Having a productive day was something I always cared about but never actually practiced.
My normal routine was to sleep, wake up, and do whatever came along with the day.
MOST times it was Nothing! or at least nothing significant or changing.
I was on a hamster wheel of a basic set of daily tasks that is in no way aligned with the life I truly want to live.
This type of lifestyle is easy to live.
You are not running into any trouble which is great but you are also not running into anything fun or eye-opening.
Another thing is I was always busy. Busy with work, taking care of the pets, cooking, and keeping the house clean.
All of these things are tiring.
By the end of the day, I just wanted to sleep and not do anything else.
But being busy is not the same as being productive.
I wanted to be productive.
To do something different.
To achieve goals.
I was wasting time, doing the same things on repeat.
All of what I was doing can be either delegated, controlled so that I don’t have to do it every day or get done when I am taking a break from working on my real goals throughout the day.
So, I decided that I was going to do something to control my day instead of being controlled by my day.
1. Waking up Early
While waking up early might be an easy thing to say you’ll do, it is NOT very easy to actually do. This is especially true if you are used to being lazy; waking up at whatever time you want, or if it’s Cold.
Waking up early is something you have to work at and insist on doing.
Why waking up early is Important for a productive day
- It gives you more time to work on your Goals daily
- It saves you from getting into the habit of being lazy, since you will be in sync with the high energy of the sun.
How I made waking up early a habit
First, the time you go to bed and how much sleep you need to feel awake the next day plays a huge role in your ability to wake up early.
For me, I need 7 1/2 to 8 hours of deep sleep in order to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go.
Since I need to get to work at 9 am and I get off at 8 to 8:30 pm, I plan my sleep accordingly.
Now I am not always able to get a full night of good sleep but I try.
And that is how good habits are formed.
By first trying.
I go to bed around 11 to 11:30 pm so that I can wake up around 7 to 7:30 am.
Ideally, I would like to wake up at 6 am daily but right now, that is not quite possible for me.
I cannot function effectively on too little or too much sleep.
Similarly, you can start having a productive day by prioritizing your rest and making sure to not oversleep or under sleep so you can feel energized for the day’s work.
By being consistent with it, your body will get into the habit of naturally waking up after you have rest for that 7 to 8 hrs.
Additionally, I keep an alarm clock on my nightstand that’s not on my phone.
I have one of the traditional ones with the bell on top that is loud enough to wake up an entire village.
It definitely snaps me out of my dreams.
If none of this work, get a cat and lock it outside of your bedroom at night :/
My cat never lets me sleep pass 7:30 am
Sickness and parenthood can make waking up early a nightmare. But those are phases in life that don’t last forever. The sickness will heal and the child will grow and start sleeping through the night. You can make adjustments accordingly.
2. Keeping a Journal and Planner.
For a long time, I insisted on keeping a To-do list.
The problem with this is that the To-do list is never ending.
There’s always more to add to it and only so much time available to me in a day.
Which is actually less that 24hrs because when I am sleeping, I can’t do anything so that doesn’t count.
And if I sleep half of the day then I barely have about 6 hours to do anything before I start feeling sleepy again.
Instead, I keep a Journal and a Planner in one.
Some people keep either or, while some keep them separately.
But for me, I prefer to have them together to keep myself from being overwhelmed. I don’t want this to be another task. I want it to be more of a routine like brushing my teeth or taking a shower.
Why Keeping a Journal and planner works for me
It stops me from being too much in my head.
Thoughts on paper mean space in my brain to process information.
It allows me to think clearly and most of all not forget.
It’s my personal assistant.
My journal provides a space for me to be honest with myself, make clear the things I am grateful for, and serves as a record of the changes I am going through.
When I look back on each of those, I am reminded of where I was, where I am, and where I want to be. Once this is clear, I can plan the actions I need to take to get there.
The planner is where I keep track of those actions.
Each day I take at least one step towards my goal and this goes down first in the planner before chores, errands, or routine tasks.
One action towards my goal is all I need and the only way to make sure I get it done is to plan for it and stick to that plan.
Otherwise, I will be on the same boring hamster wheel lifestyle again.
In the Caribbean, we say, “One one dutty build dam“, which translates to a few small things when put together can create something big.
If you are reading this then I know that you are looking to be productive and it is most likely because you have goals that you want to achieve.
Start with these two things if you haven’t already.
I guarantee you that you will start to see results in your day and progression in your goals.
If you have habits that helps you to be productive in your daily life, share them with myself and other readers in the comment section. Also, remember to share the article and continue reading to learn more. Thank you!
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