Start Earlier

As high-performing busy professionals, we are motivated by deadlines. If we have to work through lunch and late into the evening — we’ll get it done.

But what if we pulled back and simply … started earlier?

This seems so obvious, but we clearly don’t always think this way.

As I see it, there are three main benefits to starting earlier:

First, once we’ve started a project, our brains will keep working on it even when we’re not consciously thinking about it. When we’re sleeping, when we’re eating dinner, when we’re driving across town … our brains are methodically ticking through the issues in the background.

Second, when we’re not rushed, we don’t feel the same amount of stress. That means we can think more clearly and also more creatively. We don’t have tunnel vision to just get it done.

Third, we have more time to edit. More time to let our thoughts rest and come back to them the next day with fresh eyes. More time to get it right.

One final bonus: we feel much better about the whole process. More like we’re in control, instead of rushing towards that train barrelling down the track at full-speed.

Another reason we feel better? Because we know that we are, in fact, producing better work.

Start earlier.