Having a career in the arts can be very alluring for folks who want to live life on their own terms, to develop their creative voice and use it to move people, inspire, challenge and entertain them. As an actor, or anyone in the business for that matter, that’s the dream. However, when you don’t have a consistent 9-5, organizing your life around making those dreams a reality can become overwhelming and even paralyzing. It’s a time management issue, but it’s also an issue of having a million different ways to spend your days and too many options isn’t always a good thing. You might not know what the next right step to take is. Sometimes that means not taking any steps at all and then you realize a month or six has gone by without any real forward movement. Ick. The reality is that there are a lot of things that are out of your control in this business. You can either let that fact send you into a tail-spin dive or into manic over-drive or you can take this challenge that I’m throwing down.
On the Right Foot
This challenge is all about getting you going on the right foot to set the rest of your day on an inspired track with a focused mind and an alert body. Not having a consistent schedule can mean you’re super productive one day and a total couch potato the next. Developing a habit on how you start your day can give you that consistency even when the rest of your day is always up in the air. Of course, there are a lot of strategies you can use to become the most disciplined, scheduled, planned-out version of yourself (and more power to you if you can make that work). However, if you’re anything like me…that ain’t never gonna happen. This isn’t about your whole day or your whole life getting organized, but when you get yourself going first thing, it will definitely set you up for a much more fulfilling day.
15 Minutes, 21 Days
In 1960, a cosmetic surgeon named Maxwell Maltz noticed that his patients would become accustomed to their “work” consistently after the 21 day mark. He concluded that focusing on any new habit consistently for 15 minutes a day for at least 21 days would make it become an automatic, habitual behavior. Newer studies suggest that it could take as short as 18 days or as long as 254, but let’s just stick with Maltz for now.
Starting tomorrow morning, set your alarm for a consistent wake-up time that will allow you these 15 minutes. If you have nowhere to be, set it for your normal rise and shine time. If you have an early audition or appointment (or call time!), adjust so you can make this happen. Program your alarm to have a 5 minute snooze alarm.
Minutes 1-5. Get your mind right. Turn off your alarm and sit up in bed. You’re still sleepy, but sit there for the next 5 minutes. Keep your eyes closed and breathe. Get centered. Visualize your day. Say your mantra. Think of your “why” (why you’re inspired to have a productive day working toward your goals). This is your time for yourself to just ‘be’ before the day gets going. *And… there’s that snooze alarm.*
Minute 6. Quick stretch. Do a couple of sun salutations and whatever stretches you like to wake up your body.
Minute 7. Quickest workout ever. 5 push ups. 5 squats. 5 jumping jacks. You probably have time left over. Wasn’t that easy?
Minute 8. Water. (Best to have it next to your bed before you go to sleep.) Drink up. Now your first glass of eight is already down the hatch! Yay for clearer skin and a flushed healthy system!
Minute 9. Make your bed. I saw a video of Navy Seal, Naval Admiral William McRaven giving a commencement speech in which he said, “If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.” I’m going to go ahead and second him on that. Sir.
Minute 10. Vocal/Face Warm-up. If you’re an actor, you have probably learned a quick warm-up by now but if you haven’t or aren’t an actor, try this.
- Take a deep breath into your belly. Let out an “Ahh…” Do this 3x. (Sorry roommates.)
- Flutter your lips like a horse and stretch them out with your fingers.
- Stretch your face as big as possible and squeeze it as tight as possible (this is often known as “Lion and Mouse”), 3x.
- Yawn to stretch your throat.
- Say “Red Leather, Yellow Leather” 3x.
- Say “Buh, Duh, Guh” 3x and “Puh, Tuh, Kuh” 3x.
Minute 11-15. Writing assignment. Take this time to plot out your day.
- Write down the top 3 things you want to accomplish by end of day.
- Write down 1 thing you’re grateful for. When we have gratitude in our hearts, life opens up to bigger possibilities and fear is diminished.
And You’re Off…
…to the races, to a good start, to get your coffee. Whatever you choose to do with your day after the challenge is totally up to you, but my guess is that you’ll surprise yourself with the momentum you’ve just created for yourself. After the 21 days is up, see what sticks (and let me know in the comments below what worked for you!). You may or may not want to stick with every part of the challenge once you’re done, but even if you start your day with just one or two of these new habits, you’re not only kick-starting your day, you’re kick-starting your life. Now go set your alarm!