5 Steps To Make Your Morning More Productive
There are two kinds of people in this world. Morning people and everyone else.
If you're like me you fall into the latter category. I love mornings, but only if I just pulled an all-nighter (college-style!) and am all hyped up on Dr. Pepper and junk food.
What I don't like is having to actually wake up in the morning. I'd much rather stay up late and sleep in, but that's a luxury not typically afforded to small biz owners.
So I spent many, many mornings waking up, drowning myself in Dr. Pepper, trying to schedule any and all meetings for the afternoons, and sitting around with my eyes half open while I attempted to start my work day.
It was exhausting, and definitely NOT productive. But it doesn't have to be that way. Whether you're a morning person, a night owl like me, or a fun mix of both depending on the day, there are 5 easy things you can do to get your morning off to the right start, that will inevitably make your work day a more productive one.
Step 1: Eliminate technology.
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty attached to my phone, and I think most of its battery life gets used up on checking emails and Instagram. It sleeps right beside my bed on its comfy charger, and I'm usually checking it before my eyes have even completely opened.
That has to stop.
I'm SO guilty of it, but if you want a stress-free morning that will lead to a productive day, you have to stop letting technology start your morning. Don't let yourself panic over emails, roll your eyes at something on Facebook, or get yourself into the downward spiral that is Instagram before your feet have even hit the floor.
This goes for the internet too. Don't get out of bed and head straight for your computer. Give yourself the time and patience that your mind and body deserve. Those emails will still be there in an hour or two.
Step 2: Stretch.
Stretching is your way of telling your muscles that it's time to wake up. This is a great way to wake your body up, work out all the kinks from your night's sleep, and keep your muscles limber.
Consider taking your stretching a little further than just reaching your arms over your head. Make a full routine out of stretches or even take some time for a small yoga or pilates session.
Giving yourself time to breathe and relax your mind while giving your body the time it needs to wake up is going to leave you more refreshed, which will help you to feel like you can conquer the day later on.
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Step 3: Make a routine.
Don't just wake up and do whatever feels right at the time. That's a guaranteed way to end up getting distracted.
Create a relaxed routine that you get in a habit of following. Give yourself ample time to wake your body and mind up, go through your hygiene routine, eat some breakfast, and whatever else you want to include.
It will take a little while to strictly stick to your routine, but the more you try and put it into place, the sooner you will have it down!
Step 4: Make a real breakfast.
When you're a busy boss (and maybe a wife, mom, or have another career too!), it's easy to turn a bowl of cereal or a Pop-tart into breakfast.
Try to lay off the sugary sweet stuff and start making a balanced, healthy breakfast. It doesn't have to be a fancy, Pinterest-worthy recipe that takes you an hour to make, but make it something that will give you the energy to get through the day.
And take the time to sit down and eat it! Don't make something great and then eat it on the way to a meeting or in front of your computer. Give yourself plenty of time to sit at the table and enjoy it.
Step 5: Make a list.
Once you're done with your morning routine, don't start working and responding to emails until you've created a to-do list for your day. Break things down into what you HAVE to get done today and then what else you'd like to get done today.
Start with the smallest items on your priority list. The more you can check off your list before lunch, the more accomplished you'll feel once the afternoon rolls around.
Knock out the bigger ticket items in the afternoon, that way you know you still have plenty of time to spend on them, and can let your brain focus on just one thing, before heading off to wind down and relax in the evening.
That's it! I promise if you work on applying these 5 steps to your morning routine, you're going to go into your work day feeling more rested and productive, and end it feeling way more accomplished. What other things does your morning routine require? I'd love to hear them!
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