5 Mistakes You Make Every Morning That Can Ruin Your Productivity
Every morning it's the same, you think you wake up as beautiful and energetic as Beyoncé, but you look more like a sea lion that (literally) slides out of its bed and crawls into the room. You may sleep eight hours a night, but you are still just as tired as the day before.
But where did your energy go? There are two types of women globally: those who get up at dawn to take time for themselves before going to work and those who grumble in their cushions, wondering how the first ones are doing.
It would be beneficial if you didn't underestimate the precious time - which you often spend on your phone - before getting up. The first few minutes of your day are the most crucial for a productive day.
1. Breakfast And Hydration
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Growing up, we all must have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There is a reason for this. What you give your body in the morning for food is the energy it needs to function. A balanced meal will allow you to be in better shape.
Also, you skip drinking water. As soon as you wake up, it is best to drink at least two glasses of water. You've still spent roughly eight hours fasting, and your body needs to be hydrated. Hydration plays a vital role in our ability to concentrate and be productive.
2. Mindfulness And Meditation
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It's surprising how few people practice mindfulness daily and then complain that their day has gone by without them realizing it. But is it astonishing? If you are not aware and in tune with your mind, in the present moment, you will notice that your thoughts are hazy and damaging, futile, and never related to what you are doing.
Thus, you find it difficult to concentrate on your tasks. It would help if you were mindful, meditate, and refocus on yourself. All you need sometimes is to write down what needs to be done to be fully aware now.
3. Exercise
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If we don't move our body a little now and then, we lose energy because without good blood circulation, our brain becomes exhausted more quickly, our ability to concentrate declines, and we become more and more inefficient. Take a moment to stand up and do some stretches. Do something that won't take more than a few minutes.
You can also do physical exercises to recharge yourself when your to-do list gets overwhelming. It is also a way to regain your ability to concentrate during the day. Simultaneously, it allows you to change your mind and move on to a completely different activity than what you were doing.
4. Prioritize
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Of course, you've seen the value of a to-do list and jot down everything you need to do throughout the day. However, you have to prioritize your tasks. Use the two-minute rule to simplify our life. That is, if a task takes less than two minutes to complete, you should do it immediately rather than waiting until later, regardless of the task.
This helps you avoid the possibility of getting distracted and forgetting this task later! So it happens that we are so focused on some of our tasks that we do not check if it is possible to combine some of them—for example, cleaning a room in your home and throwing away unnecessary clutter.
5. Taking Too Many Breaks
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Conversely, too many breaks can be detrimental to your attention span, as you waste time stopping and resuming your tasks. While these breaks can be beneficial after long periods of work, they should be occasional and timed.
Likewise, it would help if you devoted your breaks to a completely different activity than what you were doing before; otherwise, it is not a break—for example, physical activity after a mental task, or vice versa. Just remember to find a good balance between work and rest, and adjust it according to your tasks at hand.