Find More Time in Your Life – Take “The Morning Test" ©

Dawn and the girls were in bed. I was tired. I had a long day at work. It was almost 10:00p.m. and I was headed for the couch. I needed to watch TV. I had to "relax" before bedtime. I deserved it.

And then the next morning I woke up tired. I was so tired that I was already thinking about going to bed that night. It was obvious that I needed more sleep. Yet every night I "needed" to relax on the couch. I lived this stay-up-late, wake-up-tired cycle for too long. I never fully admitted the obvious connection between my choices at night and how I felt in the morning. That is until I took what I call, "The Morning Test."

Here's how The Morning Test works. Every night for one week write down everything that you do at night. Jot down what you eat for snacks, the TV shows you watch, the radio programs you listen to, the email you read, the sites you surf, and whatever else you do.

Then immediately after waking up the next morning - and this is important - think about what you did the night before. Think about everything you did that still makes you happy, and what you think was a waste of time. Write it all down.

Do this for one week and see which activities are meaningful to you, and which ones you do by force of habit. Here's your opportunity: Replace some of your less helpful habits with activities that are gratifying to you.

Why is this important? Because we're always wishing we had more time to do more of what we care about. This exercise helps us to make sure that what we do at night serves us well the next day, and helps us achieve the important goals in our life.

Most of us are afraid of changing our habits, especially those at nighttime. We feel powerful emotions that we "deserve" to watch TV, or that we've earned the right to just "veg out." We think we'll feel cheated the next day if we don't indulge ourselves.

I asked Positive Psychology researcher Ed Diener from the University of Illinois about the staying power of emotions overnight. Diener told me that his research shows that 95% of our emotions experienced before bedtime dissipate by the morning. When we take The Morning Test we realize that the emotional charge we felt to do something at night is mostly gone when we wake up. It's as though most all of our emotions are reset each morning.

The Morning Test helps jump start change in our lives. Psychology researcher James Prochaska discovered that there are six distinct processes that people must go through in order to lastingly change a behavior. The first two stages relate to becoming aware of the need to change, the third addresses the preparation needed for change, the fourth is making the change itself, and the last two involve change maintenance.

The Morning Test helps you move through these stages. You become aware of the change you need to make. You set a plan to change. You make the change. You reinforce the change by taking The Morning Test each day. And as a result, you are reminded of your progress, thereby increasing the likelihood that you will stick to your plan.

So if you're headed for the couch tonight with a remote control in one hand and a dessert in the other, take The Morning Test when you wake up tomorrow. It could lead to an important and lasting change in your life.

David J. Pollay is an internationally sought after speaker and teacher, a syndicated columnist, and is the founder and president of The Momentum Project. Mr. Pollay holds a Master's Degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, and an Economics Degree from Yale University. Email him your thoughts and stories at david@themomentumproject.com.