I recently read the book Make your bed by William H. McRaven. It's a just ok read, but the subtitle intrigued me:

"little things that can change your life"

The basic idea is that even the smallest things you do early on can trigger a chain reaction that will determine the rest of your day.

It resonated with me. This might sound familiar to you as well:

A lazy and unproductive day starts the night before, going to bed a bit later than usual. I'll get up a bit later and will be a bit more tired. Less time and less energy mean fewer things getting done. It's around noon when I realize I haven't done much, and usually give up my whole day by then. "It's already too late and I'm tired, I better leave this for tomorrow".

A productive day, on the other hand, starts by going to bed at a decent time, getting up early, and trying to accomplish something before the sun is out. Writing, going for a walk / run, or getting out to photograph are essential in my morning routine.

The day won't seem so overwhelming when it's still 8 or 9 in the morning and you've already accomplished something, even if they are small things.

And yes, I make my bed too.