But the reality is, we have a finite amount of time in each day, week or even year, to achieve our goals. This doesn’t however mean that there isn’t enough time, or that we need any more. It just means we need to be as efficient as possible when it comes to focussing our attention and effort where it’s needed.
The golden hour
A couple of years ago, I came across the American-Canadian business writer and speaker called Brian Tracy and his concept of ‘the golden hour’.
Tracy states that the thoughts which come into your mind during the first hour of the day will influence how you think, feel and act for the rest of the day. Further to this, he suggested that this ‘golden hour’ was the most powerful factor for personal development and lifelong success.
His key tip was to start each morning by sitting quietly to reflect on your goals and plan for the future. He believed that by changing how we think, we could change our lives and our financial situation.
Create good morning habits
While it’s a bold view, I do believe there is something to be said in starting each day the right way. If you’re a night owl or not a natural ‘morning person’, perhaps the last thing on your mind is getting up even earlier and writing a list of goals for the day or week ahead.
However, it may not need to be an action as regimented as this. You may consider getting up just 15 minutes earlier to allow time for a few minutes of quiet reflection before you jump into your day. If you usually skip breakfast in a rush, perhaps making the time to have something to eat and mull over your plans for the day ahead could make all the difference in how you feel by the time you get into the office (or wherever it is you spend your day).
Expand on little changes over time
Implementing these actions regularly will allow them to become habit. Once they feel more natural and less forced, you can then look at expanding on any small changes you’ve made to take advantage even further of the ‘golden hour’ or create more effective uses of your time.
Stephen Covey’s ‘7 Habits of Highly Successful People’ is a good framework to visit and revisit over the years to ensure that good habits are growing and bad habits are kept on top of.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this latest instalment to my money and wellness series. For the next article, we’ll be looking at how to seize the day!
