Increase Your Productivity.
Our daily habits, especially what we do in the am, can make a huge impact on the rest of our day. Here are 7 things to do every morning, that will leave you more focused, energized and productive.
Pro Tip: Incorporate these habits into your daily routine one-at-a-time until they stick. (Typically that means adding one new habit each month.)
Drink water, as soon as you wake up.
Most of us wake up dehydrated, which can add to feelings of grogginess and a lack of energy.
Set a tall glass of water by your bedside the night before, and drink it as soon as you wake up. This is especially important if you’re a coffee drinker because coffee actually acts as a diuretic, which means it flushes more water out of the body instead of hydrating it.
Water is essential for all body functions, but your brain is 75% water, so if you want to be focused and clear headed, it’s especially important to stay hydrated.
Eat Breakfast, or bring a healthy snack for a later in the am.
You’ve heard of hangry, right? Skipping breakfast, is essentially starting your day hangry, and over time, your health will pay for it. Research shows that regularly skipping breakfast increases your risk of heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, hight cholesterol and diabetes.
Eating breakfast also helps to get your metabolism moving and lowers your cortisol levels, which is essential if you don’t want to start the day feeling anxious or jittery.
Not hungry in the AM? Try making your dinner portions smaller, cut out late night snacks, or opt for a plant-based smoothie to start your am. You want to make sure your breakfast contains complex carbohydrates (which is essential for your brain function) and protein. The carbohydrates will start to release energy right away, and the protein will help you last to lunch.
Healthy Breakfast Ideas:
Worried about time? Try these easy overnight oats with chia seeds.
Meditate for 2 minutes.
Meditating for 2 minutes every day (for 21 days in a row) has proved to have a huge impact on reducing stress levels, our ability to respond vs. react in stressful situations, boost your mood and so much more. Try incorporating it into a pattern you already have. For instance, I drink a glass of water every morning and then I meditate for two minutes.
Exercise/Stretch for 10+ Minutes.
Exercise is a keystone habit, which means it has the power to make positive changes in all areas your life. Without realizing it, you’ll eat healthier, move more, and maybe even be more optimistic. Getting your muscles moving and joints greased also helps to reduce the health impact of office life and improves how you feel all day long. Try combining your meditation practice after your morning stretch and you’ll be amazed at how much clearer you feel in the morning and all day long.
Start a Gratitude Journal.
Write down 8 things you’re grateful for every morning. The more specific you are the better. Here’s and example of my 8 items.
Example of Gratitude Journal Entry:
I’m Grateful For:
The perfect Neon American, my favorite coffee, made by my partner this am.
Hitting all green lights on the way to work.
Finding my missing earring underneath the dresser.
Getting to play the easter-egg game with my nephew.
The weather being 35 degrees and sunny.
My mental and physical health and that I don’t feel sore from lifting all those boxes yesterday.
Getting up after one press of the snooze button instead of two. (I’m making progress!)
Having coffee with my friend Mandy later today.
Make 3 Priorities for the Day.
Long To-Do lists can overwhelm us to a point of inaction. Instead of working off a long-list of things you “should”get done in your personal or professional life. Make a list of the 3 most important thing to get done that day, in your personal and/or professional life. Be specific. Be actionable. Instead of writing, “Clean the kitchen” write, “Clear the counters, wipe off the countertops and unload the dishwasher.” Instead of, “Send Newsletter” write “Select articles to include in newsletter, create/select images for newsletter, setup in Mail Chimp, test, and schedule send.” You’ll feel great when you’re actually able to accomplish the things on your list, instead of being paralyzed by all there is to do.
Example of 3 Priorities for the Day.
Go for a 15 minute walk afterwork with my partner to catch-up on the day and discuss upcoming birthday plans.
Send Julie a follow-up email from our meeting today.
Finish and send off my taxes.
Incorporate fun into your day.
All work and no play, makes Jack a dull boy… and a very unproductive one. Research shows that incorporating fun into your day and having activities to look forward to actually helps you be more productive during work hours. So keeping lunch plans with a friend, especially when you’re swamped at work, is actually better for you (and your productivity!) than canceling. You might also try taking a 10 minute walk, text a friend, hang out with your pup, plan a trip, or watch a funny youtube video for a boost of productivity.
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