How do you start your day? I’ve learned I have my most productive days when I follow my “Meal Prep Plan.” Your personal and professional dreams are just like cooking a meal. You have something you are hungry for. Before you start preparing to live the experience, you must prepare to transform your vision into a reality.
When a Chef wants to produce the meal of their dreams, they are proactive. Chefs rarely cook for themselves. They savor the opportunity to share their culinary masterpieces with others. This is why they meal prep. They focus on the results they want or need to produce. They avoid distractions. They follow a plan or routine to achieve success.
For me, I have my best days when I focus on the dreams I want to produce. It requires commitment. I use the first hour of my day for personal and professional development.
#1 I pray to thank God for waking up and to talk with him about how I’d like my day to go.
#2 I read my daily affirmation to remind myself of who I am and where I can go.
#3 I review my calendar/goals for the day.
#4 I drink at least 2 glasses (16 oz) of water
#5 I exercise or stretch
#6 I read or listen to something (audiobook/podcast) to help me grow personally and professionally.
#7 I avoid “productivity/time thieves” (Social media, email, and the news) for the first hour of my day. I need to focus on what I’m cooking, not what others are cooking.
Everyone meal preps differently. What do you do to start your day? Do you invest your time producing the masterpieces you desire to create for yourself and others? Or do you wake up and invest your valuable time watching others produce the masterpieces and live life?