When I have a productive day, I go to sleep feeling a lot more satisfied than when I don't. Lately my days have been less and less productive. To combat that I have been listening to podcasts, reading more blogs, and creeping on more social media accounts in order to get a little bit more inspiration for my writing and life in general. Something that I have learned is that a habit of highly productive and successful people is that of a routine. Having a routine is beneficial because you can always know what to expect and it guarantees you set aside enough time in your day to get things done. Of course, a routine can always be changed and room should be left for spontaneous occurrences. But, in general, routines are better. Below are a few tips on how to ensure that you have a productive morning routine...
The Night Before
- Check the weather and pick out your clothes at night. We've all heard this before. But let me reiterate: This will save you valuable time in the morning. Picking out clothes can take a lot longer than you think.
- Set your alarm for 15 minutes before you really want to wake up. This is something that I actually taught myself. I love to hit "snooze" regardless of the time that the alarm is going off. I know people say not to do that, but those 15 extra minutes works wonders in my mind. By setting my alarm for 15 minutes earlier and being able to snooze for those extra minutes, I'm actually waking up on time. Get it?
- Get all of your work done. Again, this will give you more time to sleep in the morning. You will also get a better night's rest knowing that the possibility of you oversleeping and not getting that homework done is nonexistent.
- Look at your agenda. It's a good idea to get a sense of what you are going to be doing the next day before the day actually gets there. That way you can mentally prepare yourself as well as physically prepare yourself or your materials.
The Morning Of
- Hit that snooze button! If you're anything like me, "snoozing" makes me feel like I'm doing something extra (even though I'm really not). Just refer back to my checklist above to make sure that you're still going to wake up on time.
- Wash your face and brush your teeth immediately. This wakes me up. Tossing some cold water on my face and having fresh, minty breath gives me that burst of energy to get my morning started.
- Make your bed so that you don't get back in it. Plus, who doesn't feel productive and like they have their life together when their bed is made?
- Check your agenda again. Just as a refresher of what's to come and to make sure that you're not running late.
- Meditate. This is something that a lot more people do than you even realize. This allows you to clear your mind and create positive vibes after looking at your busy agenda. It doesn't mean you have to sit criss-cross applesauce with your eyes closed and humming. There are tons of ways to meditate and apps to help you as well!
- Get moving! Don't waste time laying around, making yourself sleepy again. If you need a coffee, fine. But go ahead and start checking off items on your To Do list.
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