We've been kicking around this concept of the "First 5," or F5, on the premise that how you spend the first five minutes of your day sets the tone for everything that comes afterward.

In my last post I offered a few suggestions on how to get started down an F5 path before jumping into the current of the day.

Today, I want to continue that conversation and ask for your input. What do you think of the following ideas for trying out some F5 time?
 
1. Savor. Go slow. Find something pleasurable that you normally rush through or do while you're doing something else. For example: Drinking your coffee, reading the sports section of your newspaper, reading personal email, walking into your building, saying good-bye to family in the morning.

Do it for twice as long as you typically would. Pretend it's the last time you get to do it.  As Lily Tomlin once said, "For fast-acting relief, try slowing down."

2. Listen to music. Some say there's magic in music. Download a song and listen to it. Maybe you need a calming influence so find a soothing piece, maybe something classical. Or, maybe you need to be inspired. What do you listen to when you need encouragement?

Or maybe you need to ramp up your energy level. Try listening to that one song that never fails to energize you and put you in a good mood. Whatever mood you want or need now, find a 5-minute song that will help get you there.

3. Breathe. Relax. Go somewhere private where you won't be distracted—even if it's just in your car. Breathe and do a deep relaxation exercise. Close your eyes. Let your focus be on the air coming in and out of your nostrils. Feel your abdomen rising gently with each in-breath and then falling as you breathe out.

Breathe in to the count of four and out again to count of four. Keep breathing in and out in this manner for 10 more breaths.

4. List the five things for which you are most grateful. What's usually going through your head when you start your day? All of the things you have to do, how poorly you slept, the things that aren't going well? Many of us are conditioned to view things with a critical eye and to focus on what isn't working.

Looking at life like this often results in a negative mood for us, which is contagious to those around us. It also makes it difficult to see the possibilities. Ask yourself: What's good in my life? What do I take for granted? Write down five things and post them somewhere you can see them during the day. Things like:

a.       A close friend
b.      Hot showers
c.       Your significant other
d.      Your health
e.      A past mentor
f.       Power steering and keyless entry
g.       Healthy kids
h.      Air conditioning
i.        Antiperspirant
j.       Indoor plumbing
k.       Your dog or cat
l.        High-definition television
m.    Abundant food
n.      Your favorite teacher

5. Commit to doing one "number one" thing today. We all believe we have a set of priorities. By definition, this means something that should get done prior to other things. But some of these things constantly fall to the bottom or even off of our lists. Here's an idea: Create a short list of the tasks you consider priorities. Then, go through your list and identify the one thing that if done will:

a.       Truly advance your organization's goals
b.      Leverage or extend your skills and passions
c.       Involve creative thinking and innovation
d.      Set other quality work in motion
e.      Unlock energy for yourself and others
f.       Allow others to move forward with their goals
g.       Be something you believe in and will make you feel fulfilled

Start that task now or schedule it in today's calendar. Remember, it's your number one priority so take the first step.
 
6. Celebrate. Remember that tough assignment you had, the sticky problem you resolved, the overwhelming task that seemed as if it would never end, or that one little thing you could barely bring yourself to attempt? Because you worked on these tasks they were completed, done well, and it made a difference.

Now pick one and write it down. Also, write down all the things you contributed to the work, the insight you applied, the time you put in, the people you inspired to give their best to the project. You actually did these things; you played a key role in bringing this work product to fruition. Write yourself a congratulatory note or a thank you care for all you did.

Celebrate it. We can't always count on others to recognize all we've done so it's up to you. George Sand once said, "Happiness lies in the consciousness we have of it."

7.  Schedule "bank" time for yourself. Give yourself permission to take a break, to go to the banks of the ‘current' in which we swim all day long. Without bank time you often end up with nothing in reserve—no energy, no good ideas, no patience, nothing with which to fight the current. Pick at least two times today when you will take at least a five-minute break. Pick the exact times and put them in your calendar. Treat these times as an important meeting—no cancelling, no being late, and no answering your phone during it.

Plan to:

a.       Go for a walk (outside if possible)
b.      Eat lunch away from your desk and/or eat with someone else
c.       Call a personal friend
d.      Read a stimulating article
e.      Turn off or don't look at email for an hour a day
f.       Take the stairs up and down a few floors
g.       Count 50 slow breaths
h.      Look out the window

8. Change your workspace. Do something to at least part of your workspace to make it conductive to calmness, focus, control, efficiency, or energy. Decide on the tone you want—what you want your workspace to promote in you. Maybe this will involve reorganizing or "decorating" or de-cluttering. Some ideas:

a. Recycle, trash, or put away things within your line of sight that irritate you
b. Put up a picture that reminds you of something pleasant and calming
c. Write a word on a sticky note that keeps your number one goal in the forefront of your mind and from getting lost in the details
d. Make sure you set up something -- either a visual or electronic prompt -- that periodically reminds you to get out of the current and go to the banks
e. Make easily accessible things that can be small break activities and put them in ready reach. Music. A joke book. A toy. Pictures. Create your space.

9.  Cut yourself some slack. Most of us hold ourselves to very high standards which is often good—until we become our harshest critics. Today, you will do what you can and you will recognize when to stop and when you've hit the point of diminishing returns.

When you feel stuck or find yourself rethinking or revising something for the fourth time, or wondering if you'll ever be done with something—stop! Ask yourself, "Is this good enough?" "Can I set this aside for now?" "Is the standard I'm applying here too strict?" "What is the worst that will happen if I stop here?" Give yourself permission to stop, to take the pressure off.

All right. It's your turn. I'd love to hear from you some ideas for taking the first five minutes of the day and making them into an aiming exercise. Whadda got?