Be more productive at home with a morning routine

How you start your day is more important than ever!

Now that COVID-19 has as many people as possible working from home, our days have lost a lot of structure that we used to rely on to be productive. If you’ve never worked from home before, you may be finding it difficult to switch into work mode so close to the sofa. And even if you do regularly work from a home office, just having the kids at home may make it feel like a lazy weekend instead of a productive workday.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to start your day with a strong morning routine. Instead of wandering around in your pajamas unsure of your first task, you’ll have the clarity and focus to dive right in. Plus, having a routine gives you a sense of normalcy in these uncertain times, and can help reassure you that life goes on.

Here are a few simple ways you can start working on a morning routine that will bring some peace and calm to your workday.

1. Enjoy Some Self - Care

Getting ready for work isn’t all physical – even our most basic grooming can be a centering, calming treat if done with a little mindfulness.

Find some pampering tasks that make you feel great and ready to conquer, then take the time to actually do those for yourself every morning. You should notice an immediate change in mood! When you start your day looking your best, you’ll get a much-needed spring back in your step.

 

2. Listen to Your Mother – Don’t Forget to Eat!

We don’t all need the same things at breakfast time but one thing’s for sure: we definitely need to start the day with something from the kitchen! Even if you’re not feeling especially hungry right away, going through the soothing, repetitive motions of making a cup of tea, a pot of coffee, or buttering some toast can ease your brain out of sleep and into the habit of doing something productive.

If it’s something that nourishes you in some way, all the better.

 

3. Chart Your Course

Setting goals for each day is an essential part of accomplishing them! A great thing to work into your morning routine is a loose agenda for the day; a short list of easy-to-accomplish tasks that work towards your overall goals.

This shouldn’t be overwhelming and it can’t be too long (that just leads to frustration), but a few things you’d like to get done before the day is out. Getting this down on paper every morning is a great practice that leads to success.

 

4. Clear That Clutter!

No matter how neat you are, there’s almost no way to get through a day without making a mess! Before starting your first tasks of the morning, try cleaning up your workspace – clearing the debris from the day before, putting away files and books and office supplies, emptying the trash, and create a literal clean slate.

A few minutes of this may be your best-spent time of the day as it will make everything that follows so much easier!