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“Work” Images – Unsplash.com
Introduction
They say that the way you start your morning sets the tone for the entire day.
It couldn’t be more correct.
Imagine consistently waking up with purpose, energy, and a drive to conquer your tasks. A productive morning routine can be your secret weapon in achieving your daily goals and maximizing your potential.
From personal experience, every single time that I started my day on a good note (productively), I always continued that rhythm for the rest of the day, and got more done than I would’ve if I didn’t do so.
Besides, studies -and I- will always be there to back up the fact that starting your work in the morning is better than any other time in the day. Why? Well, it’s simple. You just woke up, your mind is fresh, and you are at 100% in terms of energy (hopefully). In that case, working in those conditions would be the smarter move compared to working when you’re exhausted, low on energy, in need of sleep, and don’t have much juice left in the tank to spare.
So, let’s change that. When we’re at 100%, we want to leverage that energy to power through the day and make every day a good day.
My Story
When I first got into my personal growth journey (around a year ago), I was stuck. I was in a position in which I didn’t know what to do with my time. And in many cases, I had no time. Or so I thought.
The truth was that I wasted it playing video games, getting pretty good sleep (but waking up and going to bed really late), binging any appealing movie that popped up on Netflix or Disney+, and scrolling on my phone until it died or until I had enough dopamine.
But, once I started looking to improve my overall well-being, I found the habit of waking up early. School makes you hate waking up early, which is why I never liked it for years.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that waking up early was better for than I thought. (wow crazy!)
And so, starting the summer of 2023 (not too long ago), I started waking up earlier and working as soon as I got up from bed. Of course, I brushed my teeth and washed my face beforehand. But, afterwards I would start working immediately.
You brain might hate you for it in the beginning, but the more you do it, the more it’ll thank you and adapt to the environment (which’ll happen).
Step 1: Prioritize Sleep
A productive morning begins the night before. Prioritize getting sufficient and high-quality sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of rest to ensure you wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
You cannot expect to “conquer the day” if you’re running on 5 hours of poor sleep, while you were in bed for 8 hours. There are things you can do to improve your sleep, so feel free to do some browsing and discover what suits you. Who knows, we might create a post related to getting good sleep in the near future.
Step 2: Wake Up Early
The early morning hours are often the most peaceful and free from distractions. Set your alarm clock a bit earlier to carve out valuable “me time.”
A little tip: WAKE UP AT A TIME THAT’S COMFORTABLE FOR YOU. Although the world tells us to step outside of our comfort zone, you should learn that when it comes to health-related things like these, the same cannot be said. Sure, a bunch of people on the internet may say that waking up at 4 AM made them successful. But the truth is that it doesn’t really matter. As long as you aren’t waking up too late (10 AM – 12 PM+), then that’s all that matters.
Funny enough, my best work days are the ones in which I started working at 9 – 10 AM, not 6 or 7 AM.
Step 3: Complete Your Essentials
As soon as you wake up, get your necessary essentials done. Whether that’d be taking a shower, brushing your teeth, washing your face, or doing your skin care routine, get it done first.
Sure, although studies prove that working within the first 2 minutes of your day is known to skyrocket your productivity, I strongly suggest getting your essentials done. I hate having to do them once I’m already on a roll, so it’s better to get them over with as soon as the day starts.
Step 4: Start w/ a Small, Productive Habit
Begin your morning with a productive habit of your choice. Ensure that it isn’t anything outgoing when you’re first starting, because it may tire you too quick. You’ll know you’re ready to get legitimate work done as soon as your day starts when it begs for something more challenging (or when you can continue your productive habit without stopping for hours).
So, a few suggestions are:
- Meditation
- Reading a book (my top pick)
- Light exercise (jogging, etc.)
- Washing the dishes + Taking out the trash + Making your bed
- Journaling
As you can see, I combined three habits into one (washing dishes, taking out trash, and making bed). The reason is because your small habit should take up at least 20 minutes. Don’t make it anything more than an hour. 20 minutes is enough to get your mind into the “working zone” and actually ready to conquer your goals for the day.
Step 5: Plan Your Day (Set Goals)
Take a few minutes to outline your priorities for the day. Whether you use a physical planner, a digital app, or a simple to-do list, having a clear plan of action helps you stay focused and organized throughout the day.
Step 6: You do You
You’ve come this far, so it’s time for you to take the wheel and continue on. From here, it’s your job to get any work necessary for you to complete.
Whether that’s completing schoolwork, catching up on a project, filling out data sheets, reading and signing contracts, catching up on your websites, or managing your e-commerce store.
It’s your mission to continue this momentum and to not lose it. Of course, other non-negotiables -such as eating food, bathroom breaks, short walks, etc.- don’t count. Staying focused is a priority, but don’t use it as an excuse to not eat for the whole day or get no sunlight.
Your health comes before any of this.
Step 7: Stay Consistent
Consistency is the key to success. Establishing a productive morning routine takes time, but the more you practice it, the more ingrained it becomes in your daily life. Stay committed, adapt as needed, and watch your productivity soar.
“Sleep” Images – Unsplash.com
Conclusion
A consistently productive morning routine is your gateway to a more fulfilling and accomplished life. By prioritizing sleep, setting aside time for mindfulness, planning your day, and nourishing your body and mind, you can unlock your full potential each morning. Remember that success lies in consistency, so commit to your routine and embrace the positive changes it brings to your life.
