Morning Routines & Anchor Events

I don't know much about having productive days. Throughout my life, I have had a collection of unproductive days. For some reason, I'd have one random day when I am active, productive and happy about it.

Since I started writing these daily blogs, I have a productivity streak. I believe it is because of an anchor event in the daily calendar.

Lets me explain it all...

Anchor Events

An anchor event is something you do daily almost every day of the week, including weekends. I call it an "anchor" event because it stops your regular workflow and makes space for itself.

Examples of Anchor event could be:

• Writing a Journal or a daily blog (like this one),
• Exercising (weights, body or cardio),
• Cleaning the room, or
• Doing dishes.

Using Calender

I have always fancied using calenders. Makes you look professional. But in practice, I find calenders very difficult to use. I also find it hard to force myself to do the actual task in the calendar.

With that said, I started having two anchor points in my day. One in the calendar and one in my mind. Every day I'd close my laptop at 7:30 pm and start working on dinner.

And the other anchor point in my mind: write this blog. I'd usually write these blogs in the night, before sleeping. around midnight or 1 am. But sometimes I write it in the morning before starting my work, like this post today. I prefer to write these articles in the morning.

Time of Anchor Event

There's a reason I don't like writing these blogs in the night. It's because when I have an anchor event in the morning I tend to have a productive day.

The nature of these blogs is random. I talk about anything and everything. With that whenever I get an interesting thought I have the urge to write about it. This, unfortunately, happens during the evening.

Lately, as a result, I have been fighting the urge to write in the night. Sometimes I fail and write two 500 worded blogs in a day.

#WhatIsTheOppositeOfWritersBlock?

Effects of Anchor Event

Each anchor event should have a purpose-built with it. If you have read Atomic Habits by James Clear, you'd recall habit formation.

An Anchor event is like the foundation for habit formation. "The habit's you choose is the person you end up becoming".

When you bring in the effects of compounding by doing a task daily, you become that person. I have two anchor events and both have a personality infused in them.

The morning anchor event. I want to be a better marketer. And every good marketer (at least the one's on twitter) have sworn by writing daily. I agree with them. Ever since I started writing daily, my thoughts have been clearer.
And since it's an anchor event, I have been setting my day to be productive.

The Evening anchor event. Better cook. I don't know why I love cooking. I sometimes see those recipe gifs on Reddit and wish to make one of those. haha, but I never could.

Lockdown changed everything. I gave cooking a chance and I am a good cook. Well, at least till I have my mom to give instructions and diced vegetables.

And since it's an anchor event, I know when the workday is over. And it's time to be with my family.

#WorkLifeBalance

Conclusion

So It's no secret that my days are better when I follow my anchor events. If you are interested as well, I say go for it.

I'd suggest to start with one anchor event and try to do it daily. Use a calendar. Don't be afraid. It is more afraid of you than you are afraid of it.

It can be hard at first. I still struggle with mine. It's fine. Give yourself some time to settle.