Weāre always looking for tips on how to lead a more productive day, and who better to get some pointers from then our inspiring speakers! Letās be honest… You donāt become a boss lady like Kristina without understanding a thing or two about productivity.
What is your morning routine?Ā
My morning routine always comes down to 2 things: coffee and moments of pause ā making space to wake up slowly, centre myself and quietly assess the day ahead. I live in an old stone farmhouse in the country so my morning routine is often seasonally influenced. In the winter, Iāll sit by a roaring fire with a mug of coffee with my business partner/life partner. In
the summer, weāll sit outside and do the same. Usually a full breakfast follows and then weāll take our St. Bernard, Buddha, for a walk around the property.Ā
Do you hit snooze? How often?Ā
I am usually awake before the alarm clock. In fact, in the summer the roosters start crowing, the cows mooing and the birds start singing long before the sun has fully risen. My brain works the same way. Itās usually working long before I actually wake up. So, no snooze button for me. I am usually fully awake enough to turn my alarm off before it even sounds.
Is it important to you to get a certain amount of sleep in a night?Ā
Yes, I need at least 9 hours of sleep a night. I donāt function as well without sleep and am known to take naps if I donāt get a full 9 - 10 hours at night.Ā
What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Until this year, I used to roll over and, with eyes barely open, check Facebook. Why? I donāt know. I realized that checking my phone ā whether for news or social media updates ā wasnāt a very mindful way to start my day. It was harder to live in the moment when I was already running through my dayā¦ or swiping through it as the case may be. I now have an old fashioned alarm clock beside my bed. When I wake up, I listen to its gentle tick and quietly ponder all of the things Iām grateful for. I also use that time to set my intention for the day. Ā
Do you answer email first thing in the morning or leave it until later in the day?Ā
I do answer email first thing in the morning, again at noon and then later in the day. Because I work in different time zones, Iām very conscious of the fact that someone else might be waiting on me to get their own work done. Ā
Do you do anything before going to bed to make your morning easier?
I take time to read. It makes my morning easier because it allows me to fully shut off my brain and get lost in fictional adventures. Again, I used to check my phone before bed but I now leave it in the kitchen. I use my reading time to recharge and find sources of inspiration that I wouldnāt normally find online.Ā
What do you do in the morning that makes you feel the most prepared to start your day?Ā
Before sitting down to work, I always spend time with my Day Designer paper-based agenda. For years, I tried to organize my to-dos and calendar virtually but I recently switched back to a paper planner. I find using coloured pencils and physically writing out my schedule helps to clear my mind from a lot of clutter and balance competing priorities.
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?Ā
When I travel for work, I donāt have the serenity of the country life. It can throw my day off because I donāt feel as centred. So I try to find things that remind me of home. Even on my most rushed days when Iām on the road, Iāll wake up early so I can find some time to ground myself. Even if I have to work for a few hours before I am onsite with a client, I try to indulge in some quiet time for coffee and jazz or classical music. Recently I have begun using the Calm app for meditating. With background nature sounds and wallpapers, itās just like waking up at home. Feeling centred is so important to being able to respond thoughtfully to whatever the day brings, and provides ample space for creative ideas to take shape.
Donāt miss this month talk with Kristina Mausser in partnership with Women in Communications and Technology NCR for a reflective February session onĀ āvaluing moments of pauseā. Join us Ā at 8:30AM on Friday, February 24Ā at the beautiful Andaz Hotel in the Byward Market.Ā
Free tickets will be released on Friday, February 17. Stay tuned and be sure to RSVP!
