Hello everyone, this is Helen Huang @ Organizing, based in Beijing, China. In order to better learn and practice the YiXiaoNeng Time Management System, after finished publishing 100 Chinese articles, I decided to continue writing and publishing a daily English article in another 100 days based on the "YeWuBin Time Management 100 Episodes" audio program. Today is the 154th day.
Today's topic is: Reflection and Morning Go Hand in Hand
In our last lesson, we talked about the three types of "reflection": reflection on one thing, on one day, and reflection on life. It is difficult for us to take the time to slow down and reflect on our day in this hectic, modern world we live in. So today I am going explain when and how we can reflect each day.
I mentioned before: a good day starts when we wake early. This isn't just a cute phrase. The morning hour is the best time of the day to work and we are freshest and most productive in the morning. This is secientic fact. This is why reflection is best done in the morning.
The middle of the day is not a good time to reflect. We are too busy dealing with urgent matters, or communicating directly with others, and we hardly have time to think quietly. The ancient Chinese strategist Zhuge Liang, said this: "Fair and softly go far in a day." He said the point he was making was we need quiet time in our day to effectively think.
Therefore, I recommend waking early, because the morning is the best time for reflection without any one disturbing you. You just need get up one hour earlier than others, then you can do many things the others can't do.
In my life, I wake at 5 and sleep at 10 every day. The first and most important thing I do is write in a "morning diary" and it only takes me 3 minutes to finish it each morning. Next, I spend about 10 minutes making "today's action plan." I open my calendar to see the agenda I've scheduled for the day. I also look at my contextual list and choose the most appropriate tasks to complete. This results in my one day plan.
So this is my answer to Franklin's classic self-question: what am I going to do today? Then, of course, ask yourself in the evening---what have I done today? You ask both of these questions, and make a plan in the morning, and review your plan in the evening. Then, I recommend everyone meditate and complete a simple review before bed.
If you can't get up early in the morning, that is ok. We can change the sentence "the morning hour is the best time of the day to work" into "the prior evening is the best time of the day to work". That's the prior evening to plan ahead in the next day. If you still cannot get up early, it's okay to reflect and plan in the evening. Either way, you must spend some time thinking silently each day, whether in the morning or evening. Choose one and stick to it.
I recommend two good pieces of software to help you complete your "reflection":
1, First, to keep a diary of your reflections. I recommend you write on your phone or IPAD using the Evernote app or software. Evernote is very useful because it can be used to search, retrieve and review your diary entries.
2, Next, in order to document your agenda and scheduled activities for the day, I recommend using the Apple calendar.
However, as good as a calendar app is, a program that specifically creates lists is preferable and more important. So reflections can be thought of in two ways:
1, The note-taking type of reflection, for example: writing in a diary;
2, The planning type. We create plans using software with a calendar or creating a variety of lists;
For one day reflection, we can learn from Ben Franklin.
For reflection of one thing or one day, we use software with lists and the software must be consistent with the idea of GTD, or Getting Things Done. It must have an inbox so that it lets us put all things we collected from the brain into it. And then it must give us some quiet time to consider meaning, to classify and then empty the inbox. Reflect, determine meaning, then schedule the event to calendars and situation lists resulting in emptying the inbox.
For reflections on life, you need ask yourself the "five questions on life" discussed in the previous lesson. Take a review on that if you forgot what they are. Write down the answers to the five questions and enter them into your software.
I wish I could demonstrate these concepts to you. We have many demonstration exercises in our offline classroom class. Face to face and group learning are the most effective ways to teach this habit. Training is particularly useful because we may encounter difficulties at times from the software and hardware. We teach you how to handle all of these at Yixiaoneng.
I hope everyone will consider taking my offline classes. We hire professional instructors and coaches to help you learn hand to hand and face to face. If you are unable to come to our offline class, then take notes when listening to our audio teaching course, and the content of our Ximalaya course will be more and more relevant and effective for you.
Learning is really achieved when you do something not just listen. If you can go further and actually teach the concept to another, you will have to master it yourself. You'll be able to reduce, and improve your efficiency, and have more freedom and happiness in your life. Good luck!
Thank you being with me together today. Have a wonderful day!