Busy all day but not sure what you're doing? The problem may lie in how you use the first hour of your day. Before starting work, thinking clearly about the most important tasks of the day is more effective than diving straight into work. What do you do in the first hour of work? Drink tea, chat, browse news websites? Actually, the first hour is very important! The following 8 things are not complicated; completing them in one hour can boost your efficiency and mood for the whole day. 1|Spend some time thinking Step back and think deeply to see the bigger picture. You could start handling various tasks as soon as you arrive at the office, but a better approach is to first think about larger goals and confirm your direction before diving into work. 2|Check your to-do list and schedule Quickly scan your to-do list and calendar to know what's on for the day. If you miss a meeting or fail to complete something on time, it could cause significant stress and ruin your entire day's mood. 3|Glance at your emails "Some say it's best not to check email in the morning, as it can make your work reactive." But think about it—who can resist opening their inbox in the morning? The trick is to just glance at the subject lines, note any important matters, and ignore the rest for now. 4|Identify the most important and difficult task, and make a plan Everyone seems busy, but we all know that truly important things are few. Find the most important task for you, spend 3-5 minutes breaking it down into steps, and estimate time for each step. Then it won't seem so daunting. 5|Write down things that need thinking If you can't write it clearly, you can't think clearly; if you can't think clearly, you can't speak clearly, and you certainly can't act clearly. Research shows that willpower peaks in the morning, especially after breakfast, so it's worth spending 10-15 minutes writing down what you need to think about. 6|Don't resolve interpersonal conflicts Timing is everything. If you need to resolve a conflict with a colleague, don't make it the first thing you handle. Because "when your colleagues first arrive, their emotions may be tense, even overwhelmed," so it's best to wait a few hours until they relax. The best time to handle interpersonal conflicts is during lunch. 7|Don't schedule meetings Use your peak energy time for project work, and schedule meetings during lower-energy periods. For most people, that's the afternoon. 8|Relax, just relax Before drawing a bow to shoot an arrow, the string is loose. Spend the last 5 minutes of this hour relaxing: take a few deep breaths, slow down your heart rate and muscles. If you've watched track and field, you know what athletes do before the starting gun. Long press the QR code below, follow, and reply with number 1 to browse related articles by category.