Productivity Self-Care Tips & Tricks
“With structure comes freedom” - Bret Shuford, Broadway Life Coach
One of the best things anyone can do to increase their productivity (and their happiness) is to set up and stick to a routine. Routines provide consistency that sets us up for success in our days.
Routines are even more important in a pandemic world where there may not be as many scheduled commitments in our days… Have you ever found that when you have all the time in the world to get something done, you are less productive than you are when you have a lot going on? When there are no deadlines or schedules to follow, we automatically have the freedom to say “I’ll get to it later” and then… somehow… never seem to give ourselves a reason to do it... So I’m going to share with you the five things I do every day that keep me on schedule and motivated.
5 Tips to Creating a Daily Routine
Give yourself a morning routine
Even if every day is different and you can’t create a full day routine, create a short morning routine. Have a cup of coffee or tea. Take a shower. Make a nice breakfast. Go for a run or read the news. Giving yourself a couple of things to create consistency at the start of the day that will give you some momentum to continue throughout the day.
Make your bed
This one is huge. Even if you do nothing else in a morning routine, make your bed. Do it the minute you get out of those warm, cozy covers. Having an unmade bed makes it sooo much easier to crawl back in. If you make your bed, you can trick your brain (and your body) into realizing that the sleeping part of the day is over.
Write down a list of what you have to do that day
Sometimes we can get overwhelmed by all of the things we think we have to get done. When you commit that list down to paper (or a note on your phone) you can visualize and prioritize what you have to do. Maybe your to-do list is a lot shorter than you thought or maybe you only really have to get one or two things done that day. I usually make a list in my planner so that I can look at my day and week at the same time and see where I need to allocate my tasks. Writing down what you have to do can help you refocus on the day ahead.
Take a moment for yourself
Sometimes we can be so eager to start the day that we forget to take a moment to recognize what we need as humans. Having a quiet moment can help you realize how you are feeling and if you maybe need to give yourself a little grace. I personally stop whatever I’m doing at 9:00am, close my eyes, and take 10 deep breaths. It allows me to call up whatever may be causing overwhelm or anxiety, recognize it, and then clear it away for a fresh start.
Set three easy tasks you must complete every day
This one is so easy and can make a massive difference. It can be meditating for a couple of minutes every day before you eat your lunch. It can be reading an article or spending a few minutes out in the fresh air. Giving yourself simple tasks makes them easy to cross off so that you feel accomplished but it also gives you something to commit to doing each day, no matter what else is going on. Building your day around these will make it easier for you to add in additional (or, dare I say, bigger/more important) tasks.
Routines are a proven way to increase your productivity and general wellness. They can give you consistency, especially in a world that is filled with constant changes and unknown futures. Creating momentum to cross tasks off your to-do list can decrease your stress levels and increase your sense of accomplishment. So, set up your own routine and boost your motivation to work towards happiness!