is also one of my business mentors, so I able to bounce any business issues and concerns off him and get immediate feedback.
4. Feed Carroll, Delta, Mara and Val
These are my 4 four cats and I always take care of their breakfast. This is special to me as it is the only time during the day that I can get all four of them together at the same time. Watching the four of them chow down their dry knibble provides a undescribable joy that carries me throughout the day.
5. My breakfast
Check out Merrill’s previous posting about diets and you will read why I feel this is the most important meal of anyone’s day.
6. Computer Tango
For the next 30 to 90 minutes I go and back forth checking my home computer as I eat, shower, and dress. I continue to check e-mails, make business calls and “nip things in the bud”. I do not like to walk into my business office to any surprises. Just before I head out of the house, I check the web site http://www.sigalert.com (a must for any LA commuter). This immediate gives me a map of the traffic along the major LA freeways. I check the 3 (most notably the southbound 405) that I must take to get to work. If the 405 is moving at a 4 mph clip, it is better for me to work out of the house for another hour than to be struck in traffic for 35 minutes.
7. Check Favorite Web Sites
Like Merrill, after I fire up my office computer, I hit the two MR sites he mentioned. In addition I review the headlines from the Barron’s web site and two alternative news webs sites (one European). Often these sites provide a tidbit or news story that the 3 newspapers I read and NPR miss or do not have room for.
By now it is 9:15 or 9:30 AM. I have dealt with all my pressing business issues, worked out, spent time with my cats, showered, shaved, had a hearty breakfast and have reviewed and listened to all the day’s breaking news. I am now ready to work.
November 27th, 2006 at 8:54 am
I get up at 4:45 AM, and before I sit down to work for the day at around 7:15 I:
1. Walk the dog
2. Check e-mail
3. Go to the gym for 75 minutes
4. Drink 2 non-fat peppermint lattes
I rarely change this routine when I am home. The exercise more than the coffee really gets me going although I seem to be addicted to both.
November 27th, 2006 at 9:25 am
When you are lucky enough to retire from the research business your list of things to do before 7:00a.m. are very different.
1. I am lucky if I even get up before 7:00a.m.
2. I wake up to sunshine and warm weather (no alarm).
3.Check the calendar to see what fun things are scheduled for the day, like water aerobics, bridge, etc.
4. Check my e-mail to delete 44 jokes.
5. Sit and watch the “Today Show” and leisurly drink a pot of coffee.
I am a creature of habit, but it is a much more relaxing “do it whenever” life style.
I am loving every minute of it. All my years working with deadlines and quotas are behind me. Retirement is great.
November 27th, 2006 at 9:39 am
Like Merrill I am an early morning person. Here is how I spend the first 4 hours a typical work day.
1. Check e-mails
Those of you who have participated in the Time/Stress Management seminars that Jon Last and I have presented know that my day usually behinds at 4:30 AM (PST). By 5 AM I am checking my e-mails. There are not many, but I usually come across an early morning request from an East Coast client and an issue that occured from the previous night’s data collection. With my support team on Central time, I can have e-mails ready for them when they come to their office at 8 AM and have resolution before 10 AM EST.
2. Exercise
Come 5:15 - 5:30 AM I am out the door and exercising. I usually log in a 2 to 3 mile run or a 5 mile mountain walk. I will not go on about the benefits of physical exercise, but during this 60 to 90 minute time period I am mentally able to review the past day and plan for the the day ahead. It is a very special time of the day for me.
3. Tuesdays and Thursdays with Bruce
On Tuesdays and Thrursday mornings I trained with my good friend Bruce Bialosky. We both share a passion for baseball, music, politics, films and other life substaining interests. Bruce is also one of my business mentors, so I able to bounce any business issues and concerns off him and get immediate feedback.
4. Feed Carroll, Delta, Mara and Val
These are my 4 four cats and I always take care of their breakfast. This is special to me as it is the only time during the day that I can get all four of them together at the same time. Watching the four of them chow down their dry knibble provides a undescribable joy that carries me throughout the day.
5. My breakfast
Check out Merrill’s previous posting about diets and you will read why I feel this is the most important meal of anyone’s day.
6. Computer Tango
For the next 30 to 90 minutes I go and back forth checking my home computer as I eat, shower, and dress. I continue to check e-mails, make business calls and “nip things in the bud”. I do not like to walk into my business office to any surprises. Just before I head out of the house, I check the web site http://www.sigalert.com (a must for any LA commuter). This immediately gives me a map of the traffic along the major LA freeways. I check the 3 (most notably the southbound 405) that I must take to get to work. If the 405 is moving at a 4 mph clip, it is better for me to work out of the house for another hour than to be struck in traffic for 35 minutes.
7. Check Favorite Web Sites
Like Merrill, after I fire up my office computer, I hit the two MR sites he mentioned. In addition I review the headlines from the Barron’s web site and two alternative news webs sites (one European). Often these sites provide a tidbit or news story that the 3 newspapers I read and NPR miss or do not have room for.
By now it is 9:15 or 9:30 AM. I have dealt with all my pressing business issues, worked out, spent time with my cats, showered, shaved, had a hearty breakfast and have reviewed and listened to all the day’s breaking news. I am now ready to work.
November 30th, 2006 at 10:01 am
I have always been an early morning person and I have trained most of my family to be as well. It takes away a little of the quiet time that I used to have, but it ensures that we all check in with each other, first thing in the morning.
1. I wake up at 5:15am, with or without the alarm clock. I live in Dallas, so if I travel to the West Coast, I wake up at 3:15am. I have sleep apnea so I actually wake up 35 time during the night, but I still feel rested.
2. The first thing I do is brush my teeth, put on my favorite sweatshirt (fall and winter) go out and get the local paper and Wall Street Journal (hard copies) and read the sports page and all of the headlines while in the most private of rooms in my house, until my leg falls asleep.
3. I then prepare my large bowl of oatmeal, finish reading the paper, switch the TV back and forth between the local news (weather and traffic), CNN, and Mike and Mike in the Morning on ESPN2, until about 6am.
4. By 6am my 16 year old son is downstairs and eating breakfast and my wife is taking inventory of her day. I logon to my computer and check all of my e-mails (much less than 44) and respond. I send e-mails to my staff outlining some goals for the day and to remind them of my schedule. I make sure that all of the production from the day before has been updated.
5. At 6:15am I take a shower, shave and get dressed and by 6:40am my son and I are in the car for the 20 minute drive to the private high school he attends in Dallas. We continue to listen to Mike and Mike, talk about his day, recap his sporting activities and academics and comment on the general world affairs and sports. I drop him off at 7:00am so that he can work out at school - give him a hug - and say “have a great day”.
6. I am in my office in Las Colinas by 7:20am, turn on the lights, check the overnight phone messages, and get on with my day.
7. However, my son just got his drivers license and on Tuesday started driving himself to school. I am going to miss that 20 minute drive with him and my routine that has been unchanged for years. I will probably add a workout in the mix, but still arrive at the office by 7:30am.
November 30th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
Hi Merrill and all,
I started making a list on my refrigerator for my three boyz 12 years ago they always had 7 things to do before school. I find very funny that you too have 7 things to do when you get up. Here were my 7 things to do before school and they couldn’t ask me for anything until they did it. It gave me so much time in the AM to get my stuff done without interruption. If they started to ask me something I would remind them 7 things did you do your 7 things?
1. Make your bed
2. Put clothes in the laundry shoot
3. Get dress (always bath before bed)
4. Eat your cereal and drink your juice
5. Brush your teeth
6. Get your snack
7. Tell mommy your are ready