Part of being a good tech lead, or a good leader of any sort, is being prepared and having your head on straight. That includes a lot of things – taking care of yourself (eating right, getting enough sleep, spending time with your family and friends), learning new things, making lists, and a whole lot more.
One of the simplest ways I’ve found to stay on top of all this is to shift my mindset about when the day starts. We usually think the day starts when we wake up – but what if the “day” actually starts the night before? This sounds a little goofy, but bear with me here.
Your Day Starts the Night Before
Many successful people have a morning routine – coffee, exercise, meditation, healthy breakfast, etc. – and I think that’s essential. But how can you consistently perform that routine if you’re not prepared for it?
For many years I’ve used my evening time unwisely. I’ve gone through phases of holing up at the computer, fixing bugs and trying to get ahead at work. I’ve gone through phases of staying up way too late watching Netflix.
But sometimes I’ve used that opportunity to set myself up for the next day’s success. I’ll clean the kitchen and set up the coffee maker, so I come down to a clutter-free room with delicious coffee waiting for me in the morning. I spend some time planning the morning out, so I’m not trying to decide what to do while rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. On those nights, I avoid temptations like a glass of wine, snacks, or Netflix – so I can wake up knowing that I fought the good fight.
To be clear – this has always been a struggle for me. My wife will probably chuckle when she reads this, having seen my ups and downs every night for the past 16 years. I’m always tempted to use the evenings to unwind in unproductive ways. Pretty sure I’m not the only one in the world who experiences this, right?
So – I’m trying to convince myself that the day STARTS as soon as the kids go to bed. The house is calm, I’m still alert, and I’ve got time to reflect on the day and decide how I want tomorrow to start. Time to set up the coffee maker, wash the dishes, and do a few other little things that will help. When it’s all done, we might have time to watch a Netflix show and still get plenty of sleep.
This is kind of a new thing for me, but I’m optimistic! I’d love to hear if this type of thinking has worked for any of you. How do you set yourself up for success?
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Jeff Nordquist is a software developer, leader, mentor, and entrepreneur. He loves thinking and writing about this stuff! You can reach him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffnordquist), on Twitter (@jeffnordquist), or via email at jeff@jeffnordquist.com.
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