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I noticed a pattern recently. The most fantastic days of my life, the days that make me feel like I’m really living, are made up of certain components. When they are all in place, I am sure to have a great day, barring unforeseen happenings or tragic news. Being serious about the kind of day I want to have means incorporating these things into my day, every single day. While these may not work for everybody, they are definitely worth sharing: 1. Get enough sleep: If you’re sleep deprived, your chances of starting your day right are significantly lowered, and if you get off to a bad start it’s difficult to put your day back on track. Experts say adults need an average of 8 hours’ sleep daily to stay healthy and function optimally. 2. Establish a morning routine: Having morning rituals- things you do every day as part of your morning, will help you optimize your time and be more productive for the rest of the day. Starting off right matters a lot. Be sure to establish a routine that encourages productivity and not laziness. Exercise and work will boost the former, while playing on social media and watching TV will tend towards the latter. A quick look at the lives of successful people will show that morning habits matter. 3. Know your MIT: Last year I wrote about how to put an end to wasted days using the principle of the MIT- Most Important Task- which requires you to identify that thing you must get done each day in order not to feel like a waste. Even when I practiced this tip in isolation, I noticed a great increase in my productivity and sense of fulfillment. Practicing it together with the others on this list took things up several notches. 4. Nourish your spirit: A song by one of my favourite artistes starts thus- “Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, the wrong side of the room, the wrong side of the world. Can’t put my finger on the mood. It’s not melancholy, anger or the blues. I love my husband, my house, my job. Couldn’t be any better, and really what else is there? Then I realize I’m forgetting God, and that’s the root of all my misery. Lord, first of all, how is it between you and me?” Enough said. 5. Make time for fun: I love to read, and I learnt the hard way to make time for it every day, even if I can only manage just a page or an article. Reading for fun is especially important for me as my work requires a lot of non-leisure reading. When I go for days without reading for recreation, my brain interprets this as stress…and suffering. Make time for what you love, be it music or sports. All work and no play… Try incorporating all 5 into your day, and let us know how it goes! About the author: Joy Ehonwa is a writer, editor and online proofreader who is passionate about relationships and personal development. She runs Pinpoint Creatives, a copy-editing, ghostwriting and transcription business, and blogs at www.anafricandiva.wordpress.com and www.girlaware.wordpress.com

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This article was first published on 7th November 2014

jehonwa

Joy Ehonwa is an editor and a writer who is passionate about relationships and personal development. She runs Pinpoint Creatives, a proofreading, editing, transcription and ghostwriting service. Email: pinpointcreatives [at] yahoo.com