Make the Most of Your Morning with These 5 Productivity Hacks

Humans are supposed to be most productive in the mornings, but the opposite is often the case. Learn to take charge of the day with the right morning routines to boost productivity.

Key takeaways: 

• Your morning can set the tone for the entire day, even if you are not a “morning person.” 
• You are most likely to make the most of the day if you start with productivity enhancing hacks the second you wake up.
• Developing the right morning routine is not a one-size-fits-all process.
• The right routine depends on knowing yourself and entails some trial-and-error.

Your morning has a ripple effect on your day. The right routine translates into a productive one, but a poor routine will often lead to the opposite. This is true regardless of whether you are a “morning person,” but you can up your chances of having a productive day by adding productivity boosting habits. 

This doesn’t mean changing up your entire morning, however. Finding the routine that energizes throughout the day takes trial and error, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Some people might need coffee to get going, for example, while others require a cold shower to kick their senses into gear. 

No matter what you need to hit your brain’s “on” switch, the good news is that you can find and adopt the options that work for you. Here’s a look at some of the morning routines that boost productivity.

Get an early start to the day

The earlier you start your day, the better. It allows you the freedom to own your morning, because the time you have before work is truly the only part of your schedule that you can completely control. Nearly half of self-made millionaires and high-achievers start their days 3 hours earlier than necessary, for example, and this allows them to move toward their goals before they even sit down for breakfast.

When you wake up early, you gain time to do what you want to do before heading into work. This includes making a healthy breakfast, exercising, reading, meditating, having quality time with your family or partner, or anything else you want to accomplish before the workday begins. Start small: Resolve to wake up 30 to 40 minutes earlier than normal (instead of hitting the snooze button before finally dragging yourself away from your bed one hour after you intended to).

Start your morning the day before

Clarity about your priorities usually hits at the end of the workday when to-do list items didn’t get accomplished. Don’t waste a moment of inspiration by logging off and doing nothing, however. Instead, take some time to make a list of what you would like to accomplish the following day to improve your chances of getting things done. Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world write down three things that need to be done first thing the next morning before they even talk to anyone outside of work.

Here’s the kicker: These must-do activities could be anything, and they don’t even have to be work-related. It could be a series of simple things like calling your daughter who is away at college to check in, or closing a deal with a client in an earlier time zone. Those small wins will set the tone for the rest of the day, plus prevent you from procrastinating on items you think you’ll remember to get to.

Say your goals out loud

When you say your goals aloud, you acknowledge them and prime your mind to accomplish them. This helps you cut through the noise that usually characterizes your day and helps you focus on what matters, thereby creating a pathway to success. This boosts productivity throughout the day. 

A few tips: Prioritize personal goals with this practice, and keep things positive. Instead of saying, “I want my business to earn X amount of income by Y day,” try, “My business offers real value with its products and services, and we will earn X amount of income by Y day.” Then, visualize what your day will be like and what needs to happen to take you to the point where you would describe your day as successful.

Write a detailed to-do list

One of the best ways to ensure a productive day is to start every morning by making a detailed inventory of all you intend to do that day. This sets the tone for the day and clues you in on what ought to be prioritized. This list, in conjunction with your schedule, will be a guide to your choices and actions throughout the day, keeping you on track more than you would otherwise normally be.

Start with the hardest thing on your to-do list

Many high achievers advocate for starting the day with the hardest tasks first. This is because your mind is still clear and you’re still full of energy when you just start, which is a far cry from your state of mind at 2 p.m. Prioritize that one thing you consider most important on your list so you get it done before the phone starts ringing and life pulls you in several different directions. The rest of the day will be easy to accomplish once you take the biggest things off your to-do list.

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