If you are going to juggle it all – and be a superwoman, you have to have a plan of attack for your day. You have to have some strategy to help you be more productive in life, work, and home.
I’ve certainly had those days where I am NOT superwoman, or even remotely successful. Everyone knows those days – where you feel like you are on a treadmill – running your legs off and getting nowhere! It happens. But those days tend to happen when you haven’t set out a plan.
It’s true for anything successful – losing weight, meal prepping, and even getting your daily tasks accomplished. It all needs a plan. Strategy.
There is one strategy that helps my productivity. It works every time.
Have a morning routine to help your productivity.
Yes, you heard right. Have a morning routine. This simple strategy helps me set my whole day.
If I start out my day with a routine, the day goes much smoother.
This strategy practically fell into my lap. When my son was in Kindergarten, I’d pull into the school hot, burning some rubber, barely getting him there before the bell rang.
During a parent/teacher conference, the teacher suggested I get him there earlier. She said it would help him get to his classroom, gather his supplies, and set up a routine of getting ready for the day.
So, we started getting up 15 minutes earlier, and therefore, I got to my office 15 minutes earlier. I had some extra time, so I myself built a routine.
You would think this would have been an obvious strategy, but it wasn’t. I was desperate to get extra rest. Extra sleep. What I didn’t realize is that by running around like crazy, barely getting places on time, I was just making myself stressed. And being stressed was just adding to my fatigue.
So, once I had the extra time from getting up just 15 minutes earlier, I built a routine. I would get to work, and eat my breakfast while I read my messages/emails. (And to keep it even more simple and routine, I rotate the same two breakfasts). This would ease me into the day. I’d finish up messages and emails, and focus on any leftover charting from the previous day and work on those.
By the time the rest of the office staff arrived, I was caught up, had eaten, and I was ready to face the day. It set the precedent for productivity.
I’ll admit, it was so helpful, we now get up 30 minutes early. My son is one of the first at school. He says he likes it too. He is a social butterfly and he gets to talk to his friends and get his stuff out on his own time. He eases into the school day.
Find yourself a morning routine! It will look different for everyone. I highly encourage you to add just 15 more minutes to your morning. But, you also might be able to just reorganize your morning activities to be more efficient. You will find, though, doing the same actions every morning will help you be more efficient and waste less time.
Other Tips and Tricks to Help your Productivity
Getting up early and having more time to do my routine is my absolute best strategy. It gets my day started right. However, there are a few other things you can do to help your productivity as well.
Focus on Self-Care
If you are exhausted, you aren’t going to get anything done. If you noticed on my morning routine, I spend time alone at my office, eat breakfast, and take some time to myself very first.
You MUST take care of yourself to take care of others. Here are some great self-care ideas that will cost you very little money!
If you find that you aren’t getting much done, maybe you need a break. It doesn’t have to be a long break, but maybe a simple 15-minute walk or a quick coffee break.
Eat Healthy Food
If your body is fueled with healthy food, your mind will be sharper. Your mood will be better. This will allow you to function much better throughout your day.
Have a Plan
I’m a planner and a list maker. I can’t help myself. It’s how I thrive. I keep two planners on my desk at work.
I have a Happy Planner that I carry back and forth. I keep it open on my monthly view so I can jot in meetings and appointments as they come up.
I have a weekly calendar that I keep on my desk as well – propped up. I fill in the weekly appointments and have it standing up right in front of my computer so that I won’t forget about something that is upcoming in the week.
Be Flexible
While having a plan is great, if something happens and it falls through, be flexible. Don’t fall apart if it does. Be able to keep an open mind, and go with the flow. Sometimes there are obstacles and barriers and you just need to keep a calm head.
What do you do to be more productive? What would you think is your #1 strategy? Do you focus on getting a good start in the mornings? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks to be productive!
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