I'm definitely a morning person. I've realized how much I can actually get done first things in the morning, between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. That, for me, is the sweet spot. I honestly get more done in those two hours than I often do the rest（其余的） of the day. I've developed a habit that helps me be productive（效率）, and it includes what I call the law（定律） of first things. This same law is followed by people far more productive than I am, including Bill Gates, Howard Schultz and Jeff Bezos.
Essentially, the law of first things says that whatever you do when you first get up in the morning influences your productivity for the rest of the day. For many of the most productive people, that first thing is often not work. And it shouldn't be for you either.
Let's consider the morning habits of these highly productive people. Bill Gates says he starts his day on the treadmill（跑步机）, watching educational DVDs. Howard Schultz likes to get up early to exercise, often cycling, before getting started with work. Jeff Bezos, famously, prefers to not have business meetings until around 10 a.m., instead, he makes time for other things at home first.
Most of us get out of bed, pick up our phone and immediately start reading emails or our news feeds. That means that from the moment we wake up, we're already responding（回应）to the outside world instead of creating space for ourselves to allow our bodies and our minds to practice.
That space matters, and whatever you do first sets the direction you go throughout your day. If that thing is responding to an email from someone who feels it is important, you may never get back to the important things you need to do. You should start your day with something other than work. You might end up surprised by how much you get done.
