How to Plan Your Day for being Successful? – Integrate Vision Statement, Morning Routine & Deep Work Habits

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Time Management

Introduction to Planning, Personal Vision, Morning Routines & Deep Work Habits

Do you ever feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done? Do you struggle with feeling overwhelmed and stressed because you have too many tasks to complete? This is the unfortunate truth for many of us. The demands of modern life often feel like a never-ending to-do list, and it is highly challenging to stay on top of everything.

That’s where this guide to ‘How to Plan Your Day’ comes in.

By taking a few minutes each day or week to plan your day and schedule your tasks and priorities, you can gain a sense of control over your schedule and reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed. Planning helps you to prioritize your tasks, stay focused on what’s important, and make progress towards your goals. Along with planning, Deep Work habits help to make multi-fold progress towards one’s goal achievements.

I have personally seen immense benefits of daily and weekly planning along with Deep Work habits. Earlier I used to wonder how some people manage to get so many things done in a single year. These productive people write books, have a full-time career along with a full-time family life.

I was attempting to complete my book along with managing a full-time career and having an active family life. And I was struggling.

It didn’t seem possible for me to finish the book without retiring from job.

Additionally, writing and selling that writing are two very separate and equally demanding skills. And the whole experience was becoming frustrating for me. That is when I fully operationalized my Planning and Deep Work habit. This led to a stupendous transformation with a 12x improvement in my productivity.

The best thing – now I don’t feel overwhelmed. Instead, I feel satisfied as daily I make significant progress towards both my personal and professional goals.

Earlier, I used to wonder if I should dedicate my weekends to my personal goals or to my family. Now, I keep my weekends reserved for family and for socialization. This has become possible as I started a Morning routine and a Weekly Planner in which I manage both my personal and professional goals.

This e-book that you are reading along with my whole website of Habits.Social is a living proof that this level of productivity is possible.

In this article, I will explore the above benefits of Morning Routines, Personal Vision Statement, Deep Work and Weekly planning. I’ll share tips and techniques for staying organized, managing your time effectively, and avoiding procrastination. I will also share my personal Daily & Weekly Planner. Whether you’re a student, professional, or simply someone who wants to be more productive, this article will provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to create a planner that works for you.

So, if you’re ready to take control of your schedule and achieve your goals, read on to learn more about the power of Weekly planning and Deep Work.
We will start with Planning.

Why is it so Hard to Plan our day?

The failure to Plan is a vexing question, especially when Planning is known to have many benefits. But lest it gives us trouble, we have the wonderful autobiography of Benjamin Franklin to learn from.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the founding fathers of the United States. He came from humble beginnings and he managed to establish himself as one of the most loved leader and statesman of United States.

In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin talks about his bold plan for obtaining moral perfection. The plan consisted of developing thirteen virtues such as Temperance (in eating and drinking), Industry (losing no time and being always employed in something useful), Frugality, Order etc.

Benjamin Franklin goes on to credit his success in life and his constant happiness to his plan for achieving Moral Perfection. He believes that his adherence to virtues such as temperance, industry, frugality, sincerity, and justice helped him achieve success in his personal and professional life, including good health, financial stability, and a good reputation among his peers. He hoped that his descendants will follow his example and also benefit from these virtues.

Order was the term that Franklin used in his Moral Perfection plan for the Planning Habit. By Order – Franklin meant (in his own words) – “Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

It is interesting to note that Benjamin Franklin acknowledges that “My scheme of Order gave me the most trouble.”

When such an accomplished person admits his struggles with Planning, then we humble souls must admit that when we dare to plan, we are attempting something extraordinary.

But here again we must learn from Franklin. Franklin goes on to say that even though he was never able to achieve the level of perfection he aimed for in terms of Order, yet he significantly improved through his numerous attempts at establishing the habit. Franklin believed that the effort he put in to improve himself made him a better and happier person than he would have been otherwise.

My struggle with Planning has been very similar to that of Benjamin Franklin.

I was happy that this frustration with planning was echoed by Oliver Burkeman in his blockbuster book ‘4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals’. In this book, Burkeman argues that productivity and time management systems can sometimes do more harm than good by creating a false sense of control over our lives and perpetuating the idea that we can achieve an endless number of tasks and goals. This idea is supported on the assumption of ‘only if we were planning better.’

Burkeman shares his own experiences with various productivity and time management systems, such as the Pomodoro Technique and the Getting Things Done method. He found that while these systems initially helped him feel more productive, they eventually became a burden and hindered his ability to enjoy life.

From the above, we can see that although Planning is an amazing tool to become super-productive, there is a limitation to what we can actually plan. In short, it will be impossible for you to plan everything.

The awareness of this limitation is extremely important as this leads to the Golden Rule of Planning – Planning is actually Work Prioritization.

Don’t try and do everything – but at least try to do the most important thing, out of all the things that you have to do. This is in short what is meant by prioritization. The simple reason for this Golden Rule is that there is never enough time to do everything. If the kitchen sink has a small drip, which is neither too irritating nor too troublesome, it is entirely possible that this might not get done for a few weeks. And that is ok.

It’s not that we fail to plan – we actually fail to prioritize.

And even if we prioritize, many a times, we lose focus on our priority and start doing non-important things.

This is where three very important techniques come into play. The first is the Visioning Exercise to help us prioritize, the second is Morning (Or evening) Routines to create time for getting the prioritized work done and the third is Deep Work which helps to keep deep focus so that we actually execute our priorities.

So, to start looking at these techniques – let’s first examine our big problem of ‘Failing to Prioritize.’

Why do we fail to Prioritize our day?

Are you aware of what you have to achieve today? And this week?

If you replied in affirmative, then congratulations, you are in the tiny minority who are actually clued in to what they have to achieve. The rest belong to the majority, which is mostly stringing by on an auto-pilot and is completely clueless on how to manage and direct whatever is going on in their lives.

Surprisingly the failure to prioritize is mostly because we have never been taught a systematic way to take control of our lives.

Most people are clueless about what they want to do in life. The primary reason for being clueless is that people have become complacent in their lives.

One reason people become complacent is that they get too comfortable with their current situation. Whether it’s a job, a relationship, or a certain lifestyle, we can get used to our circumstances and become resistant to change. This can lead to a lack of motivation and a reluctance to take risks or pursue new opportunities.

Another reason people become complacent is that they are afraid of failure or uncertainty. We all have a natural desire for security and stability, and this can make us hesitant to step outside of our comfort zones. We may worry about what others will think if we fail, or we may be unsure of our own abilities to handle new challenges.

Societal expectations can also contribute to complacency. Depending on our age and the culture we live in, we may be expected to follow certain scripts or agendas for our lives. For example, society may expect us to go to college, get a job, get married, and have children by a certain age. These expectations can be limiting and can prevent us from exploring our own unique paths and passions.

In addition, societal pressure can also make us feel like we need to keep up with the Joneses. We may feel pressure to have a certain job title, a certain type of car or house, or to be involved in certain social circles. This can lead us to prioritize external validation over our own personal growth and fulfilment.

When I reflect on my life, I realised that I continued in my previous job for far too longer than it made sense. And the primary reason is that I had become very comfortable. This complacency is common-place and the bigger problem is that it sort of grows on to you.

Over time these complacency behaviors can morph into a monster called as Learned Helplessness. Learned helplessness is a concept that was first introduced by psychologists Martin Seligman and Steven F. Maier in the 1960s. The theory suggests that when people are exposed to uncontrollable and unpredictable events repeatedly, they may develop a sense of helplessness that can lead to depression, anxiety, and a lack of motivation.

Learned Helplessness may also morph into an inability to take responsibility for our own life. According to author Sam Allman, instead of taking responsibility, we then end up using behaviors such as blaming others, shaming ourselves or justifying reasons for lack of progress in our life.

Self-help articles then actually become time wastage activities as any requirement to change is justified away through playing the blame game, the shame game or the justification game.

To embark on a journey of self-improvement, there is a pre-requisite to take responsibility of your own self. And for doing that we need to short-circuit this Learned Helplessness and Complacency.

The question is How? This involves radically taking control of your Life Situation. A topic which we will now explore.

How to take Control of your life?

Taking control of your life is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself. When you feel like you are in charge of your own destiny, you are more likely to achieve your goals. You experience greater fulfilment, and enjoy a more satisfying life.

I have personally seen, how taking positive actions helps me to start going again. I just need to do 1 push-up to start doing 50 push-ups.

When you take control of your life, you are no longer a passive observer in your own story. Instead, you are the author, making decisions that shape the course of your life. This can lead to a greater sense of purpose, satisfaction, and fulfilment.

Some of the specific benefits of taking control of your life include:

  1. Increased motivation: When you feel like you are in control of your life, you are more motivated to pursue your goals. You have a sense of ownership over your decisions and are more committed to seeing them through.
  2. Greater sense of purpose: Taking control of your life can give you a greater sense of purpose. You are no longer living according to someone else’s agenda or expectations. Instead, you are pursuing the things that matter to you, whether that’s a fulfilling career, meaningful relationships, or personal growth.
  3. More satisfying relationships: When you take control of your life, you are more likely to attract and maintain healthy relationships. You are confident in yourself and your decisions, and you are able to communicate your needs and boundaries clearly.
  4. Improved mental health: Taking control of your life can also have a positive impact on your mental health. When you feel like you have agency over your life, you are less likely to experience feelings of helplessness or hopelessness. You are more resilient in the face of challenges and better able to cope with stress.

Interestingly, taking control of your life is not as hard as it seems. You just need to have a systematic plan in place. This is where this whole article of Planning, Morning Routines and Deep Work habits comes into the picture.

Here are the key specific steps that you need to take to start this process of taking control back of your life. We will cover each step in more detail in the subsequent sections.

  1. Identify your values, priorities and establish your 3-5 year vision:
    • The first step in taking control of your life is to identify your values and priorities. What matters most to you? What do you want to achieve in your life? Things like Health, Family, Financials etc should all be considered in evaluating your current status and establishing your priorities.
    • Once you have a clear sense of your values and priorities, you can start making decisions that are aligned with them. you have synced up your values and priorities, you can convert them into a three-to-five-year vision. This Vision acts as your guiding post.
  2. Distil your Vision down to actionable Yearly Goals/Projects
    • The next step is to convert the vision into three to four actionable goals for the year. Each of these Goals is a project which can be further broken down to quarterly goals. These quarterly goals are further mini-projects. At the start of each quarter, your Quarterly Goal is the main target. In that particular Quarter, the Quarterly Goal is further broken into monthly goals. In the particular month, the monthly goals are broken down to weekly goals. Finally in each week, the weekly goals are broken into Daily Prioritized Actions. Everything else is a non-priority. This is how you finally differentiate between what is priority and what is not priority.
  3. Start taking action on the Weekly Goals and Daily Prioritized Actions
    • The week is the actual unit of time under your control. At the start of the week, reflect on what has happened in the previous week and establish the daily priorities for the coming week. Each day, start taking the small actions to make progress towards your daily Prioritized goals. Remember all else is not a priority unless some extreme emergency occurs.
    • These small actions on Prioritized goals is the most important feedback to your brain to stop the process of Learned Helplessness and Start the process of Taking Control of your Life.
  4. Build the habit of doing the Work without being attached to the Results
    • This is a very deep philosophy for happiness – Doing Work but not being attached to the Results of the work. The reason for this philosophy is that Results are fickle and they may take a long time to show.
    • An example of such work is establishing a Blog. Nothing happens for six months to a year. It seems like as if you are shouting into the void. But after six months, things pick up as a trickle. And then if you do the right type of work, things pick up with a hockey stick growth. The whole key for a successful blog is to be consistent for those six months to an year when you don’t have any results to show for.
    • Similarly, any health habit such as exercise or fasting takes time to show results. But these micro-results are not visible immediately. If you are fickle minded and if you haven’t done your research to manage your expectations, you might end up ending your project before the results started improving.
  5. Take responsibility for your decisions
    • Taking control of your life also means taking responsibility for your decisions. You are in charge of your own life, and that means owning your successes and your failures. When things don’t go as planned, use it as an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than blaming others or making excuses. Always remember that the behaviors of blaming, shaming and justifications only act as responsibility shifters.
  6. Surround yourself with supportive people
    • Surrounding yourself with supportive people is another important aspect of taking control of your life.
    • I have been really blessed that my wife is highly supportive of all my self-improvement projects. She is an active participant in most of them. Every week, she joins me for my weekly 36-Hour fast. She also ensures that I can go to sleep early during the weekdays so that I can undertake my morning routine.
    • Hence, it is critical to surround yourself with people who believe in you and who will support you on your journey. Avoid people who bring you down or discourage you from pursuing your goals.
  7. Practice self-care
    • Finally, taking control of your life also means taking care of yourself. Make sure to prioritize self-care by getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and engaging in activities that bring you joy and fulfilment. When you take care of yourself, you are better equipped to handle the challenges and obstacles that come your way.
  8. Embrace change
    • Taking control of your life also means embracing change. Change can be scary, but it can also be an opportunity for growth and transformation. Be open to new experiences and opportunities, even if they take you out of your comfort zone.
  9. Learn to say No
    • Learning to say no is another important aspect of taking control of your life. It’s easy to fall into the trap of saying yes to everything and everyone, but this can lead to burnout and overwhelm. Practice setting boundaries and saying no to things that don’t align with your values or priorities.

Taking control of your life is one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself. When you feel like you are in charge of your own destiny, you are more likely to achieve your goals, experience greater fulfilment, and enjoy a more satisfying life.

Identify your values, priorities, and Vision, set yearly/quarterly/monthly goals, act on prioritized items, take responsibility for your decisions, surround yourself with supportive people, practice self-care, embrace change, and learn to say no. Remember, taking control of your life is a journey, not a destination. It takes time and effort, but the rewards are well worth it.

Now, we examine certain aspects of the above process in more detail. We start with setting up your Personal Vision Statement.

How to establish your Personal Vision Statement?

While a writing a Personal Vision Statement has an incredibly strong influence on giving direction to your life. Clear actionable Personal Vision Statement have many benefits.

What are the Benefits of Personal Vision Statement?

Benefits of a clear actionable Personal Vision Statement include the following:

  1. Provides Direction: A personal vision statement can help you gain clarity about what you want to achieve in your life, both personally and professionally. It can serve as a guidepost that keeps you focused on your goals and helps you make decisions that align with your values and beliefs.
  2. Motivation and Inspiration: When you have a clear and inspiring vision of the future you want to create for yourself, it can be a powerful motivator. It can inspire you to take action towards achieving your goals, even when faced with obstacles or setbacks.
  3. Increases Self-Awareness: Creating a personal vision statement requires self-reflection and introspection. It can help you gain a deeper understanding of your values, strengths, and weaknesses, and provide insight into what truly matters to you.
  4. Promotes Goal-Setting: A personal vision statement can serve as a foundation for setting specific and measurable goals that align with your long-term aspirations. It can help you break down your vision into manageable steps and create a plan for achieving your goals.
  5. Enhances Decision-Making: When faced with decisions, a personal vision statement can serve as a filter for making choices that align with your values and goals. It can help you prioritize your time and energy, and make decisions that move you closer to your vision.

Difference between a Vision and a Mission Statement

Before I talk about how to make a Personal Vision Statement, I want to clarify the difference between a Personal Vision Statement and Personal Mission Statement.

While the Vision Statement is concerned with the long-term goals and aspirations, Mission Statement has a component of how the Vision shall be achieved.

I prefer to take a hybrid approach by including a Long-Term Goal along with a 3–5-year targets in my Personal Vision Statement. Hence, in this e-book, the Personal Vision Statement also contains elements of Mission Statement.

What all is included in a Personal Vision Statement?

Specifically, I include the following components in the Personal Vision Statement:

  1. Values Statement:
    • Values Statement examines how you experience the world and what you personally consider to be most important. Values are closely linked to the type of personality you have. If you value relationships over everything else, then your life will find meaning in building and nurturing relationships. On the other hand, an entrepreneurial person is driven to create a legacy or an enterprise. He may not be bothered by types of relationships he or she has.
    • Sometimes values end up being one sided and may result in neglect of certain critical areas like health. Hence, while making the value statements, we also need to look at areas that we are deficient in and bring them into focus lest they end up troubling us later.
    • Here are some examples of value statements:
      • To build strong and meaningful relationships with my family, friends, and community, and to always show up as my authentic self.
      • To prioritize my health and well-being, and live a balanced and mindful life that honours my body, mind, and spirit.
      • To live a life of adventure and exploration, and to see as much of the world as possible while making meaningful connections and memories along the way.
      • To create a legacy that inspires future generations to live authentically, pursue their passions, and make a positive impact on the world.
    • Some people (including me!!) don’t like Value statements. For them, they might directly want to include Career/Interest Statement along with a Personal Growth Statement as their Vision statement. These statements are more direction oriented than a generalized Values Statement and hence provide more clarity of purpose.
  2. Career/Interests Statement:
    • A Career/Interests Statement is a brief, concise statement that summarizes your career goals and/or professional interests. It typically includes information about your desired career path, the type of industry you are interested in, and your relevant skills and experiences. A Career/Interests Statement helps you to focus on your job search and identify opportunities that align with your goals and interests.
    • Here are some examples of Career/Interests statements:
      • Career Statement for an entrepreneur: “My career goal is to build a successful and innovative business that provides value to customers and makes a positive impact on the world. In the next three years, I will establish my business as a market leader and launch a new product line.”
      • Career Statement for an athlete: “My career goal is to become a champion in my sport and inspire others to achieve their own goals. In the next three years, I will compete in at least five major competitions and earn a sponsorship deal.”
      • Career Statement for a musician: “My career goal is to become a world-renowned musician who inspires and moves people through my music. In the next three years, I will release my debut album and go on a national tour.”
      • Career Statement for a writer: “My career goal is to become a respected author whose work inspires and touches the lives of many. In the next three years, I will establish my community of 10,000 engaged readers through my own blog and publish my first book.”
      • Career Statement for a chef: “My career goal is to create innovative and delicious cuisine that delights the taste buds and nourishes the body. In the next three years, I will open my own restaurant and earn at least one Michelin star.”
  3. Personal Growth Statement:
    • A Personal Growth Statement is a written or verbal statement that outlines your personal development goals and aspirations. It typically includes information about areas of your life that you would like to improve or enhance, such as your relationships, emotional well-being, physical health, or spirituality.
    • A Personal Growth Statement can be used as a tool for self-reflection and goal-setting, helping you to clarify your priorities and focus your efforts on the areas of your life that are most important to you. By setting specific goals and creating a plan to achieve them, you can work towards becoming the best version of yourself and living a fulfilling and meaningful life.
    • Here are some examples of Personal Growth Statements:
      • To cultivate a regular mindfulness practice to reduce stress and increase emotional resilience.”
      • To improve communication skills in order to build stronger and more authentic relationships with family and friends.”
      • To prioritize physical health by committing to a regular exercise routine and healthy eating habits.
      • “To deepen my spiritual practice and explore new forms of self-expression and creativity.”

How to make a Personal Vision Statement?

The first step in creating a vision for your life is to take some time to reflect on what’s truly important to you. This could be anything from your family, your career, your health, your community, your spirituality, or your personal growth. The key is to identify the things that bring you the most joy and fulfilment in life. Once you’ve identified these things, write them down and keep them in a place where you can easily refer back to them.

Now that you know what’s important to you, it’s time to start imagining your ideal future. Close your eyes and visualize yourself five, ten, or even twenty years from now. What do you see? Where are you living? What kind of work are you doing? What kind of relationships do you have? What kind of person have you become? Write down your vision for your future in as much detail as possible. Don’t worry about how realistic it seems at this point. The goal is to create a vivid picture of what you want your life to look like.

In order to achieve your vision for your life, you’ll need to use your unique strengths and talents. Take some time to reflect on what you’re naturally good at. What do people often compliment you on? What activities do you enjoy that come easily to you? Make a list of your strengths and talents and think about how you can use them to achieve your goals. Here are some examples of questions that you can reflect on to make your Personal Vision Statement. These examples include both common questions and uncommon questions that can help you to uncover your deeper and more meaningful desires:

CategoryQuestions
Purpose and Goals1. What do I want to achieve in my life?
2. If you had unlimited resources, what would you want to do with your life?
3. If you were guaranteed to be successful, what would you want to accomplish in your life?
4. What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind when you’re gone?
How do I want to impact the world around me?
5. What kind of impact do you want to have on the world around you?6. What is a specific goal that you want to achieve within the next year?
7. In what ways do you want to improve your relationships with others (family, friends, colleagues, etc.), and what steps can you take to make those improvements?
Values and Beliefs8. What are my core values and beliefs?
9. What is a value or principle that you hold dear that you want to 10. embody in your life and work?
11. What motivates me and brings me joy?
12. What are the most important things to me?
13. What kind of person do I want to be?
14. What is a cause or issue that you are passionate about and want to contribute to?
15. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it?
Strengths and Weaknesses16. What are my strengths and weaknesses?
17. What is a limiting belief that you hold about yourself, and how can you challenge and change that belief?
18. What are my unique skills and talents?
19. What is something that you have accomplished in the past that you are proud of, and how can you use that experience to fuel your personal growth moving forward?
20. What is something that you do better than most people you know?
Obstacles and Challenges21. What is the one thing which is holding me back to become successful in life?
22. What is a personal challenge or obstacle you want to overcome?
23. What is something that scares you, and how can you work towards overcoming that fear?
24. What is something that you have been putting off or avoiding, and how can you overcome that procrastination and take action towards that goal?
Learning and Development25. What is the next thing I need to do to become successful in life?
26. What is something you have always been curious about but never pursued?
27. If you could travel back in time and give your younger self advice, what would you say?
28. What is something you’ve always wanted to create but haven’t had the chance to yet?
29. What do I want to learn or accomplish in the next 3-5 years?
30. What is a skill or talent that you have always wanted to learn or develop, and how can you make progress towards that goal?
31. How do you want to expand your perspective and knowledge of the world, and what steps can you take to do so (e.g. reading more diverse books, traveling to new places, engaging in new experiences)?
Health & Lifestyle32. What activities bring you joy and make you feel good, and how can you incorporate more of them into your daily life?
33. How can you make your exercise routine more enjoyable and sustainable?
34. What kind of lifestyle do you want to have in the future?
35. What healthy habits have you already established, and how can you build on them to further improve your health and well-being?
36. What kind of self-care practices can you implement to manage stress and improve your mental health?
37. What is your relationship with food, and how can you develop a healthier and more sustainable approach to eating?
38. What is one small change you can make to your daily routine that would have a big impact on your health?
39. How can you create a supportive environment that helps you maintain healthy habits?
40. What kind of sleep routine would best support your health and well-being, and how can you create a plan to implement it?
41. How can you incorporate more mindfulness and self-reflection into your daily life to improve your overall well-being?
42. What kind of social support and accountability do you need to help you achieve your health and lifestyle goals, and how can you create or strengthen those relationships?
Mental Health43. What are some negative thought patterns that I tend to fall into, and how can I reframe them into more positive, empowering thoughts?
44. How can I better manage my stress levels on a day-to-day basis?
45. What are some healthy coping mechanisms that I can use when I feel overwhelmed or anxious?
46. How can I practice self-compassion and be kinder to myself when I’m struggling?
47. What are some mindful practices that I can incorporate into my daily routine to promote a sense of calm and well-being?
48. How can I establish healthy boundaries with others to protect my mental health and well-being?
49. What are some ways that I can improve my sleep habits and get more restful sleep?
50. How can I incorporate more physical activity into my daily routine to boost my mood and overall mental health?
51. What are some hobbies or activities that bring me joy and help me relax, and how can I prioritize them in my life?
52. How can I better communicate my needs and feelings to others, and seek support when I need it?
53. What are some healthy habits or routines that I can establish to promote a sense of structure and stability in my life?
54. How can I practice gratitude and focus on the positive aspects of my life, even when things are challenging?
55. What are some ways that I can improve my social connections and build a supportive network of friends and family?
56. How can I use my strengths and talents to boost my self-confidence and sense of purpose in life?
Relationship Improvement57. What are some common patterns or behaviors in my relationships that I would like to change?
58. In what ways can I better communicate my needs and boundaries to my loved ones?
59. How can I practice more empathy and understanding towards my loved ones’ perspectives and experiences?
60. What are some of my triggers in relationships, and how can I better manage them?
61. How can I strengthen the trust in my relationships?
62. What are some ways to cultivate a deeper emotional connection with my loved ones?
63. How can I improve my active listening skills in my relationships?
64. What are some ways to better show appreciation and gratitude towards my loved ones?
65. In what ways can I make my loved ones feel more supported and valued in our relationships?
66. How can I better navigate conflicts in my relationships in a healthy and productive manner?
List of Questions to reflect on for making a Personal Vision Statement

These reflecting questions listed above can be used as follows:

  1. Take some time to reflect on each question above and choose the ones that resonate with you the most.
  2. For the question that resonates with you write down your answers in a journal or notebook.
  3. Look for common themes or values that emerge from your answers. What matters most to you? What are your passions and goals? As suggested above, you can break the theme into
  4. A General Vision Statement which symbolises who you are as a person
  5. A Career Vision Statement which shows what you want to do in your career &
  6. A Personal Growth Statement which shows how you want to balance your life in terms of your health, wellness and relationships
  7. Use this information to craft a personal vision statement that reflects who you are and what you want to achieve. Your vision statement should be a clear, concise, and inspiring statement that captures your aspirations for your life.

Examples of Personal Vision Statements

Finally, here are some examples of finished Personal Vision Statements that you can refer to:

  1. My career goal is to become a successful business leader in the field of technology. In the next three years, I will develop and implement innovative strategies that will drive growth and profitability for my organization. My personal goal is to continuously challenge myself to learn and grow, both intellectually and emotionally. Personally, I will prioritize my physical and mental health by following a strict exercise and nutrition routine, and engaging in mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga. I also plan to travel to at least two new countries every year to gain new perspectives and expand my understanding of the world.
  2. My career goal is to become a creative writer and inspire others through my words. In the next three years, I will publish my first book and establish a community of loyal readers. My personal goal is to make a positive impact in the world by volunteering for a cause I believe in. Personally, I will prioritize my mental and emotional well-being by practicing self-care rituals, such as meditation and journaling, and spending quality time with my loved ones.
  3. “My career goal is to become a successful freelance writer, utilizing my creativity and passion for storytelling to inspire and connect with readers. In the next three years, I will establish a solid portfolio and collaborate with reputable publications to increase my exposure. My personal goal is to maintain a balance between work and personal life, engaging in creative activities and building strong relationships with family and friends while advocating for social justice and environmental causes.”
  4. “My career goal is to become a successful non-profit leader, utilizing my leadership skills and passion for social justice to make a positive impact on society. In the next three years, I will establish a reputable non-profit organization and secure funding to support various community programs. My personal goal is to maintain a balance between work and personal life, engaging in self-care activities and nurturing close relationships with family and friends while advocating for important causes.”
  5. My career goal is to become a successful life coach, utilizing my intuition and empathy to help clients achieve their personal and professional goals. In the next three years, I will establish a thriving coaching business and expand my reach through online platforms. My personal goal is to maintain a strong connection with my spiritual beliefs and values while nurturing close relationships with family and friends and advocating for social justice and human rights causes.”
  6. My career goal is to become a successful event planner, utilizing my strong interpersonal skills and creativity to deliver unforgettable experiences for clients. In the next three years, I will establish a reputation for excellence and expand my client base by 50%. My personal goal is to maintain a balance between work and play, engaging in regular social activities and pursuing my passion for music, while giving back to the community through volunteering opportunities.”
  7. My career goal is to become a successful graphic designer, utilizing my creativity and attention to detail to bring clients’ visions to life. In the next three years, I will establish a strong portfolio and collaborate with at least three reputable clients on exciting projects. My personal goal is to continue exploring the world around me, engaging in outdoor activities and discovering new hobbies, while maintaining close relationships with my family and friends.
  8. “My career goal is to become a successful business owner in the manufacturing industry, providing high-quality products to customers and creating job opportunities for the local community. In the next three years, I will establish a solid customer base and expand my business by 50%. My personal goal is to maintain my physical and mental health through regular exercise and self-care activities while taking time to travel and experience new cultures.”
  9. My career goal is to become a senior accountant in a respected firm, utilizing my analytical skills and attention to detail to ensure accuracy and success for my clients. In the next three years, I will earn my CPA certification and increase my client base by 25%. My personal goal is to maintain a healthy work-life balance and spend quality time with my family and friends while actively contributing to my community through volunteering opportunities.

Creating a Personal Vision Board

While a vision statement outlines your goals and aspirations, a vision board is a visual representation of those goals and aspirations. If you are a Visual by nature, creating a vision board can be a helpful tool for manifesting your vision statement and bringing it to life. Here are some steps to create a vision board from a vision statement:

  1. Review your vision statement: Read your vision statement carefully and take note of the key words, phrases, and themes.
  2. Gather materials: Collect magazines, images, quotes, and other materials that resonate with your vision statement. You can also use colored pens, markers, and other art supplies to decorate your board.
  3. Choose a platform: Decide whether you want to create a physical board using a poster board or cork board, or a digital board using online tools such as Canva, Pinterest, or Vision Board Deluxe.
  4. Create your board: Arrange your materials on your board in a way that feels meaningful and inspiring to you. Be creative and have fun with it!
  5. Display your board: Place your vision board in a prominent place where you will see it often, such as your bedroom or workspace.
  6. Take action: Use your vision board as a reminder of your goals and aspirations, and take action towards achieving them. You can also update your board periodically as your vision evolves and changes.

My Personal Vision Statement

While building my Vision Statement, I had the option of considering becoming an entrepreneur building on the deep capabilities that I had built in my professional life.

But life as an entrepreneur is highly taxing on one’s family life. The entrepreneurship journey would have forced me to pause all my other activities. As one of my critical values was to be there for my family and growing children, I decided to postpone my entrepreneurial ambitions.

On the other hand, I love deep research and self-improvement. This love guided me to create the habits.social website. Using this platform, I am tapping into another of my deep capabilities and helping people improve their lives by sharing with them the knowledge about Mind-Body Hacking.

On the Personal Front, I have identified Anger as my personal demon which spoils my relationships and quality of life. While I have been great at maintaining diet and fasting on a weekly basis, I had neglected my body physique. Hence, using Mind-Body hacking techniques, I have incorporated a Weekly schedule to increase my fitness levels and body strength.

Similarly, you might not want to become an entrepreneur but you might want to become an excellent Coder, or a Social Media Marketing personnel or a blogger or a Home Baker or an educator. There are endless possibilities to tap into once you start exploring your options.

The whole idea of the Personal Vision Statement is to provide the direction in your life.

Once you have the general direction identified, it is time to break it down into actionable items for a One Year Plan.

Revising a Personal Vision Statement

Many a times, you may not be in a life stage where you have complete clarity on your life. This might be experience of young folks in their twenties or thirties who don’t have enough mental models to set a definitive Personal Vision Statement.

My advice to people who still struggle to form a Personal Vision Statement is to at least start adding some meaningful elements to their life. These elements should give you a semblance of control on yourself. Some of the most important life elements, where control is essential for all humans are:

  1. Health: Make sure that your health is in pristine condition. For this you might set a vision for either losing weight through diet management or gaining strength through exercise. Good Mental Health is also of utmost importance. Consider Meditation and Mindfulness habits for better mental health.
  2. Relationships: Our relationships are responsible for making our lives happy. Make sure that you know the art of developing and maintaining good relationships.
  3. Financial Health: A basic requirement for modern life is good financial health. Make sure that you have the required abilities with which you can become financially independent.
  4. Upskilling: With technology constantly evolving, it has become important to be abreast of latest developments. Hence, it is very important to constantly upskill.

Initially you might want to try a testing approach to setting the Personal Vision Statement. In this condition, you would want to constantly update and evolve your Personal Vision along with your mental models. An element of flexibility is advisable in such a situation.

You can also take your Quarterly reviews and Yearly reviews as time periods where you might want to revise your Personal Vision Statement.

Additionally, when you start working on your large projects, more clarity might come to you regarding your project.

As an example, my initial goal was to Publish a book. For this I had to look for publisher and approach literary agents. Now, I consider building an author platform as a more important goal. The reason is that publishers want to establish the credibility of the author. Additionally, readers also want to read an author who is credible. I found that blogging is the correct method for building that credibility both with my potential readers and additionally for publishers.

Hence, I have revised my personal vision and given more priority to building a platform. I am sure that you will also find such instances in your life. As an example, you might be developing skills as a Front-End developer in a particular language. But in the age of AI, you might want to adjust that goal to align with upcoming AI driven coding stacks.

How to make SMART Goals from your Personal Vision Statement?

Now that you have a vision for your future and you know what your strengths and talents are, it’s time to set some specific goals. These goals should be aligned with your vision and should be challenging yet achievable. As mentioned above we will break down these Goals into Yearly Goals, followed by Quarterly Goals, then Monthly Goals and finally Weekly priorities.

When it comes to setting yearly goals, SMART goals provide better direction than non-SMART goals. SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This means that your goals should be clear, actionable, and have a deadline. For example, instead of setting a goal like “get in shape,” a SMART goal is “run 5k in under 30 minutes by the end of the year.” This goal is specific (running 5k), measurable (under 30 minutes), achievable (with training), relevant (to your desire to get fitter), and time-bound (by the end of the year).

As a more concrete example – I will take the example of a Creative Writer who had formulated the following Personal Vision Statement:

“My career goal is to become a creative writer and inspire others through my words. In the next three years, I will publish my first book and establish a community of loyal readers. My personal goal is to make a positive impact in the world by volunteering for a cause I believe in. Personally, I will prioritize my mental and emotional well-being by practicing self-care rituals, such as meditation and journaling, and spending quality time with my loved ones.”

I have underlined the actionable items from above. These can become our Yearly Actionable Smart Goals. I will take two examples from above as follows:

Goal 1: Publish my first book within the next three years: To convert this into meaningful goals, you will have to do the work in understanding what is the process for publishing a book.

Publishing a fiction book entails the following:

  • Acquiring writing skills such as Grammar & Language, Plot development, character creation, narrative structure, story arcs, story-telling perspectives etc.
  • Writing the First Draft, then Second Draft (called Re-writing), and finally a Third Draft (Polishing).
  • Circulating the book to Beta Readers to get outside opinion.
  • Re-writing after getting credible Beta Reader opinion for getting a finished Manuscript.
  • If you are not getting self-published, then you have to pitch your manuscript to publishing agents.
  • Work with the publishing agent to pitch to traditional publishing houses.
  • Work with editors to edit the manuscript.
  • Undertake Book Launch activities
  • Market the book.

The above process is a multi-year activity. Depending on the stage you are at – you will have to pick the relevant goal for the first year. Let’s assume that you are a complete newbie. Then, in the first year, you might want to aim for reaching the goal of circulating the book to Beta Readers.

Hence, your yearly goal becomes – Learn how to write a book, write a book of 75,000 to 80,000 words, finish the third draft and circulate to Beta Readers by end of year.”

This is your SMART Goal. It is specific (circulate book to Beta Readers). It is Measurable (Book of 75,000 to 80,000 words), Achievable (it is stretched but achievable), Relevant (ties to your vision and career goal) and Time-Bound (by end of the year).

This goal can now be then broken down into Quarterly goals.

In the first quarter you can focus on learning about writing skills and publishing industry in general. In the second quarter, you can start on your First Draft, in the third quarter, you can finish you second draft, and in the final quarter, you can look for beta readers, along with finishing the third draft.

The Quarterly goals will then be broken into monthly goals. The first month Goal might be to join a course on writing.

Mind-Map of Breaking Down Yearly Goal into Quarterly Goals, followed by Monthly Goals and then Weekly Goals

This Monthly Goal will be broken into a Weekly Goal which might be to do research and finalize available courses which fit your budget. The whole process is shown in the Mind Map diagram made below.

Goal 2 – Establish a community of loyal readers: This again is a large goal. You will have to initially do research and find out how to break this goal into smaller goals. This will show you what all steps to follow. For building a readership the following is required:

  • Establishing an Author Website or a Blog
  • Building a Newsletter
  • Learn SEO and Undertake SEO activities to pull readers to website.
  • Writing Blog articles as per SEO strategy.
  • Building Social Media Presence on different platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
  • Executing a Digital Marketing Plan to push content on Social Media Platforms

The SMART goal for building readership can be “Gather 5,000 signups on my website for my Monthly Newsletter by end of the year.” Again, this goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound.

This goal can then be broken into various sequential Quarterly and Monthly goals like above.

To summarize the above two examples, following are the key steps in making SMART Goals from our Personal Vision Statement:

  1. Take note of the key actionable items from the Personal Vision Statement
  2. For each Actionable Item, undertake the necessary research to understand the key steps required to achieve the desired result. This is a key requirement. Without undertaking this research, it will be impossible for you to formulate your goal breakdown correctly. As an example, if you want to publish a book, find out the key steps required to becoming a published author.
  3. From the key steps, chose a SMART goal that is achievable, Measurable and Time-bound within the year.
  4. Convert all the steps required to reach the SMART goal into Quarterly Goals.
  5. At the start of the quarter, break the Quarterly Goals into Monthly Goals.
  6. At the start of the month, break the monthly goals into weekly goals.
  7. For each week, review your performance and update your plan accordingly.
  8. Similarly, for each Month and Quarter and Year, review your performance and update your plan.
  9. Remember, it is important to be focussed on doing the work. Sometimes results don’t show immediately. Don’t beat yourself up. Remember the Deep Philosophy of doing the work but not being attached to the results.

How to build and use a Weekly Planner?

Execution of your Vision is the key to its success. A well-designed and properly utilized weekly planner can help you stay on top of your Personal Vision Statement, prioritize your goals, and make the most of your precious time.

Benefits of a Weekly Planner:

A weekly planner acts as your personal command centre, helping you stay organized, focused, and in control. Here are some key benefits:

  1. Enhanced productivity: By mapping out your tasks and commitments for the week, you gain clarity on what needs to be accomplished and can allocate your time and resources accordingly.
  2. Prioritization and goal setting: A planner helps you prioritize your activities and ensure that you are working towards what truly matters to you.
  3. Time management: With a weekly planner, you can allocate time slots for specific activities, ensuring that you make progress on important projects while avoiding overwhelm and burnout.
  4. Reduced stress and anxiety: A well-organized planner alleviates the mental burden of remembering every detail. It provides a sense of structure and peace of mind, allowing you to focus on the present moment.

Building a Weekly Planner

While you can get many planners off the shelf, you should spend some time in getting to know the planner before using it. Ideally you should build your own planner as it would match your style of thinking.

Creating a personalized and effective weekly planner involves a few key steps:

  1. Choose the right format: Decide whether you prefer a physical planner or a digital tool. Consider factors like portability, ease of use, and your personal preferences.
  2. Define your sections: Divide your planner into sections that align with your needs and goals. Common sections include a weekly overview, daily task lists, goal tracker, and a section for notes or reflections. I personally prefer to include my yearly, quarterly and monthly goals for ease of reference.
  3. Customize your layout: Tailor your planner’s layout to suit your style and preferences. Experiment with different formats, such as a to-do list, time-blocking, or a combination of both.
  4. Incorporate motivational elements: If you prefer, then you can add motivational quotes, inspiring images, or personal affirmations to keep you motivated and uplifted throughout the week.

How to use the Weekly Planner

Here is a link to my excel based personal planner. The image is below. I will be using that as an example here.

My Personal Two Page Planner

This is a 2 Page Planner with the following sections:

  1. Left Page: Goals and Task Overview Panel
    • Date: Add the Week for which the Plan is being made eg: 8th May to 14th May
    • Yearly Goals: Summarize your Yearly Goals. Sometimes, you might not be working on some goal in a Quarter. Still, it is important to keep add the Goal here so that it stays in top of our Mind.
    • Quarterly Goals: List the quarterly goals that you have planned for.
    • Monthly Goals: List the monthly goals.
    • Weekly Goals: List the goals that you plan to complete in the current week.
    • Shallow Task dump: These are non-prioritized work such as Shopping, Car maintenance or some business trip planning etc.
  2. Right Page: Daily Planning Section:
    • This consists of the Daily tasks that you pick from the weekly plan and assign time slot for. I have made space only for 6 time slots per day. You can adjust as per your requirement. Usually, the recommendation is to make sure that your top three priority items are completed every day.

The process to use the Weekly Planner is as follows:

  1. Set a weekly planning and review routine: Dedicate a specific time each week to plan and review your upcoming tasks and commitments. This practice helps you start the week with a clear direction and make adjustments as needed. Take time at the end of each week to reflect on your accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned. Use this information to improve your planning process and refine your goals for the upcoming week. I usually do this work on Sundays.
  2. Schedule the prioritized items first: Make sure that the items drawn from your Personal Vision Statement get prioritized first. This ensures that you are always on top of your Personal Vision Statement. Consider your energy levels, deadlines, and the impact each task will have on your goals.
  3. Be flexible and adapt: Life is full of unexpected events and changing priorities. Embrace the flexibility of your planner and make adjustments when needed. Emphasize adaptability rather than rigid adherence to your original plan. I also leave empty slots in my schedule to ensure that I can add unscheduled important events as and when required.
  4. End of the day review: Review the plan at the end of the day and readjust the plan for the next day if required.

This is all there is to weekly planning. I hope that you start adopting the process mentioned in this guide and build your own Weekly Planner based on your Personal Vision Statement soon.

In the next chapter, we will discuss how to get extremely difficult work completed using the process of Morning Routines and Deep Work.

How to build a Morning Routine?

If you are worried about how you will create all the time required to work towards your Personal Vision Statement, then Morning Routine is an ideal solution.

I have personally experienced that a combination of Morning Routine and Deep Work, help to increase productivity by 12X.

I have a full-time job in senior management along with demanding family life and an active social life. One of my Personal Vision aim was to write a book of wisdom. For over six years, I was chugging out an average word count of around 17,000 words per annum.

Then I joined a morning routine and deep work workshop. In this workshop, I produced 17,000 words in only one month.

What I was doing in a full year, I was able to finish in only one month. Other participants also voiced similar productivity improvement. Presentations which used to take weeks to finish, started getting completed in two hours. People who had not upskilled themselves on coding were able to upskill themselves. All this improvement just by adopting a simple change in how the day is started.

How you start your day sets the tone for everything that follows. Incorporating a morning routine into your life is a transformative practice, unlocking your full potential and paving the way for a successful and fulfilling day. The benefits of morning routines include the following:

  1. Boost productivity and focus: A well-structured morning routine sets the stage for heightened focus and increased productivity throughout the day. It allows you to prioritize tasks, allocate time effectively, and start the day with a sense of purpose.
    1. Cultivate mindfulness and self-care: Morning routines provide an opportunity to nurture your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. By incorporating self-care practices such as meditation, journaling, or exercise, you can create a positive mindset and set the tone for a balanced and fulfilling day.
    1. Establish a sense of control: Starting your day with a routine gives you a sense of control and stability. Instead of reacting to external stimuli, you proactively shape your morning, setting yourself up for success and reducing stress.

Here are the key steps to ensure that you incorporate morning routine into your day:

  1. Prepare the night before:
    • The secret of Morning Routine lies in how you prepare the night before. Without a good night’s sleep, you will end up waking with low energy. This will make the whole experience counter-productive. Hence, maximize the effectiveness of your morning routine by preparing the night before. Lay out your clothes, plan your breakfast, and ensure your environment is conducive to a peaceful morning.
    • If you have habit of watching TV late in the night, then you will have to break these bad habits to get the full benefit of morning routines.
    • Some people wake up in the middle of night and are unable to go back to sleep. For them, I recommend that you practice mindful breathing to help you go back to sleep.
  2. Set a consistent wake-up time:
    • Establish a consistent wake-up time to anchor your routine. Consistency helps regulate your internal clock and creates a rhythm that optimizes your energy levels. Over time, even if you slept late, you will end up waking up at a consistent time. This is just your body forming the morning waking up habit.
  3. Start small and build momentum:
    • If you’re new to morning routines, start with one or two activities and gradually add more over time. Building small habits is key to long-term success and prevents overwhelm.
    • Choose activities that nourish your mind, body, and spirit to go along with your Deep Work activities. Some popular options include meditation, journaling, exercise, reading, affirmations, gratitude practice, or enjoying a healthy breakfast.
    • These activities can also come from your Personal Vision Statement.
  4. Create a sequence:
    • Arrange your activities in a logical and enjoyable order. Start with activities that help you awaken your mind and body, gradually transitioning into more focused and energizing practices.
    • I usually start with making my morning herbal tea along with ten minutes of meditation/mindful activity. Then I undertake two hours of Deep Work focusing on my weekly prioritized goals. In the end, I do around twenty minutes of high intensity workout. Finally, I get ready to go to office.
  5. Be adaptable and flexible:
    • Life is unpredictable, and some mornings may require adjustments to your routine. Embrace flexibility and modify your routine when necessary, while still maintaining consistency as much as possible. If I have to travel or I had a late-night engagement, then I break my morning routine. I make it a point to resume the routine at the earliest.

Complement your Morning Routine with the practice of Deep Work to give yourself an incredible productivity bump. We will now look at this amazing practice.

How to undertake Deep Work to achieve your goals?

In today’s world, it can be difficult to focus on one task at a time. We are constantly bombarded with distractions from our phones, computers, and the people around us. This can make it hard to get anything done, let alone achieve our goals.

That’s where deep work comes in. Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. Popularized by productivity expert Cal Newport, Deep Work allows us to tap into our full potential and achieve remarkable results. Deep Work involves reaching a state of flow, where your mind is fully immersed in the work at hand, enabling you to produce high-quality output. With Deep Work we can quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time.

If you can learn to do deep work, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goals. In his book, Deep Work, Cal Newport relates that he used Deep Work to increase his Research Publications from two good papers a year to four papers a year even after becoming a much more encumbered professor.

As I explained earlier, I used Deep Work to improve my productivity 12X on writing my book. Many others have reported similar improvement. I love Deep Work so much that I have permanently embedded Deep Work in my morning routine.

Benefits of Deep Work

  1. Enhanced productivity: Deep work allows you to accomplish more in less time by eliminating distractions and focusing your energy on the most important tasks.
  2. Heightened creativity: Immersing yourself in deep work fosters a conducive environment for innovative and original ideas to emerge.
  3. Improved skill development: By dedicating uninterrupted time to deliberate practice, you can hone your skills and expertise in a particular domain.
  4. Deep satisfaction and fulfilment: Engaging in deep work and making progress on meaningful tasks brings a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.
  5. Career advancement and recognition: Commitment to deep work helps to get remarkable results which can help you to stand out in your field. Your ability to produce high-quality work and solve complex problems will contribute to your career advancement and garnering recognition from peers and leaders.

Preparing for Deep Work:

  1. Align Deep Work activity with your Personal Vision Goals:
    • To prepare your mindset for daily deep work, it is important to have a clear goal. This is where your Personal Vision Statement is extremely important. Without such a goal, it will be difficult to pinpoint exactly why you are undertaking the Deep Work. Combining ritualised Deep Work with Personal Vision and Goals helps to extract maximum benefits from these activities.
  2. Remove Distractions & Establish Boundaries:
    • Remove external distractions by decluttering your physical and digital environment. Put your phone and digital distractions far away from your workspace for the time that you will block for Deep Work. To manage any urges to check for phone etc, start your session with Deep Breathing and Mindfulness activity.
    • Set boundaries by communicating your availability to others before starting the Deep Work session. My family is fully aware that mornings are meant for writing for me.
  3. Manage your energy:
    • Understand your natural energy patterns and schedule deep work during your peak productivity hours. Maximize your energy levels by taking regular breaks, engaging in physical activity, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
    • One method I use for managing my energy is by taking deliberate breaks on weekends. I recharge myself fully on weekends. This supercharges my productivity on weekdays. Additionally, I always sleep on time on Weekdays so that when I am doing my Deep Work, I have full energy.

How to do Deep Work as part of Morning Routine?

Here are the steps to undertake Deep Work as part of your Morning Routine:

  1. Plan your sessions: I undertake Deep Work in two sprints of 60 minutes each, with a break of ten minutes in-between. You can initially start with one session and then expand to two if required.
  2. Ensure that you are Distraction Free: As mentioned above, Deep Work is only possible if you are completely distraction free. Hence, make sure of the following:
    • There are no Gadgets around you. Notifications and volume of any gadget in other rooms is also turned down.
    • Close all unnecessary tabs on your computer if you are working on a computer. If technically possible, shut out distraction websites by installing a website blocker.
    • Establish boundaries with your family or room-mates and ensure that they do not distract you.
    • Calm your mind by doing a small deep breathing meditation for five to ten minutes.
    • Do a mind dump by writing all things bothering you on a piece of paper and then putting that paper consciously aside.
  3. Write down your goal:
    • It is most important to have a written SMART goal for each session. The goal should be stretched yet achievable.
    • Initially, I had planned to write 1500 words. But after a few sessions, I realised that my output is usually between 900 to 1100 words. Hence, I modified the goal to writing 1000 words each day. 1000 words goal means that for each session, my target is to write 500 words each.
    • Your goals might be to write Code or to learn something new for upskilling. Keep these goals stretched yet achievable goals.
  4. Review your session:
    • After the session, write against the goal about how much you have achieved. Also, reflect if you were able to achieve flow performance or not. If you were not able to achieve the flow mindset, then for the next session, practice some deep breathing exercises again. You also might want to walk a little to declutter your mind before you start your next session.

Like I mentioned above, results might take some time to show up. Hence, don’t beat yourself too much about the results. Focus on putting this deep work habit in place.

Conclusion & Last Thoughts

I’ve seriously supercharged my life by integrating the Planning, Morning Routine and Deep Work habits into my daily life. I hope that you are also able to integrate these habits. You will then see that productivity is not about trying to cram more things in your existing schedule. Productivity is about having clear priorities and a systematic method of executing these priorities.

To summarize Planning, Morning Routines and Deep Work capabilities entail the following:

  1. Think of planning as Prioritization.
  2. Set your priorities through a Personal Vision Statement aligned to your unique self. This will help to act as your guidance for all of your goals.
  3. Break your Personal Vision Statement into Yearly, Quarterly, Monthly and Weekly Goals.
  4. Use a Weekly Planner to keep track of your Vision and your goals.
  5. Review your progress every week, month, quarter. Revise and update as you get more and better information.
  6. Do not be dismayed if you don’t get immediate results. Sometimes results take time to show up. It is more important to put these permanent habits of doing the work.
  7. Create time by putting a Morning Routine.
  8. Undertake Deep Work to achieve a flow status while executing cognitively difficult tasks. This will significantly improve your productivity.

All the best with putting these habits to action.

About the Author

One response to “How to Plan Your Day for being Successful? – Integrate Vision Statement, Morning Routine & Deep Work Habits”

  1. Parul Kulshreshtha Avatar
    Parul Kulshreshtha

    Amazing Kahlon! Great Work!

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About The Author

K. D. Singh

After graduating from IIT Kharagpur and IIM Lucknow – I have spent over 15 years in building a Balanced, Healthy & Productive Life using the power of Mind-Body Hacking Techniques.

KD Singh

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