(Article) 8 Things Productivity Experts Would Never, Ever Do Before Work
They don’t immediately start working.
Some suggestions include starting your day with yoga or a walk, doing a morning skincare ritual, making an at-home latte, cooking a hearty breakfast or cleaning up the house before you dive into your day.
They don’t work off of a long to-do list.
This can be a surefire way to start the day overwhelmed — which is clearly not good for productivity. Additionally, when you see a really long to-do list, you’re probably tempted to do the easy things first but are potentially not so crucial to your day, she said. To figure out her “focus three” tasks, she asks herself what three assignments are most important to get done tomorrow.
They don’t look at their phone right away.
She added that what we do at the beginning of the day sets the tone for the rest of the day. So, waking up and scrolling social media or immediately diving into your work emails before breakfast won’t have you prepared for the day.
They don’t have tough conversations before work.
“Having it early in the day could set the tone for your whole day,” she said. And if you feel bad after, you’ll likely feel bad (and distracted) all throughout your workday.
They don’t have an unstructured day.
“One thing that has also helped me get ready for the day and be more productive and intentional with my time is dedicating blocks of time to tasks,” said Nixon. Specifically, Nixon said she creates blocks of time meant for answering emails or replying to Slack messages. This way, she can allot time to those necessary tasks without losing focus on other work assignments throughout the day.
They avoid distractions.
Lee said it’s important to figure out what your distractions are (they’ll vary for everyone) and to take care of them before your workday begins.
They don’t ignore their mental health.
“I would never skip my 20-minute morning mental health hygiene practice,” Massey said. Spending some time doing a morning mental health ritual can help you show up as your healthiest version of yourself for not only yourself but for your family and your coworkers, too, Massey added. Some examples of mental health hygiene practices include journaling, prayer and meditation, Massey said
They wouldn’t follow a one-size-fits-all formula.
"There is no earth-shattering thing that you should do or [shouldn’t] do to be more productive,” Tokos said. “It’s all about creating habits that support your day ... and knowing that everybody is different.”
Read the complete article available at Huffington Post!
Reflection:
What do you do in the morning before work?
#Work #Productivity #Stress
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@comfortableNight4463. Big yes to this one. This is a really helpful post. Thank you for sharing it with us. My favy part - metal health hygiene!!
@Emerbliss I'm glad you found it helpful! I agree, the mental hygiene part is definitely important. What do you do as part of your mental hygiene routine?
@comfortableNight4463, hmm my mental health hygiene, never seen what I usually do to energize myself in those terms. I love to paint , write poems , journaling, yoga , meditation and anything new I come across. Do you mind sharing yours ?
@Emerbliss That's wonderful! My mental hygiene routine consists of positive affirmations, journaling and practicing gratitude.
@comfortableNight4463, practicing gratitude seems really helpful. I would love to try that out next time. Also we have journaling in common!! Yay to that !!
@Emerbliss You definitely should. It starts off my day with such a positive mood. I try to list 3 things I'm grateful for. Give it a go!
@comfortableNight4463 , I will . 3 things in our lives , sounds enjoyable!!☺️
@Emerbliss Let me know how it goes. I wish you the best!
@Emerbliss, I did , it was really soothing. Thank you for suggesting 😊
