Daily Routine: Successes of Productive People

Highly productive people follow a daily routine before their bedtime that makes their next day equally good or better. Here’s a sneak peek.

Some people are highly productive. They get done what they need to do and still have time left in their day. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? It’s time to turn the dream into a reality. The following habits are what highly productive people do before bedtime. If you adopt them, you too can maximize your time each day.

#1: Plan and Prepare Healthy Meals

Highly productive people plan and prepare healthy meals so they can get the nutrients they need to keep going throughout the day. You can do the same after you get home from work.

Simply make a healthy dinner of lean proteins and vegetables. Save the carbs for during the day when you need the energy from them.

After dinner, pack healthy snacks (protein, vegetables, fruits) and a lunch for the next day. This is when you should incorporate a carbohydrate for a boost of energy in the afternoon.

#2: Exercise

Since many people sit behind a desk, physical activity is crucial. Many medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes are attributed to a sedentary lifestyle. Even people who are on their feet need exercise because their heart rate rarely goes above what is necessary for maintaining health, strength and flexibility. Exercise before you head to work in the morning. If you’re not able to get a workout in during the morning, do something more relaxing in the evening to help you fall asleep, such as yoga.

#3: De-Stress

Stress can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure and gastrointestinal issues. Your stress level can rise significantly when you’re trying to do as much as possible during the day. It’s important to keep your stress level under control because it can have a detrimental effect on your productivity. Good ways to combat stress include unplugging from technology, taking a warm bath and spending time outdoors.

#4: Read

People who read are much more successful. It doesn’t necessarily matter what you read. It’s just good to take time to do it each day. You can do it for 20 minutes or for an hour or more.

Many people will read magazines to de-stress or find books related to their work. Just be sure what you read isn’t something that contributes to the stress you’ve accumulated throughout the day. The reading you do should be enjoyable and/or motivational.

#5: Plan for the Next Day

Write down what you need to do the next day and plan when you’ll do it. Deciding what needs to be done first will help you accomplish the most pressing matters when you’re feeling your best. Then you can plan other tasks that don’t take as much effort for times when you don’t have as much energy.

Include breaks throughout the day for unexpected situations. If nothing comes up, the breaks will be a nice reward for doing so well up to that point of the day.

#6: Remember to Be Grateful

Highly productive people remember to be grateful for what they have. It’s a way to stay positive in a world where negativity abounds. This is how they keep going each day despite the chaos around them.

List what you’re grateful for. It can be as big as getting the promotion you asked for or as little as having running water in your home.

#7: Spend Quality Time with Family

Highly productive people can focus at work because they don’t worry about not spending enough time with their family. Each evening, they interact with their family for a few minutes to connect with them.

Take time to enjoy your family. Try not to think about work when you are with them. Just be present with them. You’ll feel much more balanced with work and family when you do this, which will help you focus on what you have to do the next day.

Boosting Productivity without Stress

After reviewing these seven habits highly productive people do before bedtime, you may feel overwhelmed and think, “How in the world will I ever have enough time to do all of this?” Do not stress. Each one of these tasks doesn’t have to take long. A few minutes for each one will have you through with them all in just a couple of hours. So as long as you can have do those things between when you get home and when you turn out the lights for the night, you’ll be successful AND much more productive the next day.