Going to work and staying productive all day are more challenging for some of us than others...distractions some up, we’re pulled into meetings, and office chatter gets in the way of real productivity. Here are 5 tips to improving your daily routine that will hopefully get you well on your way to being happier and more efficient.
- Wake up. Find an alarm that works for you. It may mean putting your alarm clock in the other room and forcing yourself out of bed to turn it off or waking up to music. Figure out what works for you.
- Eat breakfast. You’ve heard it before, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. If you wake up in time, consider making a filling breakfast of eggs and bacon, which will fill you up for the day. If you are a little shorter on time, try to at least squeeze in a few minutes for a healthy bowl of cereal. A healthy breakfast should give you the energy to start your day off right, and possibly avoid that morning cup of stimulant.
- Consider going to work late or early. Some of us have more flexibility with our schedules than others. If you find that you are more productive in the morning than the afternoon, consider adjusting your work schedule to go in early or vice versa if you are more awake and productive later in the day.
- Organize your space. Spend the last five minutes of every day organizing your desk in preparation of the next morning. Consider organizing and color-coding your files for maximum efficiency. You will feel happier and more in control if you don’t walk in to a desk full of paperwork and clutter.
- Stay productive all day. Block your time off during the day to get tasks done and only check and respond to email periodically throughout the day. If you respond every time an email hits your inbox you will find it twice as hard to get anything done.
