If you want to have a more productive day (and who doesn’t?!), take a look at the tips below. Don’t worry about implementing all of them at once. Pick and choose one or two to try and see how they work for you. Then try one or two more!
1 – get up early (or earlier than when you are getting up now). Starting the day YOUR way, with morning routines that help you focus on what you want and need to do first, helps you be more productive all day long. One important tip for getting up earlier — do not hit that snooze button! Put your phone or alarm far enough away from the bed so that you have to get up and turn it off. Read one of my new favorite books The Five Second Rule by Mel Robbins for more about how to “launch” yourself out of bed (5-4-3-2-1) and get on about your day.
2 – even if you have planned your regular workout for later in the day, do something that gets you moving in the morning. It might be as simple as the 7-Minute workout, it might be yoga poses, it might be running. Whatever works for you.
3 – do you want to try one tip that will save you tons of time, improve your health and help you lose weight? Try intermittent fasting. Despite all the hype we have heard for years about breakfast being the most important meal of the day, IT IS NOT TRUE! Read this article (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting#section4) for more about the scientific evidence behind intermittent fasting. To get your best work done, skip breakfast. You will have better focus and mental energy. Just try it and see for yourself! For more about how I got started with intermittent fasting, read my post HERE.
4 – develop a morning routine that works for you and gets your day started on the right note. Read my post about creating a morning routine here. Some of the tips below are perfect for a morning routine.
5 – if you can get outside for some fresh air and sunshine, do that along with any of these tips. Benefits of morning sunshine include: production of vitamin D (important for protecting against inflammation, lowering blood pressure, improving brain function, better vision and bone health), improving your mental outlook, and helping you get better sleep at night.
6 – spend some quiet time with God. Do some Bible study, read a devotional book, write morning pages or in a journal, pray, meditate. Spend some time where you not only share YOUR thoughts with God, but you are also LISTENING for what God might be saying to you.
7 – read something that inspires you or motivates you! Some of my recent favorite books include: Deep Work, Girl, Wash Your Face, Girl, Stop Apologizing, You Are a Badass, You Are a Badass Every Day, The 5 Second Rule, Atomic Habits, High-Performance Habits, Practical Perfection, and
The Slight Edge.
8 – write in a journal or write morning pages. Just write whatever comes to mind and work through your thoughts by writing about them. This is almost like therapy!
9 – listen to music or listen to a podcast — whatever makes you happy and makes you feel inspired for your day.
10 – make a quick list of five things for which you are grateful. Or you could try using Rachel Hollis’ Start Today journal, which has you list five things right at the beginning. Another good option is the 5 Minute Journal which does the same.
11 – say a mantra or affirmation:
I’ve got this
I am a badass
I can do whatever I want to do
Today is going to be awesome
Whatever works for you. Choose one and repeat it to yourself several times a day. Set it as an hourly reminder on your phone.
12 – check your bank balance & weigh yourself. I saw these tips on a list somewhere but can’t remember where I saw it. However, I started doing this and it somehow helps me focus on two areas that I want to control! Yes, I know that both can be depressing, but just being aware of those measures keeps them uppermost in your mind.
13 – send love into the world by checking in with someone you love. Even just a text message reminding them that you are thinking of them and that you love them is helpful for both of you!
14 – review your NOT TO DO list. I learned about this tip in Craig Ballentyne’s book The Perfect Day Formula. Basically, it’s a list of some things that you know are not good for you or don’t serve your purpose. For instance: I do not hit the snooze button. I do not check email before starting my important work for the day. I do not drink coffee past 12 noon. These “not to do’s” help remind you of the good habits that you are incorporating in your life, but do so in a way that gets your brain’s attention.
15 – read your list of goals every single day. Bonus points for reading them twice a day! Just reading your goals keeps them uppermost in your mind and helps keep you moving forward to reach those goals. To keep them in mind all day long, set them as reminder notifications on your phone.
16 – if you have made a vision board, spend a few minutes every day looking at the images.
17 – get ready for your day. Don’t stay in pajamas all day if you work at home or if you’re a stay-at-home mom. While there are days when staying in pajamas or yoga pants is a good idea, those are days when you are lounging at home with your family. But you’re not lounging on a regular working day. The way you dress sets the tone for your day, so dress as if you are ready to get stuff done!
18 – set up a “workspace” for you. You may not have space for a separate office area, but try to create even a small area where you focus on your work. Your bedroom and your kitchen might not be the best places! Try to have space where you keep any supplies you need (laptop, office supplies, books) so that this area encourages you to focus on the work. Keep your workspace as neat and tidy as possible! That helps keep your mind clear and focused on your work.
19 – plan your day (and week) in advance. I spend time every weekend planning out my week ahead. See more about how I do that HERE. Then, every evening, I look at my plans for the next day and rearrange if needed. This helps me to wake up and get started without having to do a lot of thinking about what I’m going to do today. I already know what I’m going to get done! For some people, making a daily list in the morning works better. Try it both ways and see which one works better for you!
20 – when planning your day or week, OVERestimate the time involved. One problem I have is trying to stuff too many tasks into a day and scheduling myself like an airport runway. Think about realistic time frames and give yourself some extra time. When you find yourself with an extra few minutes, you can always fit in some 5-minute tasks. Read more about that HERE.
21 – plan “buffer time”. There will be interruptions. There will be tasks that take longer than you are expecting. Similar to the tip above, give yourself some breathing room in your schedule. This will lower your stress immensely!
22 – when you are working on most any task, it helps to turn off notifications on your phone, gather whatever supplies or tools you need for the task, and set a timer. Somehow, feeling “prepared” for the task and set a timer so that I know when to stop helps me to fully focus on the task and get it done. You can always check your phone when the timer goes off!
23 – you may have heard the term “eat the frog”. Brian Tracy, time management & productivity expert wrote a great book Eat That Frog! about getting things done by “eating your frog” first. What is the most important task that you need to do? What is your most disliked task that you need to do? Do that task first and the rest of your day will fall into line. Nothing seems “un-doable” after eating your frog!
24 – develop an evening routine that works for you. Read my post HERE. Preparation for your next productive day actually begins the night before, with your wind-down routine. Set your next day up for success!
Remember that you do not have to use all of these tips. Choose one or two that sound like good tips for you to try and just get started. Change, modify or drop if needed and choose something else to try. I would love to hear from you if you try these tips or if you have other tips to suggest!