Thursday, December 12, 2019

Tips For a More Productive Day

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Happy Thursday! I kind of giggled at myself when I first even considered putting together this post for y'all. I can be quite the procrastinator... hence why it took me over a week to even begin working on this post. However, you can be productive even when you are a procrastinator. It just takes some self discipline and probably a couple cups of coffee, lol. But seriously, today, I'm going to share some of my personal tips for a more productive day. Some of these things I just started doing very recently and some of them I have been doing for awhile. My schedule and daily task list might not look like yours but I hope that maybe even one thing could be applied to your daily life to help you have a more productive day! Who doesn't love feeling accomplished?!

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W A K E  U P  B E F O R E  Y O U  H A V E  T O

I'm going to share my best tip first. Wake up before you have to. This is probably one of the hardest things that I have been doing in order to have a more productive day and it's probably the one the that I would say has given me the most results. I am so terribly guilty of saying "I don't have time" but in reality, I do have time, just maybe not the time I really want to use. I also must mention that I am not a morning person. Waking up is rough and I would much rather sleep in. I do not like an alarm clock. But,  I decided to give it a try. I set my alarm for one hour and 20 minutes before I had to get out of bed. The key for me is to get up as quick as possible and not to hit snooze. If I hit snooze, even just once, I probably won't commit to waking up and I'll fall back to sleep. Most days, I just stay in my bedroom to get some work done so I have to turn on the light and open the curtains to help me wake up. The first couple of days went really well and I got so much done. During this time, I work on blog posts, answer e-mails, and read my devotionals. Bonus: the house is perfectly quiet and free from distractions. This little bit of extra time in the morning has really made such a big difference in getting my day started and I have found the rest of the day is much more productive because I started off less stressed out. But, it does take self discipline to set that alarm every night!

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F O L L O W  A  R O U T I N E

Routines don't just work for children, they work for adults too. It takes some time to establish a routine but when you do, you can be so much more productive. Like I mentioned above, I'm not a morning person. Getting going in the morning can be a major struggle for me so I find myself getting easily distracted by tasks that I don't really even need to do at that time or I find myself literally doing nothing if I don't have a set routine to follow. This is my personal morning routine:

1. Open the curtains. It's amazing what a little light will do for your mood.

2. Brush my teeth. 

3. Wash my face and moisturize my skin.

4. Make my bed. This one has been one of the best additions to my morning routine! It's amazing how it can help you feel productive. I literally feel like much less of a hot mess when I take two minutes to make my bed each morning.

5. Put the laundry in the dryer because I always start a load before bed each night. You can read more about my tips for doing laundry in this post.

After these five steps, I really feel like I can start the day and I always feel accomplished when my teeth are brushed, my face is clean, my bed is made, and laundry is in progress. Figure out what five things you could do as soon as you wake up that would help get your day started on the right track. I feel like we set ourselves up for a successful day by starting the day off well. The rest of my day is very routine oriented as well but it just may vary day by day because of my work schedule, exercise, volunteering, and other tasks that I have to do. It's never too late to create a new routine!

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G E T  D R E S S E D  E V E R Y  D A Y

Yes, I know everyone has clothing on their body every single day but that's not the same as getting dressed. I've been a stay at home mom and it's so incredibly tempting to just stay in your pajamas or switch out to an old t-shirt and yoga pants for the day. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love to be comfortable but I am not a bit productive in my pajamas. For me, pajamas equal relaxation so the thoughts of checking things off of my to-do list just don't cross my mind when I am wearing my most comfortable clothing. I just want to sit and do nothing. So, even if it's just jeans and white tee or leggings (see, they are still comfortable) and a sweater, try getting dressed everyday and see how it affects your level of productivity. Also, I know not everyone wears makeup but I put makeup on every single morning, even when I'm going to the gym. It makes me feel more put together and ready to tackle the day. Hair is another story, y'all. My hair gets put in a top knot almost every single morning because I'm usually heading to the gym. But, I always at least try to brush my hair. For me, when I look put together, I'm going to also feel much more put together.

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U S E  P A P E R  A N D  P E N  L I S T S

In the world of all things technology, I have all sorts of ways to create lists and be more productive in the palm of my hand. But, there's just nothing like making a list on paper and crossing things off with a pen. It's just so satisfying! I find myself actually remembering to complete tasks when they are on an actual paper list than when they are on my phone. When I get on my phone to find a list, I almost always get distracted by a social media notification or a text message. Paper and pen lists are the way to go for some old fashioned productivity! 

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M E E T  W I T H  J E S U S  A N D  M O V E  Y O U R  B O DY

I read an Instagram post by Jennie Allen yesterday and she suggested doing these two things every single day. Meeting with Jesus and moving your body every single day are two things that make me a more productive and joyful person overall. Set you alarm, meet with Jesus, get into a good routine, move your body (even if it's just a quick 15 minutes walk; going to the gym everyday isn't necessarily feasible for everyone), and I hope that helps you have a more productive day!

 Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day!

S H O P  T H E  P O S T:

S H I R T | I sized up one size for an oversized fit
J E A N S | similar

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