How morning routines can improve productivity

There is no magic bullet for creating maximum productivity, but studies and interviews with high achievers have shown that a well-executed morning routine can produce powerful results, according to The Ladders.

Most morning routines boil down to a few basic principles such as waking up before most people, outlining three specific big things to accomplish, and managing procrastination that can be oriented to fit within anyone’s schedule.

Waking up before other people isn’t just to prove that you have better willpower but, rather, it allows you to have a chance to plan the day and be proactive rather than reactive. If there are already emails, phone calls, and important meetings occurring right when the alarm clock goes off then anxiety can set in and you will simply be reacting to the day until you are too tired to continue and the most important goals will be pushed to the back burner. Instead, take the first two hours of each day to have breakfast, exercise, meditate, read, and otherwise prepare your mind and body for the day ahead. Next, identify the three specific things that, if accomplished during the day, will move the needle on your long, medium, and short-term goals.

Once the day’s agenda has been prepared, designate the body’s natural period of peak performance, about 2.5 to 4 hours after waking up, as protected time used for the most important tasks. Avoid procrastination by creating a starting ritual, such as a cup of coffee or sitting down at a specific desk to send a signal to the brain that it is time to start working. During those times in which the most important task just can’t be tackled for whatever reason, however, use ‘positive procrastination’ by intentionally avoiding it as long as you follow the rule that you have to work on the second-most important task rather than goofing off.