You likely have habits you do every morning when you start your workday. Successful people have daily routines that make them more effective. If you can’t get motivated or feel unproductive, change your process. A Master Certified Life Coach, Barbara McRae, wrote Less Drama, More Fun. She gives tips and advice to everyone on how to be more successful in life.
Here are things you can do in the first few minutes of your workday to have more success in your career.
Reflect: Successful people carve out time every morning before starting work to reflect. You can pause and think in solitude and silence for a few minutes. You can achieve your best results and think about where you’ve been, where you are, and where you’re going. You can introspect by tying in the past, present, and future. Think about your wins and opportunities. Ask yourself what you accomplished the previous day or week. Look at your current workload to check the status of your projects. Then, shift your mindset to what you need to accomplish before you begin work.
Be Present: It’s important to situate yourself into a solid frame of mind. Embracing mindfulness and awareness helps you focus on your tasks. If your day starts off chaotic, this can affect how your shift goes. Loud noises and your phone going off first thing is like getting out of the wrong side of the bed. Disruptions can derail you emotionally, decreasing productivity with a limited attention span. Get your day under control and place yourself in the present by centering on the tasks at hand. Make sure you manage the day, or it will run you.
Get Comfortable: Set your work area up to be the most ergonomic for you in the morning. Adjust your chair, electronic devices, and even the temperature to feel comfortable. Have everything you need within reach to help you successfully achieve results. Setting up a functional environment that works best for you enhances your productivity. An uncomfortable workspace will create disruptions when trying to tackle projects.
Plan and Prioritize: Have a daily planner, make to-do lists, and adjust as needed. When you mentally map out your day, you’ll be more successful. These habits remind you to have a plan and try sticking to it. By prioritizing duties in order, you’ll know what tasks are important and what aren’t. Running through your daily objectives lets you visualize the end-of-day results. You can also identify potential challenges by scheduling tasks and then adjusting appropriately. Planning and prioritizing through lists makes you more effective and productive.
Take Needed Breaks: If you sit at a desk all day, you can be impacted physically by limited mobility. Successful people make sure they stand up, stretch, and walk around to get their blood flowing. Start your day by stretching to get your circulation going, which improves productivity. Taking a break gives you time to eat and recharge.
Stay Hydrated: Keep water or a beverage nearby your work area. Drinking fluids will keep you replenished and energized. You’ll be able to stay focused and attentive while knocking things off of your to-do list.
Talk to Your Co-Workers: Greet your fellow team members and check in with your boss and colleagues. Some small talk lets you kick off the day and maintain your social skills. Even if you communicate through email, text, video chat, or phone, it benefits all. Pleasant interactions start mornings on a positive note. Everyone on the team will be motivated and engaged in achieving the group’s goals. If you’re cranky, misery loves company and will put a damper on the entire team’s mood. Having strong social skills also helps you thrive in your career.
Stay Organized: Keep your workspace area neat and clean to make you more productive. An unorganized and cluttered desk negatively impacts your workflow. You’ll spend more time looking for things than being able to complete projects. Also, clear out emails and files on your computer to streamline your workday. Develop a routine to check emails, quickly scan and prioritize what ones need replies. You can then plan how and when to respond to accomplish more.
Avoid Distractions: Expect to be distracted during your workday because it’s natural. Post an out-of-office message if you have a large project you need to tackle. Inform colleagues that you’ll be unavailable. Turn sounds and notifications off to not get distracted by your phone. Also, make it a point not to check social media while working. Scrolling through feeds ties up valuable time and disrupts your mojo.
Stay Positive: Sometimes, it’s hard, but taking an optimistic approach to your day pays off. Take on the habit of smiling, feeling grateful, and confident in your abilities. Having the right attitude is a must to be successful. Negativity will put you in a funk where you don’t have the ambition to accomplish anything. Try and force out any negative thoughts and do what you can to stay positive.
Express Gratitude: As you reflect and prepare for your workday, identify things in life you appreciate, small or big. Keeping a gratitude journal helps you write down what is valuable in your life. Successful people remember what they’re grateful for, personal and professional. Staying humble will motivate you and keep you down to earth.
Everyone has different morning routines, but successful people also wake up early. Waking up before 6:00 am gives you time to take for yourself. It may be challenging, but look at your daily habits and see what you can change. You have to keep going and not get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. The key is balancing your responsibilities and having time for yourself.