How To Increase Your Morning Productivity


Mornings, especially Monday mornings, can be rough. It can be hard shaking off the tiredness and remembering where you left off the day before. Because I don't like spending too many hours spacing out, I've been trying to find ways to be more productive in the morning. Here are some things I've found that work for me.

1. Make a list before you leave work or go to bed of the things you want to accomplish the next morning. This will give you a type of roadmap to utilize before the coffee's kicked in!

2. Start drinking your caffeinated beverage of choice (if applicable) about 30 minutes before you actually need to be productive

3. Wake up at least an hour before you need to leave for work. Everyone's groggy and kind of disoriented in the morning. It's best to leave that for stumbling around your apartment, so you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you get to the office or school.

4. Ease your way into the day. Break up a big problem into tiny, manageable chunks and start knocking them off your to do list. Otherwise, the big problem will start to seem overwhelming and may discourage you from starting!

5. On that note, sometimes it can help to make a rough schedule for your day. While this may not work for everyone, I find it best if I outline my day at the beginning, using my list from the night before as a starting off point. This way, I'm motivated by my self-imposed deadlines and I keep moving instead of getting bogged down in a single project all day. My list looks something like:
  • 9 - 11 am: Research
  • 11 am - 12 pm: Draft memo 
  • 12 pm - 1 pm: Lunch/Errands
  • 1 - 1:30 pm: Administrative things/meeting with attorneys
  • 1:30 - 3:30 pm: More research (sometimes continued from this morning
  • 3:30 - 5 pm: Outline task list for new projects.  
6. Take breaks. Studies have shown that workers are most productive when they work for 52 minutes then take a break for 17. Breaks are great for letting your brain sit on the idea for a while and who knows, you might have a stroke of brilliance when you come back!

I hope everyone has a decent Monday!

15 comments:

  1. Thanks, I need these tips. Every morning is a big drag for me, and when I'm in the office I feel like I want to go back home. haha

    http://www.pixics.com/

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    1. Haha! Yeah, mornings are definitely rough, especially Monday mornings. Thank goodness for coffee!

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  2. Great tips! Learning to wake up early changed my life!
    Starting your day off well, I think, is the key. The earlier you get up the more likely you are to get off to a good start.
    -Kristen
    www.pugsandpearls.com

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    1. Definitely agree. The hardest part for me is the actual getting out of bed but once I make it out, I'm glad I did!

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  3. I really wish I was a morning person (I press snooze about 4-5 times every day!). But I love the idea of scheduling out your day to focus on certain things.

    xo Jen
    Skirt The Rules

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    1. I do too! I'm hoping that with enough practice, I can learn to be one!

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  4. I'm naturally a morning person and do pretty well the first part of the day. I need a bit more scheduling in the afternoon and evening when my energy starts to fade!

    Fizz and Frosting

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    1. The after-lunch slump is definitely a real thing! Hopefully some of these tips help!

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  5. Really good tips! I'm not a morning person so getting up an hour before leaving is the hardest for me, of course when I actually do it I am so much happier all day! I swear by making to-do lists each night before I leave work, it really helps!

    Laura

    Laura Aime Vous

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    1. I do too! I'm pretty sure that without my to do lists I'd be completely lost the next morning. It's nice having direction when my brain is still waking up!

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  6. You're welcome! I hope they help!

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  7. Great tips! I definitely use that rough schedule tactic and it (usually) works great when I need to get things done ;)

    xoxo, Caroline | carolinevsworld.blogspot.com

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  8. Super tips! I so agree that planning out to-do lists the night before really helps your productivity the following day, and I've also started timetabling my days, which may sound a little OTT, but it's really helpful when there's a lot to get done!
    Miranda xxx http://www.mirandasnotebook.com/

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    1. Thanks! That sounds like a great idea! Now that things are getting a little hectic for me, I might have to try doing that just so I can stay on top of it all!

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