Skoach Mobile

We’re getting tons of questions about PDA and cell-phone compatibility.  “Can I get Skoach on my phone?”, “Does Skoach sync with iPhones?”, etc…

Like its full-feature parent-application, Skoach Mobile is also web-based.  No need to “sync”, nothing to download, and nothing to install.

And Skoach Mobile is supported by most mobile internet browsers.  So whether it’s an iPhone, Blackberry, SmartPhone – just about anything with an internet connection – you’re never more than a click away from Skoach!  Stay tuned…

Improve Your Morning Routine

The way we start our day often sets the tone for the whole day. When we head out from our house running late, we tend to feel high levels of stress and anxiety. Arriving late for work, we have no time to think about our day and our priorities. Instead, we dive into work in a reactive mode, feeling defensive and apologetic instead of focused and ready to have a productive day.

If rushing and lateness are the typical start of your work day, here are some steps to turn that pattern on its head so that you begin your work day on time and on task.

The importance of building routines into your daily schedule

The benefit of an established routine is that it requires little planning, thought or working memory. By virtue of the fact that it’s “routine”, you can go through the steps almost automatically and with consistency. Not needing to think about what’s next is especially important in the morning when many of us are still in “brain fog” mode.

Building a Good Morning Routine

To develop a routine, spend a little time thinking about the most natural and efficient order in which actions should be taken. Then, record your routine in a prominent place where you will be reminded. If your routine should begin at a specific time, it is helpful to program your watch or clock alert you five minutes before your routine is to begin. Keep a chart of your progress to reinforce your daily practice.  And, when you get off track due to unusual circumstances – illness, travel, house-guests, etc. – set a specific day on which you’ll resume your routine.

The key to starting your day well begins the night before. Take care of as many items as possible during your bedtime routine so that your morning routine can be as simple and streamlined as possible. In the evening, be sure to gather all items you’ll need to take with you in the AM and lay out what you’ll wear.  To be extra-streamlined, prepare your coffee pot and set the timer; make your lunch and place in the refrigerator.

Morning Routine at Home

1. Set alarm for at least 1 hour before departure time.
2. Shower, dress, and do personal grooming.
3. Get yourself ready for work before focusing on helping the kids get ready.
4. Eat breakfast and brush teeth.
5. No TV for kids or parents until all preparations are done.
6. Consider “grab ‘n go” breakfasts for kids (teens) that tend to rise late.
7. Leave 15 minutes before you need to – to allow time for traffic tie ups or gassing-up the car.
8. Leave 30 minutes early if you need to run errands on the way to work.

Morning Routine at Work

1. Plan to arrive at LEAST 15 minutes before you are required to arrive.
2. Do NOT check your email first thing.
3. Spend the first 15 minute reviewing your day, setting priorities, and planning your schedule
4. Then start your day feeling focused and energetic!

Bedtime and Morning Routines for Early Birds

If you are a natural early bird, you may want to modify the times of your bedtime and morning routines to go to bed ½ hour earlier and rise ½ hour earlier to allow time for exercise in the morning.

Morning exercise is an excellent way to energize your body and turn on your brain – ready to have a productive day.

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Skoach – ADD-friendly Time Management Software – allows you to create and build routines and record them on your daily schedule to reinforce the development of routines.

Improve Your Evening Routine

One of the keys to successful daily life management is to build routines into your daily life. A routine is a regular sequence of actions that you repeat each day at the same time. Creating a routine helps to build a habit.  Habits require less thought, memory and planning.  They occur naturally and easily because they a part of your daily routine.

The three routines that we strongly encourage are:

Evening Routine (preparation for a good night’s sleep)

Morning Routine (preparation for your day)

Daily planning session (daily review of your tasks, schedule and goals)

In future articles, we’ll talk more about routines.  Today, we’re going to focus on your evening routine.

Evening Routine

Your evening routine is a sequence of small tasks that prepare you for a good night’s sleep and for the day ahead. Create your evening routine as a task with a checklist.  It might look something like this:

Evening Routine – 1 hour 20 m. (This routine should begin no later than 9:40 PM)

1. Gather all items you’ll need tomorrow and place them where you’ll see them as you leave for work or school in the morning.  - 10 m.
2. Make lunch for tomorrow - 5 m.
3. Tidy kitchen and living areas – 10 m.
4. Lay out clothes to wear in morning - 5 m.
5. Take shower – 10 m.
6. Brush teeth – 5 m.
7. Prepare for bed – 5 m.
8. Read for ½ hour - 30 m.
9. Light out – 11 PM

There are three important “rules” for a good evening routine:

1. Do advance preparation for tomorrow so that you’re prepared to be productive.
2. No “screen time” (TV or computer) for one hour before lights out (to promote good sleep habits).
3. Lights out early enough for adequate sleep (7 hours, minimally).

Remember:  If you want to have a good day tomorrow, start with a good evening routine tonight!