Ten Things Productive People Do Before Bed

The following article is taken from lifehack.org. I do not consider myself as a productive person, but the points listed here are simple and some I do practise myself. My thoughts are in blue.

The most productive people all have certain habits in their daily routines that contribute to their success. They understand that their success starts and ends with their mental and physical health, which is almost entirely dependent upon their habits before bed time.
So, here’re 10 things successful and super productive people do that leads them being in the top 20 percent of money earners in our society.
The strong introvert in me tends to make me not to care so much about being wealthy or about having a lot of assets or making more money. I do acknowledge the importance of money however.
As a child born to Muslim parents I was taught to recite verses from the Quran before I go to sleep starting from the time I was able to recite the simplest of the verses. May be when I was like five. Nowadays whatever verses I recite, I make sure I understand their meanings.

1. They review their day

Steve Jobs was a strong proponent of living life to the fullest every day. He wonderfully explained this concept when he said: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.”
All successful and wealthy people, before going to sleep, they think about if what are doing has meaning. At the end of each day, they think about how have positively contributed to the world and review if the goals achieved are in line with their overall vision. Thus, they make plans to track their progress and take notes to put the best in every single things they do.
So today, before going to sleep, review your day because it will force you to clarify what you want and motivate you to take action on your goals.
However if you happened to have a particularly difficult day, then perhaps you can just skip this exercise for the day or perhaps just quickly scan through your activities for the day rather than brood about it.

2. They write down their thoughts

Emmy-winning talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres used to write down her thoughts, feelings and emotions when she was younger: “Writing is truly cathartic, because it just lets it all out and brings the best out of you”.
Super productive and successful people write down their thoughts, sensations, feelings and emotions. They try to analyse when and why things went right and wrong. They write to improve their communication and thinking skills to be a better leader. So, by writing things down you can help yourself to sharpen your thinking, clear your mind, destroy negative self-talk and pay attention to your most dominant emotions through the day. Journaling may tell you something that you haven’t really paid much attention to about yourself or about your life.
People like Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Darwin, Benjamin Franklin, Andrew Carnegie, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Winston Churchill kept a diary, so why not giving a shot?
This is not a bad idea. There was a tumultuous period in my life when every morning I tried my best to journal the dream I had the night before. I had a dream journal then. Even though dreams are weird and difficult to analyse as I was no expert, but I did see patterns for myself. Nowadays, besides this blog, which is the manifestations of some of my thoughts, I do jot down things in my hand-written journal. They are both therapeutic.

3. They stick their noses into books

This is the proof that readers are great leaders. Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates is an avid reader. Each night before bed, he spends an hour reading a book, ranging on a variety of topics.
Many successful people in the world are voracious readers. They read at least for 10-20 minutes before going to bed every day and they learn from what others talk about. They expand their know-how to be better prepared to lead and motivate their team and build multimillionaire businesses.
Another big benefit from sticking your nose into a good book on a nightly basis is because reading improve the long term health of your brain.
There are so many advantages of reading. The reading habit can be cultivated, if you are not yet into it.

4. They set priorities for the next morning

With so many things happening on a daily basis it can be really easy to lose focus on what you are trying to accomplish. That’s why, before bed time, productive people review their schedule and plan for the following day.
They make a list of everything they have to do and before they start working they set priorities on the list. This allow them to go into the next workday feeling better prepared, more confident, and less stressed. Include this life-changing tip in your daily routine by writing down your top 3 to 5 most important tasks you need to do the next day. If for any reason you don’t do this, it should be the first thing you do every morning. And remember, every minute spent in planning saves 10 minutes in execution.

5. They spend quality time with family

“A man should never neglect his family for business.” -Walt Disney
Totally true! You have to spend quality time with your family in order to get connected and stay connected. Life is really hectic, and whatever you are an entrepreneur or an employee it always feels like there are a million things to do and the clock is against you.
But it’s really important to treat time with your family as a priority. So spend more time having meaningful conversations with your children, siblings or parents. Turn off the TV, eat dinner with your family and talk. The more time you spend together, the better chance you have of sharing quality experiences.
Nobody should be fidgeting with the hand phone at the dinner table. The same manners should be observed if you go out for meals with friends. If you have urgent calls by all means you should answer them but you should not focus your attention on the bloody thing when people are having conversation.

6. They get things done

Super productive people use their skills, talents, energies, and knowledge to the fullest extent possible. They do the things that need to be done, not just the things they like to do. They are willing to work hard and to commit themselves to getting the job done by the end of the day.
Nobody knows this better than US President Barack Obama that start the day the night before. When he awakens at seven, he already has a jump on things. We all have 24 hours and you need to use your time wisely, that’s why successful people squeeze the most out of those 24 hours as they can.
Very good advice. Be passionate with what you do.

7. They do a digital detox

After being collapsed to the floor from exhaustion and lack of sleep, Arianna Huffington has been an evangelist for “unplugging”. In her best-selling book Thrive, she shares the importance of disconnect from our hectic life, relax and take care of our body and soul, redefining what it means to be successful in today’s world.
So, every night before bed, put your phone in another room, turn off the TV and spent some time in stillness. You will feel your energy soar and overall health improve. In addition, you will have more time for other activities you really enjoy.

8. They spend time in nature

There is no greater example than Sir Richard Branson. However as Branson has demonstrated throughout his hectic business career, that doesn’t mean you have to cut out the things you enjoy most in life. To be refreshed and ready for anything, you need to find time to go in nature and have fun.
If you can’t swim in the crystal clear water of the Caribbean, having a walk routine could be a perfect way to turn off your thoughts about work after a stressful day and reflect on different things that interest you or to just empty your mind and enjoy the silence.
I wish I could go for walks around the neighbourhood two or three times a week. Not possible in my area. It is not safe. I wish the government , the local council and the real estate developers put more emphasis into providing accessible and safe parks and walking trails, so that more people can use them for recreational or sports activities. Around Klang Valley there are tremendous greed and humongous appetite to build as many housing estates, commercial centres and tall buildings as possible.

9. They meditate

Russell Simmons, Tim Ferriss and Oprah Winfrey, just to name a few, all meditate in the morning and before bed to perform to their full potential throughout the day. In fact, when our mind is more relaxed we are more receptive to ideas and find even easier to focus on frustrating tasks.
So set aside 10 minutes each day before going to sleep to meditate and let your thoughts flow naturally. The next day you will be more energetic, focused and productive.
I try to practise very simple meditation as far as possible once a day. There are plenty of sites on the net where you can find such instructions. Simple mindfulness exercises are also good.

10. They envision their future

Many successful people take a few minutes before bed to envision a positive outcome unfolding for the projects they’re working on. Oprah Winfrey is one of the world’s super productive people who use visualisation techniques to picture tomorrow’s success and get clarity on challenges and obstacles. So, spend a few minutes each night visualising yourself as successful the next day. This will help motivate you to make it happen because you’ve already seen it in your mind’s eye.

If you can develop these 10 habits of successful people you will increase your productivity overnight and your life will be a lot better. So, what successful habits do you practise before going to bed?

Sunday

I woke up at five this morning. Switched on the TV. DW Channel was showing the destruction by Cyclone Pam on the island nation of Vanuatu. The President of the Republic of Vanuatu who is in Japan attending a conference on disaster management was clearly distressed when he made a call to the international community to assist Vanuatu. Depressing news. Switched off the TV and read a little.

6.30 am   :  Went upstairs to attend to Ro who was already making noise, needing attention. Cleaned his litter box, changed his water bowl and fill up his kibble bowl. Took Ro out of the cage and administered his antibiotic and flu pills. He is gentle and affectionate and loves to be cuddled. It is not difficult to administer his medication. Gave him the multivitamin paste. Played with him for a while. He is getting more handsome. A far cry from the thin sickly cat of late February. The flu however is still not completely cured and he cannot be vaccinated yet. It is okay, Ro, I know you are getting much better. That is the most important thing and that makes Wan Nyah happy.

Ro relaxing on Wan Nyah's lap

7.10 am  :  Went down to feed my 3 furry kids their steamed fish. They are fed steamed fish twice daily. Have been reading a lot about feline nutrition. Mainly due to the fact that Mickey is quite chubby and needs to lose a little weight. I am trying to decrease my cats intake of kibbles. Kibbles are carbohydrate-rich and tend to make cats put on weight, especially male neutered cats. More so in the case of cats which are not very active like Mickey. Tam and Comot are okay because they move a lot and are more playful.

7.30 am  :  Made myself a cup of coffee and then went to water the grass in front and at the back of the house. Refilled the water containers for the stray cats and stray dogs that I placed in front of the house.
It is going to be a hot day and the stray animals have nowhere to drink. They might resort to drinking dirty water. Just my little contribution, just like I did in my workplace before I retired.

8.10 am  :  Drove to the stalls to buy my breakfast. Hmmm.......nasi lemak, nasi putih, nasi ayam? Or roti canai, capati? Ok nasi ayam for a change. I cringed a bit at the amount of rice they gave me, simply too much. I should discipline myself more really with all these carbohydrate.
Went to the grocery shop to buy fish for my 3 kids. Bought about about 4 kg of fish that can last for about 4 days. Bought vegetables too for myself.

9.10 am  :  Drove home. Had my breakfast. Kept half the rice in the fridge. Watched TV, alternating between DW, Al Jazeera, Euronews, NHK World, Channel News Asia, Cinema World, BBC Knowledge and Nat Geo People. For a long, long time, I have stopped watching local TV programmes. In my opinion, most of the time, they are too preoccupied with idolising weak, mediocre and corrupt politicians. They are also too many religious people professing their expertise in presenting the holier-than-thou facade on local TV.

10.10 am :  Cleaning and preparing the 4 kg fish. Steamed them. Packed into plastic bags for every feeding and put them into the freezer. The fish roe I put separated for Tam. Fish roe is Tam's favourite. Huuh.........quite a lot of fish actually. Quite often, at the grocery shop, people would ask me I have a stall selling nasi campur because of the amount of fish I bought.

11.30 am :  Continued my reading. The book title is The Extraordinary Life of Frank Derrick by J.B. Morrison.

12.30 noon: My lunch today is 3 slices of toasted wholemeal bread with butter and brown sugar and one large pear. Delicious. Comot followed me everywhere. She likes wholemeal bread on it own, torn into small pieces.

1.30 pm  :  Started this new post on my blog.  Went upstairs to ensure that the table fan for Ro is properly directed at him. The upstairs room are stuffy and Ro needs to have the table fan on almost the whole day.
My 3 kids were sprawled on the floor, sleeping, despite the searing heat, they slept with their mouth open....ha ha ha. Great nap with both the ceiling fan and table fan on.

3.00 pm  :  Made myself a cup of black coffee. Continued writing. I need to wash the car. But on Sunday, there will be many people. I also need to go to the self-service laundry for some big pieces of bed linens and selimut. The new self-service laundry near my home is indeed a blessing. Otherwise I have to go to Port Klang, seven kilometres away. These two chores can be done on weekdays.

4.15 pm  :  Fed the trio their evening fish meal. Watered the grass again and swept the front and backyard. Felt like taking another bath, even though I have taken three today. This hot stuffy weather!

5.00 pm  :  Had a plate of slice cucumber with some ready-made kuah pecal that I bought at the pasar malam. My favourite food. Went upstairs to  clean Ro's litter tray and to play a bit with him. Tonight I have a bit of studying to do. Learning and reciting numbers in French.

Ro

My Current Rescue Effort
Ro (short for Romeo) is a male feline about two and a half years old. He came to beg for food and made my porch his sleeping area about a month ago. Very thin, literally skin-and-bones, emaciated and hardly having energy to walk about as he has a bad flu. He also had fungus infection that caused patches of baldness on his head and his back.

His condition was very pitiful, very sad that made me cry. I feel very very guilty about not doing anything for another of God's creatures that very badly needs assistance. I am not rich neither am I wealthy but my life is comfortable in the sense that I have a home, even if it is a very tiny and cheap one, and I have plenty to eat always. Ro doesn't have a home and doesn't have food to eat if no one feeds him. It is my duty to help this poor cat, to share whatever I have with him. When I first saw him I thought he is an old cat, may be seven or eight years old. He is actually just around three.

When Ro first came to me

So I decided to do something for him. On 31st January took him to the vet to get the flu, the fleas and the fungus infection treated. He weighed 2.25 kg then.Took him home and put him in the cage upstairs. I messaged Zam and Ain if they might have space for another male cat. In the mean time I will nurse Ro back to health. I will also vaccinate him and neuter him before passing him to them. I must remember to contribute some kitty foodstuffs to Zam and Ain  as they already have many cats and kittens themselves.

My two young girls Tam and Comot were puzzled with this newcomer who is being placed in their former cage. Tam has very reserved personality and refuses to step foot ever into the room where the cage is placed. She would stay on the staircase watching Wan Nyah attending to Ro's needs. Comot just couldn't be bothered and after a few days she jumped up and stayed on top of the cage, grooming herself. Really who cares about this skinny hobo cat? My boy Mickey pretended indifference and hardly glanced in Ro's direction. He prefers to be in the adjacent room, sleeping or relaxing himself. Mickey is a great gentlemen, he already adapted to life with the two girls. He loves Tam and would often licks and grooms her. Comot, on the other hand, is just being tolerated. Comot is a little wayward kid who doesn't know how to respect elders, unlike Tam. It is indeed amazing that Mickey who is usually very territorial with other male cats didn't lift a paw at Ro when the later was making noises begging for food and sometimes sleeping on his favourite chair in the porch. He just watched the poor cat. I think, animals too have the instinct to know not to attack a sick and hungry individual, even if that individual is intruding into their spaces.

Yesterday I took Ro to the vet again. The flu is very much better but not totally recovered. He still sneezes and has discharge from  his nose.Overall he is very much better. No more fleas and the bald patches have almost all covered by fur. His weight increases to 3.5 kg, an increase of 1.25 kg in about one month. He looks much much better and is more active and would respond and play with Wan Nyah. He is prescribed with another form of antibiotics to ensure the flu is totally cured and he will be ready for vaccination and neutering later. The three images below were taken yesterday.

Looking at the toy

Getting healthier and
looking much better

Drop dead handsome!