Being productive comes naturally to some, but not to most. I am a known procrastinator and really have to actively work to keep focus and not allow myself off track. I’ve been working partially-remote for about 6 months now, and with more and more people having to embrace the flexible-work lifestyle, figured it would be helpful to share what helped me out! Here are 5 tips that I’ve found to help keep my productivity at an all time high in all aspects of life!

Create and Stick to a Morning Routine

Waking up used to be a daunting task. I would wake up immediately stressed about everything I needed to do to that day and because of that not get anything done. The best way to kick start your mornings is to make them something you look forward to, not something you despise. Sticking to a routine helps normalize these behaviors. Find what works for you every morning and stick to it. Having time strictly dedicating to yourself every morning has a plethora of benefits. Go for a walk or somewhere for breakfast, get excited to wake up!

Give yourself time in the morning to wake up and not worry about what’s to come. I start my mornings with a cup of coffee, quick morning yoga, and having a good breakfast while finalizing my goal and game plan for the day. I’ll get into that in more detail with my next tip!

Plan Your Day Ahead of Time

Waking up being overwhelmed because of the days tasks really puts a damper on things. Try making a list of all the things you need to accomplish for the week every Sunday or write them down nightly before you go to bed. Writing down what I need to do helps me prioritize tasks and make sure I am not forgetting anything. Whether it’s for work, your side hustle, errands or chores you need to accomplish, coming up with a plan to get things done is huge. I like to take time each morning to finalize my plan for the day after I’ve laid it out, because we know that things come up and priorities change out of no where!

Do One Thing at a Time, Stop Multi-Tasking

Focus on completing one task before moving to the next. Concentrating your energy in one place, and not 12, will not only help finish tasks quicker but keep you on track. Bouncing around between unfinished tasks isn’t efficient and makes it easy to forget things and not give 100%. Don’t cut yourself short. Handle each task you have, no matter how big or small, with you full focused undivided attention.

Give Yourself a Break

Don’t overwork yourself. Burning out is an awful thing and taking the precautions to avoid it is so incredibly important. I like to take a mindful break every 2 hours or so, just to refocus and check in with my current mental state. I’m not recommending going off on a few hour distraction, just a quick break up in your day. Stress can build up quickly while working or trying to get important things done, making sure you don’t push yourself over your limit keeps you at your highest level of productivity possible. Taking a 15 minute break to reset yourself is so much more helpful than hurtful.

Create and Stick to a Nighttime Routine

Starting your day without stress is important, but so is ending you day stress free. Creating a nighttime routine helps you unwind from the day, and not carryover any of the days activities to the next. Whether it be having a cup of tea, reading a book, journalling, or taking time to plan out the next few days, taking time to yourself before bed keeps the stress away. Ending your day strong is just as important as starting it!

Share some of the ways you are most productive in the comments! Have a unique morning routine? Let me know! Being productive and limiting stress is always a work a in progress.