**The numbers I have underlined below are absolute musts for me before jumping into my productive day! The other numbers that are not underlined are things I will rotate in doing on days that I am still feeling unmotivated, uninspired or apathetic. I hope this list can be helpful in making you a more productive person today and in the future! YOU ARE CAPABLE AND YOU CAN DO IT!
1. Make your bed!
Oddly enough making my bed in the morning is something that helps with my productivity throughout the day! By making my bed I feel as though I can already check one thing off my list and keep the momentum going because I want to continue feeling a sense of accomplishment. If you are not a habitual bed-maker, seriously try it for a week, I bet you will get more done and feel slightly more motivated, organized and put together throughout your week.
2. Get in the Word!
Reading my Bible helps restore my soul and prepares me to work with great purpose in mind throughout my day. When I put off getting in the word, I often feel as though I'm missing something and the lack of this habit can cause me to drift rather than being focused on my greatest purpose - glorifying God! If my greatest goal is not in focus, all my other goals seem to lack vision and will be accomplished completely in vain (self-absorbed, pointless, futile) and have no clear purpose. We live such a short life - if our ambitions are simply self-focused and driven by what only this short lifetime offers, we put forth entirely unavailing efforts. However, if our ambitions are focused on God's kingdom and Eternal Life, our work on Earth will have full purpose and accomplish things far greater than ourselves!
3. Put on actual clothes!
You might think I am kidding. I can't tell you how many days when I have had the morning or day off from work and plan to get lots of my to-do's done, but stayed in my pajamas and ended up getting little to nothing done! Sometimes just putting on my most comfortable jeans and a cute shirt really makes me feel ready to face the day ahead of me and concur that whole list of things that seemed daunting. Have you ever dressed up and just felt a little more confident and excited to be accomplished that day? It is a real thing and can help kick start your productivity!
4. Put on motivating music!
Quickly find your favorite playlist or make one for the week with songs that are not going to distract you but really motivate you. Click shuffle on your playlist and now you have your background music for a time of productivity.
5. Make tea or coffee and a nutritious snack!
If you make your snack and/or a drink right before you are planning to get a lot done, you will not have to be interrupted by a grumbling tummy or a caffeine craving in the middle of your productivity! Make sure your snack and drink is a relatively quick and easy choice to avoid your drink and snack being something that feeds procrastination rather than fueling productivity.
6. Do your make up or hair!
If just putting on an outfit isn't motivating enough for you, get ready completely for the day. Some days I feel that just putting on running pants and a comfortable non-pj top is enough for me to be productive, but other days I need the jeans, the fun top, and a bit of makeup or a quick hairdo to make me feel as though I got ready for the day! If you tend to be better at getting things done at home when you have gotten yourself fully put together, then this might be something that really helps you feel more professional and excited to check things off your list.
7. Make a manageable to-do list!
I am the worst about making a mile long to-do list! Anyone else?? I have so much fun making the list but not so much fun (or energy) getting it done because my never-ending list is completely unmanageable. So start with just 5 things on your list - your top 5 things that is! Once you finish your top 5, add 2 more things to your list. Continue to add two upon finishing your previous list items, until you run out of time or tasks!
8. Turn your phone off or set a timer!
My phone is typically my biggest distraction! Social media is great, but let's be real, it is a literal black hole. I will be on my phone for 20 minutes before I realize all I did in 20 minutes (or 30 lol) was watch Instagram stories. In not tempting yourself to reach for the black hole that is your phone, you can do one of two things! First option, for those that are not faint of heart, just shut your phone off completely. Second option, for those who are either less bold in shutting of their phone or who have enough self control to not reach for it, set a timer on your phone - this timer I will usually set for a minimum of 1 hour, in this hour+ I will not touch my phone unless it is an emergency! The timer reminds you that you have an hour (or more) of productivity, not cell phone time.
9. Light a candle or open your blinds/window!
Set your work atmosphere to be motivating to you! I love lighting a candle and opening my blinds for some natural light. If it is warm enough out, opening a window helps to brighten my mood and make me excited to finish my tasks.
10. Jump into your work!
Once I have done a couple things that put me into a motivated and productive mindset, I just jump into my to-do list headstrong! By simply making yourself do the hardest or most pressing thing on your to-do list, you will feel great that you can check it off. Now full steam ahead on getting those first 5 things done!
Thanks so much for reading! Please let me know in the comments if any of these help you to be more productive or if you have something you'd love to share that is helpful in your daily productivity!
xo, Lauren