In partnership with

Are you ready for a 22% rise in car insurance?

This purported increase is driven by inflation, costly repairs, and more weather-related claims, with the average premium expected to reach $2,469 by year-end.

To mitigate costs, drivers are encouraged to regularly shop for insurance and explore discounts.

View Money’s Best Car Insurance list to shop around and see if you can save.

SHOP AROUND

Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it…

📈 How to Plan Your Day: The 7-Minute Habit

Let’s face it:

Your time is valuable.

As Rick Warren once said:

So if you’re serious about maximizing your time, then one habit you should build is to plan your day the night before instead of trying to “wing it” when you wake up in the morning.

Not only will this habit help you establish your priorities, it will also reduce the amount of stress and pressure you feel because you’ll no longer feel rushed to get everything done.

So in today’s email, I will outline the 6-step process you can use to plan your day that only takes about 7-minutes to complete.

Let’s get started...

Step #1: Pick a Scheduling Tool

To get started, pick a tool to keep track of your scheduled appointments, tasks, goals, and important dates.

Everyone is different here -- what works for you might not be the right fit for someone else. So you have a few options when it comes to picking a scheduling tool:

● A weekly planner with time blocks (like the one we sell in our store.)

● A simple digital calendar like Google Calendar

● Advanced calendar tools to coordinate your schedule with family and co-workers

● A day planner like the High Performance Planner

● A task management app like Todoist that can help you coordinate with team members and create project lists for every area of your life.

● Or even a simple sticky note to keep a few notes about what to do the next day.

Bottom line: There is no perfect tool. 

So just find one that works for you and stick with it.

Now, if you want a few specific recommendations, then check out the description box of this video where we’ll link to the tools that I just mentioned.

Step #2: Identify Your Appointments

Before you can add anything into your schedule, you need to block off times for the things that you can’t change.

This includes work, doctor’s appointments, meetings, and any family-related activities. Furthermore, you need to include the travel time and any possible buffer time that you may need for these fixed activities.

You want to do this step before the others because there will be days where you have a limited amount of time. It’s better to know this ahead of time, so you won’t cram your schedule full of activities that you can’t possibly complete. This will only create stress and anxiety in your life.

Step #3: Identify Your 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs

As discussed in this video, one powerful habit you can build is to start your day by focusing on your important tasks.

Specifically, you should start each day by focusing on 1 to 3 tasks that are either urgent or related to an important long-term goal. Further, you should block out an estimated amount of time it will take you to complete these activities.

Okay, you might be wondering:

“Why should I only focus on 3 MITs”

It’s simple…

Scheduling too many activities can become demotivating because you start your day feeling overwhelmed.

But if you focused instead on a few activities that will have the biggest impact on your life and career, then you will do better work because you won’t feel so rushed to finish each one.

Also, starting your day with a focus on 3 MITs will provide more flexibility to your schedule. You never know if a challenge will come up throughout the day, so limiting your focus will give you more time just in case your priorities change at the last minute.

Step #4: Include Self-Care Activities

Do you need time for going to the gym tomorrow?

Or maybe have lunch with a friend?

Or would you like to start your day with some quiet meditation?

These questions are important to ask because you want to leave enough time for self-care activities. 

So when scheduling your day, be sure to include time to take care of your health and mental needs.

Step #5: Put the Puzzle Together

Now that you’ve identified all your important tasks, appointments, and self-care activities, you need to come up with a rough estimate of how much time each one will take.

Additionally, you should add some buffer time for each activity, so you don’t feel rushed all day. This means leaving extra time for any unexpected disruptions that will come up throughout the day or appointments that take longer than you expected.

You can do all this by using a strategy called time blocking.

With time blocking, you allocate a fixed period of time in your daily schedule to accomplish a specific activity.

​Time blocking can help you stay on track with all the things that need your attention. It helps you get things done in a way that allows you to manage your time and gives you a sense of control in your life.

To get started with time blocking, schedule time for the following items:

● Your morning routine

● Your 3 MITs

● Appointments and meetings

● Travel time for your commute and appointments

● Extra “buffer” time for other tasks on your to-do list

● Self care activities

● Time with family

Put all this together to create a schedule that balances all your top priorities.

Step #6: Fill in the Gaps

If you notice you have a free ten minutes here or an empty half hour there, fill this space with tasks that need to get done but always end up getting pushed to the side.

For example, if you find yourself waiting to get your oil changed, then you can use this time to make a quick phone call or research something on the Internet. 

The important thing to remember is you can use these small gaps of time to cross off those items on your to-do list that you never seem to have time to complete.

As you can see, it’s not that hard to create a daily plan for the next day.

Just follow these six steps to know exactly what you need to do as soon as you wake up, which will prevent you from wasting the most productive part of the day.

⚙️1% Habit Idea

Today’s idea talks about another important habit you should consider scheduling into your day…

We humans are social creatures. We tend to thrive when we have healthy connections with other people.

However, constantly spending most of your time with others can make you anxious, overstimulated, and overwhelmed.

Taking a few moments of solitude throughout the day – you can call it your alone time or “me” time –frees you from the pressures of meeting social expectations.

In fact, a study shows that being “unsociable” benefits your creativity.

How Solitude Can Help Your Creativity

These are some of the ways solitude can positively impact your creativity:

● It fosters deep reflection, allowing you to explore thoughts and ideas without external distractions, encouraging more original and insightful concepts.

● Solitude encourages “flow state”, where one can immerse fully in creative tasks, enhancing productivity and the quality of creative output.

● It provides the mental space necessary for the mind to freely wander, making unexpected connections and generating innovative solutions.

Now, here’s a simple process for creating more solitude in your life.

Step 1: Set a specific time.

Choose a consistent time each day, ideally when you’re least likely to be interrupted.

For some people, this could mean waking up at least half an hour earlier than everyone else. This gives you time to sit in solitude before you get bombarded by the demands of the day.

Step 2: Create a comfortable space.

Find a quiet, comfortable space where you can relax without distractions.

Anywhere that is quiet is fine. Some people retreat to their bedroom, kitchen, or back porch. For others, a coffee shop provides the ideal setting, while there are those who specifically visit a park and sit quietly by themselves for a few minutes.

Step 3: Disconnect from technology.

These days, we’re so attached to our phones, scrolling through social media or playing addictive apps.

To practice being alone in your own company, you can make it a habit to turn off devices or put them in silent mode so as to avoid interruptions and fully immerse in your solitude.

Step 4: Create a contemplative mood.

You are not required to meditate during your moment of solitude.

You can use this time to simply allow your mind to wander freely. If you like, you can observe the goings-on around you, letting them serve as a backdrop to your contemplative mood.

If you prefer some structure, however, you can do journaling.

Consistently practicing these steps fosters a habit of daily solitude, enhancing your creativity and overall well-being.

🗂️ The Resource Roundup

💻 We only learnt of our son’s secret online life after he died at 25 – What happens when you discover your child’s secret online life only after they’re gone? This poignant article delves into the heartbreak of parents learning about their son’s hidden struggles and the impact of digital connections on mental health.

📈 5 ways to turn curiosity into long-term success – Curiosity isn’t just a personality trait—it can be a secret weapon for success. This article explores five actionable ways to leverage your curiosity for long-term growth, from fostering a learning mindset to seeking out diverse perspectives.

💲 Rich in No Regrets – Looking to enrich your life beyond financial wealth? This article offers valuable insights on life lessons that go beyond money, exploring the true meaning of being “rich” in experiences, relationships, and personal growth.

🚫 My biggest productivity mistake – Ever feel like you’re not getting anywhere despite being busy all day? Tim Harford shares his biggest productivity mistake and what he learned about finding true focus and cutting out distractions to work smarter, not harder.

🧠 A System for Brain Power [7 Optimizations] – Want to supercharge your brain power? This article dives into practical tips for boosting cognitive performance, including the importance of movement, quality sleep, and stress management to keep your mind sharp and energized.

That’s it for today.

I hope you’re having a great start to your week

Cheers,

Steve Scott