Well, hi I'm Dr. Ally and I love working with creatives. Creatives have more active brains with yield some amazing products and some serious anxieties. You think faster, due to more white matter in your brain (white matter is the stuff that connects brain cells together, the more the merrier), you expect perfection, you are wickedly aware of what happens in the world around you, and sometimes you need help making sense of everything. That's where I come in. As a Creative Consultant for creatives I wear a lot of hats but mainly I listen, assess, and produce results.
Let's start off our journey in creative problem solving with the first thing we all do, start our day. I spent all that time getting that Ph.D. so I'm using it to better the world one business, creative, and script at a time. Any successful person will tell you that the key to success is getting sh*#! done. I say, wake up early, move fast, and be purposeful.
1. Wake up Early
Obviously early is relative but those successful people among us tend to get up between 4-5am. Ok, I know most of us don't get up with the sun. But if you want to wake up earlier try a little something called sleep hygiene. Set your alarm 30 minutes earlier every week. For example I wake up at 6:30, so for one week I'd wake up at 6am, then then next week 5:30 and so on. Keep in mind that for this to work you have to do it every day, even Sunday and Saturday. In a few weeks you should be there with minimal increase in caffeine intake.
2. Set an Intention
Intentions aren't just for yogis. They can work for all of us. Basically, having a positive phrase that encompasses a goal or energy you want for your day can help refocus you mind. However, you have to actually use your affirmation, so set an alarm in your phone to remind yourself. Andrew Newberg MD and Mark Robert Waldman wrote a book Words Can Change Your Brain. Where they found that positive words can strengthen areas in our frontal lobes. I'm such a personal fan of intentions and mantras that I do them daily and go to this site when I need a little inspo Dream Create Do.
3. Meditate
Meditation can be many things to many people. Some pray, some chant, some sit quietly and focus on their thoughts, some sit quietly and focus on nothing. The ultimate goal of meditation is to make a transition in to alpha brain waves.
4. Set a Schedule
Writing out your day is one of the best ways to actually get things done. When setting your daily schedule try breaking your day down into natural components. For example if you have a 9-5 schedule your "before work time" maybe that's from 5-8:30am, then your "work time." This is what you'll get done at work 9-5:30pm maybe. Then your "after work time" this is everything you'll need to do in the evening.
5. Journal
Journaling can be so freeing for your soul and mind. Getting frustrations and life's events out of your mind and onto a concrete medium is truly a healing experience. But one of the most effective methods of journaling is to journal all the many things you are grateful for. Gratitude allows you to choose how you want to see the world and has some pretty serious health benefits.
6. Eat Breakfast
No matter how powerful you are or plan on being you need food to power you along you way. Breakfast might not be the huge meal we were all taught it was suppose to be but it does set the tone for the rest of your day. Some of the most efficient and powerful among us have figured out how to start their days right. For example jack Dorsey, the CEO of Square and co-founded of Twitter has hard boiled eggs and soy sauce. While Katherine Power of Clique Media has eggs on avocado and our dear Richard Branson of Virgin has fruit and muesli. Basically, eat oats and eggs.
7. Work Out
Getting your day started with some serious energy will keep your metabolism moving and your brain cells firing pretty nicely. Try one of my favorite morning workout routines HERE-Tone It Up. Love these ladies.
8. Quality Time with Loved Ones
This is pretty self explanatory. The people we allow in our lives help recharge our batteries. Or at least they are supposed to. So, carve out time in your day to do something fulfilling with the ones you love. That can be movies, dinner, playtime with the kids, or "playtime" with your significant other. Remember it's not always about quantity but quality. Make sure the time is quality, no arguments or resentment, stay open and ready to enjoy your loved ones.