Motivating yourself to jump into work first thing in the morning can be a challenge. But with these hacks, you can make starting your day a little easier.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Of course, sleep is important… But did you know that getting a full night’s rest (on average, about seven hours) can improve your productivity the next day? Lack of sleep can lead you to feel lethargic. So, if you’re looking to hit the ground running in the morning, get plenty of shut-eye the night before.
Make a To-Do List Just for the Day
Writing a to-do list may seem like a simple task, but the same list that works for someone else may not work for you. For this reason, you need to approach your to-do list with your own work style in mind. For example, if you feel more motivated to start your morning with smaller tasks, create your to-do list accordingly. Regardless of how you design it, a list can help propel you through action items all day long, resulting in more productivity.
Clean Up Your Email
A cluttered inbox can prevent you from accomplishing anything on your to-do list. Start by deleting any junk mail. From there, file away any emails that are not action items into folders. Lastly, leave your inbox strictly for items that require your attention and flag anything urgent to complete first. For more tips, check out Fast Company’s guide to cleaning out your inbox in one hour.
Set Timed Goals
Once your email is cleaned up and your to-do list is ready, set up time goals for yourself. You may need to be flexible as the day goes on, but the idea is that you keep yourself on track and avoid spending all day on a single task.
Push Your Break Back
Taking breaks is strongly linked to overall health and well-being, and it can make you more productive as a whole. However, pushing your mid-morning break off a bit may help you get more tasks accomplished in the morning. The easiest way to do this is to come prepared. Have your morning coffee with you, get your bathroom break in right away, and make sure you have everything you need to dive right into the workday. Then, incorporate breaks into the back half of your day to avoid burnout.
Getting your workday started doesn’t have to be a struggle. These hacks are a great starting point for building an effective morning routine that keeps you productive, regardless of how awake you may feel.