Stop "Optimizing"—Start Living
Hey!
I get it—we’ve all seen the "6 Things Successful People Do Before 8 AM" posts. But let’s be real: life isn’t always optimal. You can plan your heart out, but life will always life. Things will go sideways, the unexpected will hit, and suddenly, your perfectly crafted schedule is toast.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t create rhythms that work for you. Not mandates—just practical ways to set yourself up for a win.
I’ll share how I make it work, in case 1-2 of these resonate with you:
-
Wake up at 4:30 a.m. – It’s early, but it doesn’t feel any worse than 6:30am, and I am 10x more productive.
-
100% dressed when the kids wake up. – When I’m ready before the family whirlwind starts, not only am I nicer to my family, but I’m more agile for the rest of the day because I’m ready to jump into it.
-
Pray or read a devotional before work. – This grounds me and helps shift my mindset to gratitude and purpose. You don’t want to do business with me after lunch if I haven’t gotten right before 6:00am.
-
Complete one work task before "LinkedIn Golden Hour." – Knocking out something meaningful early keeps me from getting pulled into the scroll trap.
-
Write one "big win" goal of the day on my whiteboard. – It keeps me focused on the macro without getting lost in the micro.
-
Close the LinkedIn tab for several hours. – Yep. Social media breaks give me space to focus on actual work (and life).
I stick to this 80% of the time.
The other 20%? Life wins:
-
Carpool duty
-
Cheer practice and basketball training
-
Cooking dinner and balancing paying bills
-
Storytime with my first grader
-
PTO social media chair duties
These things remind me that I have a life outside of LinkedIn—one I cherish and protect.
At the end of the day, it’s not about optimization. It’s about making it work for your life.
So, here’s my question for you: What’s one real thing you do to make your day run smoother? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear it!
Free Download: Quiz: How Do You Actually Work Best?