Have you ever wondered how to have a productive day? We’ve got you covered! Keep reading for all the productivity tips you didn’t know you needed!
Let’s face it, we often set out to have a productive day and somehow end up slightly derailed. It happens to the best of us from time to time! Did you know that there are much better ways to have a productive day that don’t include grabbing another cup of coffee to keep you going or writing out a long to-do list? Even if you aren’t the most type-A, super organized person, you will find some productivity tips that you can apply to your day-to-day routines that will help you be more productive!
If you’re looking for tips on how to have a productive day, keep reading!
12 Tips on How to Have a Productive Day
Productive Things to Do at Night
Did you know that having a productive day actually starts the night before? That’s right! What your evening routine looks like dictates how your next day will play out! Are you always thinking ahead to what tomorrow will look like? If not these productive things to do at night before bed will help you be well prepared for whatever the next day will bring!
1. Make Your Lunch
OK, this might seem simple, but most people spend money each day buying lunch or rush to prep their lunch in the morning before running out the door! By planning ahead, you will save yourself a lot of stress in the morning. I am also someone who LOVES to maximize my sleep. If you’re in the same boat, I promise preparing your lunch at night will be a game changer for your extra sleep time and overall productivity the next day!
2. Have a Bedtime Routine
Everyone knows that watching TV before bed can really mess with your sleep. Instead of staring at your phone, laptop, tablet, tv, etc., you should spend a half hour winding down. A great bedtime routine can include reviewing three of the most successful parts of your day, spending time practicing gratitude, or reading ten pages of a book before bed. You can make it your own, but by spending time unwinding each night, you are setting yourself up for a productive tomorrow!
3. Get Quality Sleep
You already know that one of the most productive things you can do at night is get to bed at a decent hour so you can get 7-1/2 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Quality sleep is dictated by how stressed you are, what you’ve eaten in the 2 hours leading up to bedtime, the noise and light around you, and of course whether or not you have alcohol or other substances in your system. I switched to a Garmin watch a couple of years ago for workout purposes and completely fell in LOVE with its body battery feature. I learned that I really do not get quality sleep at all when I have one or more glasses of alcohol. The more drinks I’ve had, the longer my body battery remains drained the next day. Talk about a productivity killer!
Productive Things to Do in the Morning
The second you roll out of bed, you should be leaning into your morning routine. No – this doesn’t include hitting snooze ten times. You should be thinking about what productive things you can do in the morning to jumpstart your day!
1. Have a Morning Routine
Just like it’s important to have a nighttime routine, it’s important to have a morning routine that set’s your day up for success. A successful morning routine looks different for everyone! You might love working out in the morning, reading, showering, relaxing with a cup of coffee, or spending time meditating. The important thing is that you spend time just with yourself as you wake up and get ready for the day in a relaxing space.
2. Don’t check your phone for the first hour of your day
As part of your morning routine, you should get in the habit of NOT checking your phone for the first hour of your day. By avoiding your phone, you are giving your mind the proper space to wake up and prep for the day without any news updates flooding your mind or seeing what better thing someone is doing on Instagram today. All of these things can subconsciously trigger stress and anxiety – which is definitely NOT how your want to start your day.
My rule of thumb is to only check the weather while I am brushing my teeth so I know what to wear for the day. Truthfully, if I wanted a more productive start to my day, I would check the weather the night before and pick out my outfit for the next day as part of my bedtime routine. No one is perfect, and there is always room for improvement!
3. Go for a Walk or Workout
One of the most productive things in the morning to kick off your day is actually going for a walk! It is crucial to get that sunshine on your face in the first hour of your day to help wake you up and get your productivity stirring! If you are someone who actually enjoys working out in the morning (y’all are crazy) then you should get that workout in – and definitely before your start looking at your phone! By pumping up your endorphins so early in the morning, you are setting yourself up to be more alert during the day, and even better, you’ve already accomplished something before the rest of your day really gets going!
4. Have a Baller Breakfast
You know the old saying ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. While I don’t swear by that by any means, breakfast is still crucial for helping your mind and body prep for the day ahead. While pancakes, bagels, and that breakfast sandwich your love are technically considered breakfast foods, try to reach for something a bit more nutritious to help break the fast you’ve been experiencing throughout the night. As part of my morning routine, I always make myself a nutrient-dense protein shake that helps wake me up and get me going for the day. You might love yogurt and fruit or avocado toast. The goal is to eat something that will fuel your body, not make you feel sluggish and stuffed.
How to Have a Productive Day at Work
Whether you work in an office setting or at home, you are bound to be interrupted and distracted. To maximize your productivity in the office or at home, you are going to need to set some boundaries.
1. Don’t check emails every time you have a notification
As someone who always has to clear their notifications – it pains me to avoid my email during the workday! If you’re looking to be more productive at work, you must let those email notifications sit. Every time you interrupt your work time for emails, you are getting out of the flow. It’s important to be in the flow with whatever task you are doing to make sure they are done smoothly and most importantly, done without mistakes. The more distractions you have, the more likely you are to make a mistake.
A good rule of thumb is to set 30-minute time intervals. Spend 25 minutes in the zone, working without distraction and then spend 5 minutes answering emails. Then move into another task for the next half-hour interval!
2. Flip your Phone Over
If you are anything like me, you probably find it easy to be distracted by Facebook, Instagram, text messages, and email notifications. While the world outside of your office is great and all, if you want to be productive at work, you must get into the flow (as mentioned in point number 1)!
Thankfully it is easy enough to just flip your phone over so that you aren’t seeing the screen light up each time. By doing this, you also have to consciously think about looking for entertainment on your phone as opposed to mindlessly opening apps, looking for something more stimulating than your task at hand. If you find yourself still struggling with your phone flipped over, put it in your drawer. You’ll forget it’s even there within 5 minutes and be focused on the task at hand!
3. Go for a walk
OK remember that 30-minute work rule? Instead of spending your 5 minutes of free time on emails, head to the bathroom, grab some water, or just walk around the office. By changing your environment, you are clearing your mind of the previous task. You’ll sit back down at your desk feeling refreshed and ready to accomplish the next task! Having a productive day at work doesn’t have to be so hard! Just remember to take breaks!
4. Make a Task List
In my opinion, there are two ways to be the most productive at work or at home. Both variations start with you making a list of everything that you wish to accomplish for the day. Now here is where the options vary. One of the most common methods to achieving everything on your task list is to start with the most important items first. While this ensures that you will hit the most important tasks for the day, it means that it can take you a while to knock them out.
Another way is to organize your task list by the amount of time the task will take you. You can allot smaller tasks into breaks between meetings and larger tasks into bigger blocks of time in your schedule. You can also do the things on your to-do list that will take the least amount of time first before moving into the more time-consuming ones. This way you will experience a sense of achievement much faster as you knock out the quick ones and you don’t feel bogged down over the bigger and more daunting tasks.
5. Organize your Workspace!
Most people do not work well in chaos. It’s best to make sure that your area is tidy and that you actually have space to lay out your paperwork and other things that you may need as you go about your day. If you have piles of paperwork, organize it and put things away! You will feel so much better without all of the clutter surrounding you. I promise even your mind will feel more at ease and ready to be productive!
This post was all about how to have a productive day and maximize your energy on the things that matter most to you!
Being productive at home or at work doesn’t have to be so hard! I hope you take the tips above on how to have a productive day and apply them to your daily routine. Maybe start small – no one said you had to change overnight! Creating new habits over time will help increase your productivity very fast! As always, let me know your favorite productivity tips – I am always looking for ways to be more productive too!
