Why Your Internet Morning Routine Limits Productivity
If you’re like me, the first thing you do when going online is to load all your favorite websites, checking for any updates or changes. I call this the Internet Morning Routine (IMR). A nice dinner with Sasha over made it clear why it can hinder productivity.
I’ve configured my browser to load my e-mail and blogs with one click. I begin every morning by spending an hour at most dealing with unanswered e-mails and comments. Getting those relatively minor items out of the way sounds like a good idea, right?
Then I recognized why IMR can be unproductive. By the time you’re done, your head is full of thoughts, since you’ve dealt with so many things. Instead of starting with a fresh mind, emptied by last night’s sleep, the little gray cells are packed with ideas. And this may make concentrating on the first task you have scheduled after the IMR a little hard, especially for a poor multi-tasker like me.
Of course, I’m not saying the only time to check your websites should be at the end of the day. That’s an easy way to build-up your backlog and stay out of the loop. My point is, before anything else, try to get at least one task done, then take a break to check things out. In short, it’s better to hit the ground running, rather than begin the day mired in minor details.
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POSTED IN: Great Advice, Living as a Freelancer
2 opinions for Why Your Internet Morning Routine Limits Productivity
Glen
Nov 29, 2006 at 9:26 am
I agree that getting at least one task done before diving into the regular IMR is a great idea.
Rico
Dec 3, 2006 at 10:17 am
Yeah, “having” to answer all those e-mails at the start of the day bogs me down.
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