hey everyone and welcome to top think today we're going to learn about 12 simple habits
that will change your life now let's begin number one the evening list so when's the
best time to make your to-do list first thing in the morning at the beginning of the week well the
best time to make your list is right before you go to bed as you're winding down for the
night just spend a few minutes thinking about what goals that you want to accomplish tomorrow
but why is an evening list more effective and motivational than a morning list
well if you make your list in the morning then you have to slow your schedule down
you have to stop and organize everything on your plate instead of diving into your work
while a morning to-do list is still valuable an evening list builds motivation while you sleep
so first thing in the morning you can jump straight into your work because you already
know what you want to do first you may also feel more organized and productive when you make lists
in the evening your day is already planned out from the moment you wake up and that's a big
weight off your shoulders so go ahead and dedicate 15 minutes every night to your to-do list and that
way every morning starts off strong number two the minute rule you have a busy schedule you
have big projects and you have small chores you have documents to write and emails to answer but
how do you know which jobs to do first the minute rule helps you organize your responsibilities by
time so if something takes less than 60 seconds don't wait do it right now you'd be surprised how
many of your responsibilities can be finished in less than a minute so if something takes longer
than 60 seconds don't worry about it right now add it to your to-do list and save it for later
now with this method you can eliminate small miscellaneous tasks while keeping
your schedule organized and efficient number three concrete brainstorming how often do you
brainstorm most people concentrate their efforts on concrete responsibilities
you have to work on job a you have to accomplish job b and then you have to finish job c these
concrete tasks are easy to wrap your head around but sometimes you need to consider
the bigger picture so spend a few minutes every day brainstorming about the future think about new
goals you might create for yourself consider big ideas that could change the direction of your life
some successful people pair these brainstorming sessions with a morning cup of coffee not
only do you get a burst of energy but your new ideas can motivate you for the rest of the day
number four nighttime reflection instead of brainstorming you can also set aside time to
reflect when you're brainstorming you're coming up with new ideas when you're reflecting you're
reconsidering old ones now both of these thoughtful experiences can be inspiring
encouraging and even therapeutic but you have to give these experiences the attention they deserve
unlike brainstorming reflection should be done at the end of the day add 15 minutes of reflection to
your nighttime routine and during those 15 minutes think hard about what you accomplished that day
are you making progress towards your lifelong goals what are you most proud of
and what can you do better by asking yourself these important
questions you can increase your motivation and discover confidence in your personal progress
number five moments of solitude how often do you spend time alone you may be around people 24
7 your schedule may be demanding and chaotic luckily a few minutes alone can help you find
clarity and balance every person deserves some time to themselves you may use that time to enjoy
your hobbies or read a book you may journal about your day or think quietly to yourself that's the
beauty of spending time alone no one else decides how you use your time that's entirely up to you so
whether it's five minutes in the morning or five minutes before bed just spend a few minutes each
day by yourself hey you'd be surprised how big of a difference a few moments of solitude can make
number six musical inspiration music is powerful it can bring you to tears it can
fill you with energy and it can motivate you when you're feeling down but unless you're a
musician you may not spend time searching for new music discovering musical inspiration can
profoundly impact your life a new song can lift your spirits and empower your confidence
a lively playlist can motivate you to overcome challenges or achieve lifestyle goals
so find music that moves you because the right song album or musician can change your life
number seven make your bed start your day on a high note first thing in the morning make your
bed then immediately cross that chore off your list it's an easy job but it only takes one
small accomplishment to start a day full of productivity productivity is like a snowball
rolling down a snowy mountain it starts small but oh that snowball grows as it accrues more snow
now in the same way you need momentum to carry you from one productive task to the next
making your bed might be an easy job but it gets the ball rolling it gets you started
and that's almost always the hardest part number eight reset expectations
expectations are intimidating but no one's expectations are more daunting than your own
the simple truth is you expect way too much of yourself all right let's say you're starting a new
job you expect yourself to blow everyone away on the first day so instead you do what everyone does
you make a whole bunch of mistakes you don't live up to your expectations so you ridicule yourself
you criticize your abilities but the truth is you're setting yourself up for disappointment
so before taking on a new challenge just check your expectations at the door spend a few minutes
concentrating on the reality of your situation come on it's your first day on the job you don't
know what you're doing and more than likely you're going to make several mistakes but that's okay hey
count on failing many times and don't criticize yourself when you do instead remember that every
new opportunity is a learning experience the only thing you should be expecting is personal growth
number nine cold showers do you take hot showers in the morning after rolling out of
bed your steaming shower feels like a perfect sanctuary where you can relax and enjoy your
morning but that's the problem hot showers leave you feeling cozy and lethargic instead of jumping
on the day's work you want to get back in bed in other words a hot shower destroys your motivation
so instead of a hot shower try taking cold showers in the morning cold showers aren't
as relaxing as hot showers but a splash of cold water can change the tone of your entire morning
so the moment you step into that freezing water your body springs into action
cold showers leave you feeling awake and alert which encourages your productivity
stepping into a cold shower also builds self-discipline it's not easy to force
yourself into that freezing water every morning it takes self-control and a whole lot of courage
so start your mornings with a cold shower and reap the benefits of this simple change in temperature
number 10 most important tasks every morning you need to pick three significant items off your
to-do list these are your mits your most important tasks for the rest of the day your mits are your
number one priority until you accomplish these three tasks your day isn't over but how do you
know which tasks are your most important tasks mits are jobs with the highest value or the most
significant results these are the responsibilities that make your day worthwhile as long as you
accomplish your mits you can rest easy knowing your day was well spent so take a few minutes
to write down your mits in the morning and no matter how many obstacles are standing in your way
get these three things done as soon as possible number 11 voluntary discomfort how often do you
step outside of your comfort zone most of us hide inside our personal bubbles because that's where
we feel safe and confident we know what we're doing we know what we're good at and we stick to
our strengths but discomfort is an important part of your personal and professional growth so if
you want to change your life do something you know that you're bad at yeah choose to be uncomfortable
take a risk that you've never taken before this is called voluntary discomfort and it's one of
the most important things that you can learn in life there will always be opportunities to make
yourself uncomfortable in the moment new things are intimidating they're frightening or just plain
awkward but overcoming those uncomfortable obstacles will give you strength and courage
number 12 the positivity box when something great happens to you write it down write a sentence or
two on a scrap of paper and then place it into a box this is your positivity box inside are all
the amazing things that have happened to you in your life maybe you nailed a presentation at work
and your boss pulled you aside to tell you how impressed she was maybe you won an award for a
creative project that you poured heart and soul into these accomplishments belong inside your
positivity box anytime you're feeling down just reach into your positivity box and read about all
the great things that you've done because most of us forget about the good things in our lives
we're bogged down by negative thoughts and bad experiences that's when your positivity
box comes in handy read one or two notes each day remember all the things you've accomplished
and remind yourself that you have something to be proud of hey thank you for watching top
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