In recent times, we see a lot of people buying attractive planners from online stores. Mobile users install a lot of productivity apps on their smartphone. What’s the result? Were everyone successful? Were they able to increase their productivity? The answer could probably be ‘No’. Not everyone.
Discipline is best maintained through Habits. Habits account for about 40% of our behaviour on any given day according to the researchers of Duke University. What you repeatedly do ultimately forms the person you want to be.
So, without further delay, let us delve into the article and learn about the nine habits to include in the daily routine to increase your productivity. Shall we?
1 A glass of warm water first after you wake up
Start your day with it. Drinking lukewarm water after you wake up in the morning has its own benefits.
It not only removes toxins from your body, but also pacifies your GI tract, fires up your metabolism helping you kickstart your day with rigor and enthusiasm. Also drinking a glass of warm water upon waking keeps you hydrated.
2 Meditate
You heard it right! Meditation not only improves concentration, manages stress, anxiety and depression, it rewires your brain for happiness, peace and success.
Just find a comfortable corner in your home. Sit down with your eyes closed. Slowly Breathe in and breathe out.
3 Walking
Experts say for every 2,000 steps, there is a 10% decrease in the risk of heart disease, cancer and premature death. Walking increases the blood flow to the brain and enhances your mood.
It not only helps maintain the body weight thereby reducing the onset of diabetes, walking helps to alleviate chronic pain, which makes it a great activity for those with joint pain.
4 Nutritious breakfast
A lot of activities that you’ve planned for the day require energy. When you wake up, your blood sugar level is usually low. Breakfast helps replenish it.
If you skip your breakfast, you may get so hungry later on, that you snack on high fat, high sugar foods. Breakfast kick starts your metabolism and helps you burn more calories throughout the day. So be mindful!
5 Review your to-do list for the day
Remember to have your to-do list handy which you’ve planned the previous night. This brings structure to your day. When you plan it on paper, there’s not much more to hold in your head. This reduces anxiety and helps you prioritize your tasks.
This strikes a sense of accomplishment in your mind even before you start your work. It helps you keep your mind organized and manage your time better.
6 Do not multitask .
Even though some claim that multitasking is a valuable skill that professionals can get better at with time and practice, it has its own disadvantages.
Multitasking can affect mental health causing cycles of anxiety and stress, which affects productivity in the long run. Multitasking leads to mental blocks costing your productive time. So don’t open too many tabs. One tab at a time!
7 Read a book
The knowledge that you acquire by reading a book is unparalleled. Apart from the multitude of benefits like improving your vocabulary, thinking skills, and expanding your knowledge, this activity seems to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
8 Journaling
Penning down your thoughts, actually helps you in hard times. When you are able to organize it on paper, they no longer dwell in your head. It is a great tool to reconstruct your mind.
You can sequence the events of your day, analyze your behavior, mood swings and what not, you can even get a solution to your mind-boggling problems.
9 No screen time for an hour before you hit the bed
Various research and studies have shown that electronic devices interfere with sleep patterns. This is due to the suppression in the production of melatonin, a hormone produced after the sunset, which helps your body to get ready to sleep.
Instead, grab a book, make a to-do list for tomorrow or journal your day which not only improves the quality of your sleep but renders you more productive.
To increase your productivity, you no longer require fancy apps. By focusing on these little habits, you are likely to maintain them for a long term once you see the results they bring upon you. So, relax, take your time and start today to include them in your to-do list. Will You?
Comment below the habit that you follow.