Rise and Shine - Personal Development While Camp Is Running from Marc Cooper

Try out the 20.20.20 Hour of Power this summer

Let me set the scene. It’s summer. Breakfast is at 8:30 am. Your alarm goes off at 8:00 am. You feel tired. You hit the snooze button. Your alarm goes off at 8:10 am. You still feel tired. You hit the snooze button again. Your alarm goes off at 8:20 am. You go into what is known as the OMG, WTF Panic Mode and frantically grab a swish of mouthwash as you run out your cabin door and try to make it to breakfast before the rest of the team.

Enroute to breakfast you realize you left your notebook, pen, walkie talkie, keys and nametag in your cabin so you make a u-turn and race back to your cabin. It’s now 8:27am. Fortunately, you see one of your leaders and tell them to start flagpole and breakfast. You make it to the dining hall for 8:31am. The next morning, and almost every morning following that, involves a similar routine of OMG, WTF Panic Mode and a swish of mouthwash being spit out on main path.

And your day has just begun.

But there is good news camp folks. Your mornings can be calm and refreshing. It’s true and it’s simple. Set your alarm for at least 1 hour before breakfast.

Yes, you read that correctly, at least 1 hour before breakfast.

You are about to rise and shine with the HOUR OF POWER. In order to start your day off better and own your morning, you need to wake a bit earlier. It’ll be hard at first and that is why I suggest trying this prior to the start of camp but once you’re in a routine, you’re going to love this extra time and you’ll notice that you are more productive, healthy and happy throughout the day.

Let me set the new scene for you. Breakfast is at 8:30am Your alarm goes off at 7:00am. You feel tired but you immediately get out of bed. No snoozing. You put on your shoes and go for a 20 minute walk. No tech. No noise. Just you and nature. You breathe in the fresh air and stay present in the moment. You return to your cabin at 7:25am and grab your journal and pen. You take 20 minutes and put pen to paper and write what you’re grateful for, what you’re looking forward to that day and anything else that comes to mind. It’s now 7:45 am and you have 20 minutes to read your new book. Perhaps it’s fiction or maybe it’s the latest book on leadership. Regardless, you have set out 20 minutes of uninterrupted reading time. It’s now 8:05am and you have time to properly brush your teeth, grab your walkie talkie, keys and nametag and head to the dining hall to greet the campers and staff.

You feel great. You feel refreshed. The next morning you do it all over again.

The key to success is starting your morning off right. Give it a try and create your 20.20.20 hour of power and rise and shine this summer.

The Rise and Shine Review:

Set your alarm for at least 1 hour before breakfast.

20 minutes of exercise

20 minutes of journaling

20 minutes of reading.

Repeat.