I have a set schedule of things I want to do, and I do my best to hold to that schedule. For example, every morning, while waiting for my coffee to brew, I sit outside (as long as the weather cooperates) and read through some reference materials. Currently, I have what’s called an “Intellectual Devotional,” a book which has, for each day of the year, a short history lesson, in all manners of disciplines (this morning I learned a bit about Alexander the Great’s rise to Power. The reason I do this isn’t is because it’s said that our minds are most open to accumulating knowledge shortly after we wake up. I figure that means if I read these materials in the morning, I’m more likely to hold onto the knowledge.
Something I recently added to the morning regimen are the “Famous Quotes” on gotfreecards.com. Every morning, after I’m done with the day’s history lesson, I go to gotfreecards.com, click on “Famous Quotes” at the top of the page, and I’m taken to a daily-indexed page of great things that have been said by great people throughout history. If one particularly strikes me, I write it down in a small notebook I carry around. There are new entries added nearly every day, and, looking to the left of the page, you’ll see you can even search based on author or subject. You should give it a try, because a little knowledge can go a long way.