Training Practice for Futurists

I’ve listened to a politician recently detailing his morning media diet of newsletters, clippings, etc. It helps him feel prepared for the day (“getting in front of the wave”). 

It made me wonder: as a futurist/futures researcher, what could my morning routine be like to prepare me for the day?

• Thinking through my meetings and working sessions and preparing whatever I can, which would mostly be writing notes?
• Reading trend stuff on the topics, I’m currently working on?
• Doing a theory session to advance the methods and approaches I plan to use throughout the day?
• Doing a classic brain dump/Morning Pages kind of session to empty my brain and make space for fresh thinking?
• Go for a run or a workout because it helps most with energy and focus?

This train of thought connects to a similar one, which has been on my mind recently, prompted by this quote:

What is it you do to train that is comparable to a pianist practicing scales?

Tyler Cowen

The bigger question I feel lurking behind these Ferriss-esque questions about my morning routine is what I need to do my work and get better at it. 

• A broader horizon?
• An excellent toolbox of methods?
• A critical mindset?
• A fine-tuned set of scanning sources?
• …

Obviously, it’s all of the above which triggers the idea to use different days of the week to focus on each aspect.

Andy Matuschak has some interesting notes about deliberate practice for knowledge work or more like the lack of it.