We’ve talked about the power of a shutdown routine, especially when dealing with the context-switching that comes with working on multiple side projects or toggling between a day job and side projects.

But lately, I’ve been hyperfocused on how I start my day. Or better said: what I do when I first sit down at my desk to work. 

It’s something I started tinkering with in the pandemic days: I developed a personal requirement to wear “hard pants” (ie: jeans) when working because otherwise, my brain would think it’s relaxation time. 

That’s why Sahil Bloom’s boot-up sequence makes so much intuitive sense to me, and it’s the one I’ve had the most success with. I like it because it quite literally makes the main lesson of Psychology 101, Classical Conditioning, work in your favor. 

In Sahil’s boot-up sequence, all five senses are activated and signaled to.

Here’s how I apply it to my mornings specifically: 

Touch: What movement/body action you engage in prior to start?

My AM non-negotiable is going outside for a walk. Usually that’s to take the kids to school but even if it’s not that, I must breathe fresh air to activate my brain and tell it it’s time for work. 

Taste: What you're drinking, chewing, or snacking on.

For me, it’s my fresh brewed cup of coffee with the perfect amount of maple syrup and milk. Stirred. 

Sight: What you see in your environment.

I’m still figuring this out, but loosely speaking, my environment is my basement office that I share with my 5-year-old’s LEGO kingdom. 

Sound: What you hear in your environment.

A few trusted Spotify playlists do this for me. I especially love the Spotify Covers Mix to kick things off. 

Smell: What you smell in your environment.

Honestly, I haven’t added this element entirely yet, I think I probably need to add a candle to the mix. 

It’s also worth experimenting with this five senses boot-up sequence not only at the start of the day but also when you start work on a particular side project. 

Interestingly, I’ve noticed I really don’t like to be in my typical home office when I work on side projects - I much prefer the kitchen table. That must be my natural way of changing sight/ environment. 

Just something to try on for size and adapt to your needs as you context switch and boot up between side projects - let me know how it goes ❤️

— Irina, Saron, and the team behind DiscoLink

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Inspired by our recent AMA with Scott Hanselman, we took a deep look at ​content strategy for creators in tech, focusing on how to build a bigger (and more invested) audience. Includes a great and totally free content calendar.

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