In culinary kitchens around the world, you'll find chefs everywhere live and die by the three principles of Mise En Place: Preparation, Process & Presence.
Preparation helps me to feel like I've got things under control (even if I don't) and that I'm bringing my best to everything that I do.
Here are a few ways I use preparation to build presence:
- Check my upcoming calendar. As part of my weekly review I do a sweep of my upcoming calendar. This week, next week and this month. I look at everything going on and ask myself is there anything I need to start preparing. This stops any freaking out the day before something big is due.
- Plan my day the night before. I endeavor to close down my days by planning what I'll do the next day. I do the same each week by planning my upcoming week on a Friday afternoon. I find I can enjoy evenings and weekends so much more when I do it.
- Keep A Tickler File. In GTD methodology if something is due on a certain day you put it in a tickler file that reminds you on that day. I keep a digital tickler in my notion where I can put things and then forget about them until I need to think about them.
- Triage & Process. I keep a triage area in my Notion filled with ideas, essays, tasks, etc. I throw it in there to get it out of my head, knowing I'll come back to it sometime in the week and triage everything into where it needs to go.
Having these preparation strategies means everything is out of my head and I have the space to be fully focused in the present.
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