5 ways to create a productive morning routine
Having a productive morning routine will set you up for success and help you “win the day.”
Having a set of activities that you do every morning can help you get started on the right foot and set the right tone for the entire day. This might include things like exercise, meditation, journaling or making a healthy breakfast.
It can also include a set of good habits and behaviours that will help you stay focused, motivated and productive.
Here are 5 ways to help you create a productive morning routine:
1) Prepare the evening before
Supercharging the morning actually starts at the end of the workday the day before. This is a good time to plan the following day, make sure you are prepared for what the day will entail and what you want to accomplish.
Write down a list of the most important things you need to accomplish personally and professionally.
A Task manager app such as Todoist will help to capture all your tasks and todos and order them by priority.
2) Create some me-time
The morning is a great time to do something for you before the working day begins and when you most probably turn your attention to others.
This can be anything from going for a walk, doing exercise, writing in your journal, preparing food for the day. This will help you energise for the day ahead and create a positive mindset.
If you are working from home, try something to help mimic your commute so you can ‘arrive’ at your desk ready for work. This could be something like going for a walk, moving from one room to another or getting your equipment ready.
3) Prioritise to focus on your most important tasks
One of the best ways to maximise productivity is to determine what tasks need to be done today, in which order and what can be left for another time. This will help bring structure and purpose to your day and keep you aligned with your goals.
4 Do is an app based on the Eisenhower matrix to prioritise your tasks. You can add tasks to the four quadrants of the matrix, which describe a task’s urgency and its importance.
This system will help give you a clear perspective of what you need to do today to succeed. More importantly, it gives you an idea of tasks to avoid (in the meantime) to help keep you in line with your biggest goals.
4) Minimise distractions
By being mindful of what your distractions are, you can make attempts to minimise them, schedule them into your day or use them as rewards.
Turn your phone to silent or put it in another drawer/room for your deep, focused work. You may want to try using the Forest app to keep you away from your phone for set periods of time.
5) Eat that frog!
Eat that frog is a strategy that helps you to focus on your hardest or least pleasant tasks. The idea is you identify these tasks (your frogs) and you tackle (eat them) first thing to avoid procrastination and becoming distracted.
It comes from Mark Twain’s quote: “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it firsts thing in the morning. And if it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
Motivation breeds further motivation. Start by completing tasks to help create momentum and provide a sense of achievement. Some people like to tackle the hardest thing first while others like to start small and build up.
The way you start your day can be really powerful. As the saying goes, “Seize your morning, seize your day”. Starting your morning off on the right foot can make a big difference to the rest of the day. It can improve your mood, mindset and motivation, reduce stress and boost productivity.
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