How you start your day will likely affect your performance throughout, as your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day.
I’ve noticed that rushed, unprepared mornings always lead to unproductivity throughout the day for me.
On the other hand, whenever I start my day with one of my few morning routines like meditating and creating a to-do list, I tend to have more structure throughout the day and be motivated to get more tasks done.
It’s been found that morning routines can significantly boost productivity and overall quality of life, so it makes sense to create and prioritize specific morning activities that help you function better throughout the day.
In this post, we’ll look at a few proven morning routines you can employ as a digital creator to create clarity around your workflow and boost your productivity.
Let’s get right to it.
Start With Low Resistance Activities
Start with low resistance activities. Don’t just wake up and jump into heavy, high-friction tasks.
Low resistance tasks could be just stretching, drinking a glass of water, meditating, or even laying your bed.
This ensures that you start your day with tasks that you are guaranteed to finish, which could enhance organization, improve focus, and set the tone for the day — a day where tasks get completed.
Exercise & Move Your Body
Incorporating exercise into your mornings could set the tone for an energized day, as exercises have been found to boost mood and energy.
Many digital creators today suffer from low moods and laziness, which often affects their productivity.
So, incorporating exercises such as walking, jogging, or yoga, could be a way to shake off morning grogginess and get yourself ready and energized for the day’s work.
Hydrate and Fuel Smartly
You want to replenish your system and be in the right physical condition to begin your day, so drink water and fuel smartly.
You could hydrate with water alone or use coffee, tea, milk, or whatever you enjoy and that helps you stay refreshed.
Hydrating early in the morning has been found to reduce fatigue while improving alertness and memory, which could help you stay productive and get more work done.
Reflect and Plan Your Day
The fastest way to accomplish a task is to plan for it. So, if you want to stay productive throughout your day, you have to plan for that productivity.
It’s been proven that if you plan and prioritize your daily tasks, you are more likely to utilize time more effectively towards completing those tasks — which is productivity in a nutshell.
So, as a digital creator who wants to stay productive throughout the day, you have to create a morning habit of reflecting on the things you want to achieve for the day and write out a plan to accomplish them.
I usually have a to-do list for the most important tasks for the day, and this keeps me accountable and focused on prioritizing where to invest my time throughout the day.
Prepare a “No Distraction” Work Environment
Your work environment has a significant impact on your productivity, so you have to intentionally prepare a “no distraction” work environment that helps you work optimally.
It could start from putting off all non-work notifications and closing distracting tabs on your laptop, to finding a good workspace and using the right focus app.
The plan is to put together everything you need to increase your chances of doing creative work without distractions.
Build a Consistent Work Time
How you start your work day will most likely determine how you end it. If you start early, you can finish early and avoid struggling to meet deadlines.
But most importantly, is to set a fixed work time that helps you stay consistent with your goals.
It’s been found that starting your working day with predictable work times can increase your morning productivity, as it reduces mental clutter and decision fatigue.
So, you want to start and end your work at specific times of the day, so as to put your mind in work mode during stipulated work periods and help you stay productive.
Begin with a High-Value Task
I know you’ve heard of that talk about starting small and gradually building momentum. Well, in this case, you have to flip the script daily if you want to actually stay productive.
This is because your mind is fresher in the morning and you can be at your creative best. So, it is important to start your day with the highest value task and then let it trickle down.
Since your energy will diminish as the day progresses, you’ll be better energized to create in the beginning than at the end of the day.
So, restrict the email checking and social media feeds until after you’ve completed the most important tasks for the day.
Instead, begin with priority tasks such as content ideation, niche building, script writing, etc. This ensures that you make the day count by completing the most meaningful tasks.
Schedule Short Creative Breaks
Before even starting any task for the day, you should schedule short creative breaks to be taken between planned work periods.
Creative breaks could be employed using the Pomodoro Technique, where you take 5-minute breaks after 25-minute work sessions. This could help you increase focus and work motivation while preventing burnout.
Some creative break ideas include taking a walk, listening to a podcast, doing yoga, or even taking a power nap.
FAQs on Morning Routines for Boosting Productivity
What is the Best Way to Start my Day?
A good way to start your morning is to raise your energy levels by shaking any form of grogginess with exercises, staying dehydrated and engaging with your best form of motivation to get started.
Should I Journal in the Morning?
Journaling is best for reflecting, which is most suitable for the end of the day. Instead of journaling, you can document your work plan for the day ahead.
What is the Best Time to Start Work?
The best time to start work depends on you, your type of work and your energy levels. While some creative work such as script writing will require you to start as early in the morning as possible, others such as film making will require targeted shooting sessions which might span the whole day.
What are some Morning Rituals to Consider?
Some morning rituals which might help improve your productivity include practicing mindfulness, setting daily goals, prioritizing tasks, and preparing a no-distraction work environment.
