I love those mornings where you stay deeply cocooned in your scrummy blankets, soft pillows and even better; that long-awaited moment when you've now got the whole bed to yourself.
I'm not sure about you but I have acutely sensitive hearing that affects my ability to sleep. And it's quite discerning as to what it can hear e.g.
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can't hear pug snoring (dogs are cute)
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can't hear horse shuffling in stables by our ensuite (my horse is cute)
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can't hear small micey things running around bedroom at night (small cute furry things brought in by bigger cute furry thing) can hear when dogs need to go out during night (worthwhile padding down hallway in sub-zero house to let cute dogs out for mimi (on the way, toss out non-native dead birds from lounge floor, delivered by cute cat)
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CAN definitely hear husband snoring (29 years married, irrefutably not as cute as the dog)
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can definitely hear husband breathing despite my ears jammed with ear plugs and large pillow wrapped around **head (bloody self-centered and noisy behaviour; wish he'd stop that breathing carry-on and decidedly still not as cute as the pug/cat/mice)
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can hear/feel husband undertake grandiose barrel roll to move his air-frame from breathing in my ear to breathing towards the outside of the bed (having been motivated to shift by subtle and gentle smack to non-specific part of his body)
So, when I've got the whole yummy 'quiet' morning thing rocking, I could stay there forever. Evidently, that's not very professional and there's this thing called 'daily habits' (healthy productive ones). You too? I get this little bit of an icky feeling in the front of my mouth when I think about getting up to 'a daily routine'.
That said, I'm trying.
**welfare clarification- mine - not his
Having figured out that my team is no longer coming to work every day during Level 3 & 4, (I know, smarter than I look), I now recognise that they were actually the primary external-driver for my getting out of bed at a reasonable time in the morning. Not my own fabulous self-discipline, but the need for me to be at the team brief by 7.45 am daily.
The next external driver is the horse has to come out of the stable and be down in the paddocks by 9 am (large thing, gets really grumpy if that doesn't happen at same time each morning).
Shame, gets involved too; husband does the full 5.30 a.m. thing every day in the whole world. Does goodness knows what? between then and 8 am, when I begrudgingly emerge for morning coffee. (Never asked; presume he may hum softly somewhere in the house and seek world peace for several hours,)
Last year, I was privileged to meet Dr David Keane. He's an Irishman, based in Wellington, International Presenter and Author, and he wrote the book "The 10 Behaviours of Successful People' (Wiley). I was seeking complementary content for some of my leadership programmes and Dr Davidhas some magnificent 'stuff'. The end result of our meeting; he graciously accepted me as a '10 Behaviours Business Partner' and I'm able to deliver his IP. And his 'stuff', aided and abetted my journey to becoming a grown-up.
This has led to the demise of the slovenly me. As much as I fight the urge to stay in bed, cocooned and so on... I now, with cautious acceptance, and no external drivers, set an alarm/s, shave and shower (old army term) and hit that coffee by 8.30 am. Don't you be giving me that eye roll - all of you 4.30 a.m. creepy weirdo's, this is a moment to celebrate for those of us who are generally very lazy (unless something interests us i.e. oooh look there's a unicorn - I'd be out of bed in a flash).
Further reading on 'habits'
Steve Covey - 7 habits of Highly Successful People
Atomic Habits - James Clear & HBRs - On Managing Yourself
Being a Grown-up
And there it is. Nothing new, remember I am an ex-military officer so strong habitual behaviours and training strong habits were skills that I had mastered. But, I am basically very lazy (quite nice, but very lazy), and so, when I'm not training someone else, not responsible for a team, i.e. not being externally driven, my default is to sleep too much, eat too much and I'm darned skilled at drinking too much (only very good wine - that must count for something).
The key is to recognise within yourself, and not be ashamed of the fact that your preference is for slovenly, unforgivably laggardly behaviour; and excess in most things. Once you've reached that pinnacle of self- enlightenment, you are able to figure out how the heck you're going to be a grown up and do the same but worthwhile and productive shit each day.
My key take aways from the 10 Behaviours and the internally driven success of a loafing, slothful, dilly-dallying old lady are:
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write and tick the check list (we know the neuroscience of this is critical in producing serotonin our satisfaction drug that links to melatonin, our sleeping drug)
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clean up your work space, electronic files, email in box etc. articulate your 'life's purpose' and check in with that daily
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deeply understand what you are passionate about, recognise it, and spend the time to articulate this
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plan your week and daily rhythm, it gives you so much freedom and a sense of control, having a plan in place. Go and get excited about Eisenhower's Matrix - puts so much perspective on priorities for you and your team (will share some thoughts on that later).
Go easy on yourself team - not everyone is a self-motivated, (possibly a little bit dull) self-disciplined master. Seriously, deep down, I do believe that naturally organised people are just too lazy to look for things.
To download a copy and share with your team and others just click on the Habits button below
