Some days go right, and some days don’t; it’s the way of life. However, being productive starts in the morning and having a routine at this time will help to set you up for success at work.
Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job said “The first few minutes at the office can be the most stressful because there's a level of anxiety about what you may face” and then further went on to explain “It takes greater self-awareness, a positive mind-set, and self-training each morning to counter what feels like negative gravity pulling you down as you face overwhelming demands”.
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In order to change your attitude and productivity at work, the way you get up and prepare in the mornings needs to change. Here are our 6 morning tips for starting your day right.
Start Your Day Early
We understand, it’s hard and something many of us dread (perhaps some more than others) but research has shown that early risers are more productive and happier than the typical night owl.
Not only this but starting your day early gives you time to reflect and get ready in your own time; giving you a clear mind. When waking up late, you end up rushing in every way and risk bringing it into your work.
In addition to this, avoid hitting that snooze button! Yes you may think the extra 10 minutes of shuteye you’ll be getting is what you want, but as this sleep is light and low-quality, it can end up doing you more harm than good. Your body’s sleep cycle is around 90 minutes, and when your alarm goes off you are torn out of restful sleep. An extra 10 minutes doesn’t give your body enough time to make it through another cycle, compounding the negative physiological effects on your body. Set your alarm for the time you actually need to get up.
Drink Water and Eat Breakfast
Overnight you becoming dehydrated, so drinking a glass of water when you wake up is a good way to replenish your body’s hydration. In the Ayurvedic practice, lemon is added to a glass of warm water which helps to remove toxins from your digestive tract that could have built up over night. Get up and drink a glass of water, whether that be with lemon or not, for a healthy and refreshing start to your day.
You’ve probably heard more often than not, people saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It has been linked to good health and helps to kick start your metabolism. A healthy breakfast should consist of whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats. An old saying goes “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen, and dinner like a pauper” and is very relevant still. By eating breakfast you will see a change in your activeness, alertness, and concentration throughout the day.
Reflect On Previous Day
When first arriving at work, start by reflecting on the previous day for the first 10-15 minutes. What did you achieve? What didn’t go so well? How could today be better?
This cleans the state for the day you have ahead, helping you to identify what you want to achieve in light of what happened on the previous day.
Set Roadmap
Setting a roadmap and coming up with a to-do list allows you to assess and dedicate your time to tasks. Jumping straight into the task that first comes to your head creates a disorganised process for the day.
Begin by writing down your tasks to keep them clear and give you a sense of purpose. Take time to prioritise and go beyond the simple to-do list. You will then be able to move on to putting key tasks in your calendar with any important meetings. Putting them in your calendar as well as writing them down will keep your colleagues in the loop as to when you are and aren’t busy.
An effective roadmap will also help you to determine what pace you want to work at. A technique that is widely used is the Pomodoro Technique, which suggests you break down work into intervals of 25 minutes, separated by short breaks.
Choose The Right Workspace
It’s easy to become distracted from the task at hand and your surroundings influence that. A busy office opens you up to a world of distractions; a chat with a co-worker, unnecessary calls and the list could go on. Some use Hosted Workspaces which allow you to work from anywhere, providing you have an internet connection, giving you the perfect opportunity to focus on important tasks.
Whilst choosing the right workspace is important, organising where you choose to work goes hand in hand. You want to be able to find things when you need too, and not just the physical things. Take 10 minutes to bring order to your workspace as well as your desktop.
Keep Positive
Focus on today. Holding onto the negatives of previous days will get in the way of the future and your achievements. Studies have shown that negative thoughts impact not only your productivity but your long-term health as well.
Your morning habits can make or break your day. Let’s make tomorrow a good one.
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