“Beginning of a great day begins a night before.”
– Sukant Ratnakar
Here are some really quick tips on how I manage my calendar and sleep.
- Explore other Calendar apps that speed up your workflow. I love BusyCal for its Quick Edit Feature, and To-Do list (OSX Reminders). Fantastical 2 comes in a close second for me.
- Lock in your bedtime. Mine is 9:30 pm. Repeat this event daily. 7-8 hours!
- Lock in your night routine. 8:30 pm. This can be light reading, herbal tea, folding and laying out clothes for tomorrow, journaling, etc. Set an alarm if it helps. No phone/computer use. Go Airplane/Do not disturb mode. Use blue blocker glasses/night shift mode (after sunset). Charge phone outside of the bedroom.
- Keep your To-Do List in Reminders. Set every To-Do Item with a [1] – [5] on its priority. Write it at the beginning, and organize your list by name. Every day at 3-4 pm, Plan your day for tomorrow. (Read: Organize Today Tomorrow)
- Block out every 30-minute window with a blank calendar event. Repeat weekly. Now you can see all the time you have. Use your To-Do list to fill events. Block in “fun time”. Block in time to do nothing. Block in time to scroll Instagram if you require that. Use separate calendars (and colors) to organize “Social Events”, “Family Time”, “Exercise”, “Sleep”, “Routine”.
- Do not wait until you feel sleepy. Be religious and try your best to go to bed at the same time every day. Lock in your circadian rhythm.
- Do not eat (or drink caffeine) after 7:00 pm, or 2-3 hours before bed.
- Always aim to wake up naturally. The goal is to wake up without setting an alarm.
- Affirm to your subconscious, out loud, what time you will wake up. It works. You can also affirm “I always obey my calendar”, which is a great practice, as long as you plan your calendar when you are in a peak state.
“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
– Ben Franklin