MASTER THE ROUTINE
Thank you for taking the time to review the Morning/Daily Routine & Planning System (Linked to Google Docs)
7 Deadly Sins, 4 Agreements, & 13 Virtues of Benjamin Franklin (Linked to Google Docs)
Thank you for taking the time to review the Morning/Daily Routine & Planning System
The Master and the Servant.
We are servants. But to whom? If to ourselves it's either the emotion (Physical Body) or the intellect (Soul). We can't serve both. When serving our emotions we are responding to how we feel in the moment with no consideration for the future. When we are serving our intellect we are serving our future self. We can either be a servant to our intellect or will be enslaved by our emotions. For when we serve our emotions the only recipient of the labor is Satan.
The goal is for the intellect to be the master and the body to be the servant. This would require that we become a proper servant able to follow instruction with the goal of serving the masters needs. This typically is demonstrated to us by our parents. Our parents tell us what to do and we do it. Then once we can be an obedient servant we can evolve to the next stage which is becoming the master. The master must be able to instruct the servant in serving a worthy goal that is fruitful to both the master and the servant. The first person the Master must lead over is themselves.
Gain control over your life, Master The Routine
Many of us are not truly in control of our lives. What is in control is the stimulus and our response is automatic. We are hungry so we eat garbage,we are horny so we masturbate. We are uncomfortable in our own skin so we do drugs. Our thoughts consume us and in response we disconnect from the chaos by doing things like watching tv or browse the internet for hours a day. This system is a way to overcome that stimulus and response and take control of our lives. It builds a muscle of self control that applies to every aspect of our lives. The system itself is a Meditative process that puts organization into autopilot and naturally orients us into how to best use our time. Follow this process and you will find your life improves on all fronts.
There is only so much time in the day to give our attention. If we are living life properly we will give our attention to the things that are most important first and the least important last. In that sense it is very important to be able to discern how important something is to us. You will find that if you structure a routine that pays attention to what you acknowledge as being important it will take up a good part of your day. So the goal is to first write out and prioritize the areas of your life that need attention from most important to least important. Then decide what actionable tasks will be most effective and efficient at attending to those different categories. You will find most things in life that are important to you are repetitive tasks that you would want to accomplish daily or weekly. These tasks are then best suited in the structure of a written routine to follow. By going from one task to the next the structure of the routine allows you to focus on each individual task one at a time giving it your full attention without the worry that your attention drifts somewhere else as there is no reason to think about lesser important matters as those matters will be attended to in time.
Establishing a Structure
Mastery of the day/week repeated will create mastery of life. A neglected day/week will create a neglected life. By having a structured day/week that touches on all aspects of what we acknowledge as being important we can build habits that set us free from the anxiety of living in the modern world. After reading countless books over the years on productivity, health, and spirituality I’ve condensed what I've learned into a simple process that can assist anyone in building a personalized action plan. This system is designed to help Increase productivity, lower stress, lower dependencies, increase overall willpower, increase self-control, reduce anxiety, reduce depression, and overall gain a sense of peace.
Living a life without sin( in a non-theistic sense) .
What is a sin? Anything you do that goes against yourself. Easy metric for this is if you could go back in time and change something you did intentionally, the thing to change would be a sin. Example: You are overweight and if you could go back in time you wouldn't have drank 4 sodas a day but instead would have just drank water. Another example: If you could go back in time you would have focused on your business instead of playing video games for 4 hrs a day. So the sin is what you should abstain from, and not sinning is doing the action that is what you determine to be the best use of time at that moment. Therefore the only way to live a sin-free life is to have a daily reflection of how to best spend your time and abstain from actions that aren't serving you. If you are living a sin free life you will look back on your days/weeks/months/years and know that you did your best and wouldn't change a thing. This planning system assists with achieving this goal.
Freeing your mind
Do you ever find your thoughts constantly rattling around in your head? I could do this, or I could do that. I should have done this or I should have done that. You are constantly wondering what the next move you should do is but you have so many options that you just get stuck and do nothing. Or you do something and while you're doing it you're thinking about something else you could be doing. Paralysis by analysis is what I call this. You are up in your head, and you look back on your day, and little or nothing has gotten done. This constant unproductive reflection is what brings many of us in the modern world anxiety and depression. If this is a common state you are in, implementing this system in your life will assist you in breaking free from being a slave to your emotions.
Morning/Daily Routine & Planning Guide
Setting Up:
1.Secure a Gmail account for access to Google Drive.
2.In Drive, create a folder named "Morning/Daily Routine & Planning System" containing the following six documents.
3.Optimize your access by downloading the Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets apps. Input ideas on-the-go into the 'Master Plan' doc.
Documents:
1.Daily/Morning Routine Document: (Link for a template)
Purpose: This document outlines tasks and rituals you've committed to performing each morning/ day/ week. It sets the tone for the day, ensuring consistency and purposeful action from the get-go.
Update Frequency: Every Sunday, revisit and tweak your routine based on the past week's experiences, ensuring it evolves with you. Consult the 'Brainstorming' document, focusing on daily/weekly items that could enhance your life or address neglected areas. It's advisable to add only one new item to your routine each week. If time constraints arise, consider removing an item, but archive it at the end of the 'Brainstorming' document for potential future use.
Archival: Digitally save old versions for reference and retrospective analysis. Keeping printed copies can be motivational, showing your progress and evolution over time.
Routine Priority:
Three segments exist - morning, daily, and evening. Prioritize the morning routine even if it requires an early start, like 4am. While all are important, life might get in the way post-morning. Adapt the schedule to fit your lifestyle.
Point System:
Incorporate a point mechanism to measure weekly performance. Print the routines on a sheet for tangible tracking, noting the date atop. On completion of a task, circle the corresponding day’s letter. Tally points each morning for assessment.
Point Allocation Guide:
Assign point values based on the willpower a task demands. Adapt the values based on personal challenges. For instance, someone battling addiction might assign a higher value to sobriety compared to a casual drinker.
Examples:
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Daily Routine tasks: 1 point each.
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Full day fasting: 20 points.
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Intermittent fasting: 10 points/day.
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Master plan tasks: 10 points each.
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Abstinence from vices: 5 points/day.
Note: Individualize point values based on personal significance.
2.Master Plan Document: (Link for a template)
Purpose: Think of this as your tactical playbook. After your morning routine, this document guides your day, listing tasks and goals segmented by urgency and importance.
Review: Daily check-ins keep you on track, while Sunday reviews allow for bigger adjustments, informed by your brainstorming sessions and evolving priorities.
Task Input: When a new task or objective arises during the day, quickly add it here. Allocate specific times or deadlines to tasks to ensure timely completion.
Repetitive Tasks:
Tasks recurring daily or weekly are allocated to the Morning/Daily/Weekly Routine page.
3.Someday Maybe Document: (Link for a template)
Purpose: A space for aspirational tasks or projects that don't require immediate action but might be pursued in the future.
Examples: Want to learn a new language, travel to a particular destination, or plan a home renovation? Jot it down here. It's a reservoir of potential future projects.
4.Brainstorming Document: (Link for a template)
Purpose: A free-flowing space for ideas, big or small. This isn't about organization but about capturing every spark.
Structure: While it's primarily for brainstorming, having categories can assist in channeling your thoughts.
Routine Interaction: Daily, allocate time for uninhibited brainstorming. On Sundays, sift through these ideas, deciding which to pursue, archive, or discard.
5.Reference Document (Google Sheets):
Purpose: A secure repository for essential details, like account logins, phone numbers, and other key information.
Organization: Utilize different sheets or tabs for various categories (e.g., financial, utilities, personal).
Safety: If you're storing sensitive information, ensure robust security measures. If uncomfortable storing such info digitally, find a secure physical method instead.
6. Daily Journaling/Writing Document:
Purpose: More than just a Journal, it's a tool for reflection, mindfulness, and clarity.
Content: Reflect on the previous day's events, feelings, achievements, and challenges. It provides a space to vent, celebrate, and ponder.
Benefits: Journaling can offer emotional release, reducing the urge to vent to friends or family. It aids in mental decluttering, helping you process events and emotions. By archiving your thoughts, you grant yourself permission to move forward.