Strong Morning and Evening Routines Increase Professional Motivation, Focus and Productivity
Days on the job can be fraught with unexpected distractions, keeping us from the tasks at hand. While little can be done to stave off those in-the-moment interruptions to your workflow, there’s quite a lot you can do in preparation for those busy days to help you be more focused, motivated and ultimately more productive during those pockets of time when you can work undisturbed. The key to setting yourself up for success lies in cultivating strong morning and evening routines.
Productive days actually begin the evening prior. Before ending your day, take some time to make your morning as smooth and stress-free as possible by planning for tomorrow.
Evening Routine for Greater Overall Productivity
- Find a logical end point at the end of your work day when things are complete enough, then call it a day. Put away, tidy up, shut down your workspace so that when you start back up tomorrow you’ll have a fresh and clutter-free area in which to hit the ground running.
- Review the day that’s ending. Make a mental (or physical) list of the things that went right, your accomplishments and successes so you’ll end the day in a positive frame of mind.
- Determine what needs to be prioritized for tomorrow and create a task list that you can tackle or delegate. This ensures that your day has a focus and an "offense" plan and will be less likely to devolve into an exercise in reactivity. This practice will boost your sense of calm and help you to cap off the day so you can put it behind you.
- Make decisions about the next day’s wardrobe and healthy, energizing meals so there’s no early morning scrambling and those self-care details are taken care of.
- Take time to wind down by engaging in relaxing, non-work-related activities before retiring to bed. This is important because your body needs to transition from work mode to rest mode. Practicing a healthy and consistent bedtime routine rewards you with more restful and restorative sleep which will support energy and stamina for tomorrow. Set your alarm for a time when your wake up routine won’t be rushed or need to be abbreviated.
Once you’ve closed the book on today, your tomorrow is cued-up for success, productivity and focus.
Morning Routine for Greater Overall Productivity
- Wake to a commitment to self-care, incorporating nutrition, physical movement and hydration which will support your energy and focus. Deep breathing helps to center you, clearing and calming your mind and body for the day ahead.
- Review the task list you made the previous evening and with fresh eyes, determine the three most important things that need to be accomplished first. Prioritize those by tackling the most challenging and/or important ones first (or at the point in the day when your energy level peaks). Strive for steady, consistent effort while bearing in mind that completion isn’t the only measure of progress.
- Check in with your schedule, getting an overview of what is to come and what is expected of you so you have a mental idea of the rhythm of the day. Certainly unexpected things will come up, but at least you’ll be able to put the distractions into perspective when you have your day planned out in advance.
Work days can be hectic and can easily get away from us, leaving us feeling disheartened, scattered and overwhelmed. These routines are proactive measures you can implement to take the reins of your professional time so you can feel more motivated, focused and productive.
How could implementing effective morning and evening routines help you perform better and feel more successful?
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Gina Blitstein combines her insight as a fellow small business owner with her strong communication skills, exploring topics that enhance your business efforts. That first-hand knowledge, matched with an insatiable curiosity to know more about just about anything, makes her a well-rounded writer with a sincere desire to engage and inform.