15 Ways to Improve Sequencing

I used to wake up and let the day happen to me. That path led me straight into a cycle of gaming, overeating, and feeling completely lost.

It’s a terrible feeling isn’t it? To end your day wondering where all the time went. You had good intentions. You wanted to eat healthy, get some work done, or maybe just read a book. But somehow, one small distraction led to another, and the day just slipped away. I know that feeling all too well. For years, my days were a messy reaction to whatever impulse hit me first.

The secret to changing my life wasn't finding some magic bullet of motivation. It was learning how to improve my sequencing.

Sequencing is just a simple way of saying you put things in the right order. It’s about creating a flow for your day that makes good choices easier and bad choices harder. When you get the sequence right, you build momentum. One good action naturally leads to the next. You stop fighting yourself and start working with yourself.

It’s the difference between a controlled demolition and a chaotic explosion. Both bring a building down, but one is intentional, effective, and safe. The other is just a mess. Let’s get intentional.

15 Ways to Take Back Your Day

Here are some practical ways I’ve learned to build better sequences in my own life. These aren't complicated theories. They are simple actions that helped me lose over 110 pounds, build a productive work routine, and feel more in control of my life than ever before.

1. Start Your Day with Intention. The first 30 minutes set the tone for the next 16 hours. I used to roll over and grab my phone. Now, my sequence is simple: wake up, say a short prayer of thanks, and drink a full glass of water. This tiny sequence tells my brain we’re in control today, not our impulses.

2. Plan Tomorrow Tonight. Take just five minutes before you go to bed to write down your top three priorities for the next day. This simple act removes morning confusion. You wake up with a plan, not a panic. The sequence is already set.

3. Do the Hardest Thing First. Get your most important task done early. When you do, the rest of the day feels lighter. You build a huge wave of momentum that carries you through smaller tasks. Procrastination is just a bad sequence of doing easy things first.

4. Stack Your Habits. Link a new habit you want to build onto an old one you already have. Want to read more? Sequence it right after you finish your morning coffee. The old habit becomes a trigger for the new one.

5. Prepare Your Environment. Your space dictates your actions. If you want to eat healthier, sequence your meal prep. Put healthy snacks at the front of the fridge. If you want to work without distraction, put your phone in another room before you sit down. Prepare your world to help you succeed.

6. Create Bookends for Your Work. Have a clear start and end ritual for your work sessions. My "start work" sequence is closing all unnecessary tabs and opening my to-do list. My "end work" sequence is reviewing what I did and planning the next session. This creates a clear boundary between work and rest.

7. Sequence Your Energy, Not Just Your Time. Pay attention to when you feel most alert. Schedule your deep, focused work for those high-energy windows. Save low-energy tasks like answering emails for when you feel a slump. Work with your body’s natural rhythm.

8. Batch Similar Tasks. Don’t answer emails every ten minutes. Set aside two specific times a day to handle them all at once. Grouping similar tasks is efficient. It keeps you from constantly switching gears and breaking your focus.

9. Build in Deliberate Breaks. Rest is not lazy. It is essential. Sequence short breaks into your day. Work for a focused period, then get up, stretch, and step away from the screen. A good work sequence must include a good rest sequence.

10. Use a "Launch Sequence" for Big Goals. Starting something new is hard. Create a tiny, 3-step sequence to get you started. For a workout, it could be: 1. Put on workout clothes. 2. Fill water bottle. 3. Walk out the door. Don't think about the whole workout, just the launch sequence.

11. Anchor Yourself in Faith. For me as an Orthodox Christian, the ultimate sequence is rooted in my faith. Starting the day with morning prayers and ending it with evening prayers frames my entire existence. It reminds me that my time is a gift and that I am not alone in my struggles. It’s the first and last thing I do.

12. Celebrate Small Wins. When you complete a task, take a moment to acknowledge it. This isn't about throwing a party. It’s a simple mental checkmark. This small act of recognition sequences a feeling of accomplishment, making you more likely to tackle the next thing.

13. Hydrate First. Before you reach for a snack or another coffee, drink a glass of water. Often, we are just dehydrated. Sequencing water first helps you make better choices about what you consume next. It’s a simple rule that has a massive impact.

14. One Thing at a Time. Multitasking is a myth. It’s just switching between tasks poorly. The best sequence is a single file line. Focus on one task until it is done, then move to the next. You will do better work and feel less stressed.

15. End Your Day with Gratitude. Don’t just let your day fade away into screen time. My final sequence is to turn off electronics and reflect on three things I am grateful for. This changes my perspective from what went wrong to what went right. It sets the stage for a more peaceful sleep and a better start tomorrow.

Changing your life doesn’t have to feel like a monumental battle. It can be a quiet, deliberate process of putting one good thing after another. You are the director of your day. You get to decide the order of the scenes.

So I’ll leave you with this: What is the one small action you can put first in your sequence tomorrow morning to make the day a little bit better?