How communicators fill the first hour of their day

Some bravely plow through their email and pounce on opportunities from HARO, while still others let the inbox wait while they tick off to-do items. Some even pray.

We asked communicators to let us know how they start their best workdays and what they accomplish in the first hour. No surprise: there are plenty of ideas about how to launch the ideal day.

We were inspired by an article in Fast Company, which cited a Mark Twain saying that if you eat a live frog first thing in the morning, you’ve got the worst thing behind you for the rest of the day.

Apart from devouring amphibians, here are some ideas:

Skip email. Make a list

David M. Burrows, vice president of corporate marketing and public relations at Cinsay Inc., starts at 8 a.m. when the office is empty, and makes a to-do list with deadlines, noting who is involved. He also likes to close his door, plug in an iTunes station, and brainstorm about what he needs to accomplish. He had the offices painted with IdeaPaint so everyone can write on the walls.