7 Mistakes You’re Making In The Morning That Ruin Your Productivity

Many of us are unable to feel productive, and that’s completely understandable.We’re just trying to make it through each day while many of our daily routines and norms remain completely disrupted.

Many of us probably want to increase our personal productivity, even if it’s just a little bit.Your morning habits can be a great place to start.Just a few simple adjustments can keep you energized and productive throughout the day.

With that in mind, here are seven common productivity-impairing mistakes people make in the morning and how to avoid them:

1.Force yourself to get up early.

Many articles about productive people marvel at how early they get up.But Chris Bailey, author of “The Productivity Project,” says it’s simply not true that you have to get up early to get a lot done.

We tend to blame ourselves when we wake up, but we each think differently.

People who wake up at 10 a.m. can be just as productive as those who wake up at 5 a.m.; it’s how they wake up and act “deliberately” that matters.

So if your schedule allows it, tweak your wake-up time a little and see which feels best, Bailey says.If you sneak in a little extra sleep, you may find that you get more done throughout the day.

2.Start the day in “passive mode”.

Graham Allcott, founder of Think Productive and author of How to Become a Productivity Ninja, says the biggest factor affecting productivity is starting the day in “reactive mode” rather than “proactive mode.The biggest factor affecting productivity is starting the day in a “reactive mode” rather than an “active mode.

Many of us check our phones as soon as we wake up, but this puts us in “reactive mode”.In contrast, more proactive mornings are spent thinking about the day’s priorities, browsing calendars and to-do lists, and making plans.

Note: This doesn’t mean skimming through your messages.”The email inbox is not a to-do list,” says Allcott.”In fact, it’s a list of other people’s priorities, not yours.”

And he’s not the only productivity expert to offer the best advice to stay away from email.

Laura Vanderkam, author of After Hours: do more but feel less busy, says, “The biggest mistake people make is starting the day without a clear plan.”She also adds that whatever plan you make, you should leave open time for the inevitable surprises.

3.Not getting dressed.

Experts say it’s important to wear real clothes.

It helps to wear it properly.There’s something called “dressed cognition” in psychology, which tells us that the brain behaves differently if you’re wearing a suit, and that if you’re wearing a scientist’s white coat, you’ll score higher on intelligence – even if you’re not a scientist.

While you may not want to wear a suit around the house, preliminary research suggests that wearing clothes does have an impact on a person’s attention span, in large part because of the symbolism of wearing clothes.It tells your brain that something new is about to happen and helps you change your thinking.

4.No breakfast, no hydration.

“Breakfast is an important part of a successful morning routine because it gives you the energy you need to focus on whatever you want to do for the rest of the day,” says Stephanie Nelson, a registered dietitian and MyFitnessPal in-house nutrition expert.

Nelson recommends foods that are “balanced in terms of protein and carbohydrates,” but says you should be realistic about what you have time to do – and keep it simple.For example, Nelson likes to make himself protein pancakes for breakfast, but a simpler option might be a slice of bread with peanut butter on it.

Also hydrate, says Erica Zellner, a health coach at Parsley Health in New York City.”Hydration plays an important role in our ability to focus and be productive.Our brains are strongly affected by hydration status,” she says.”Studies have shown that even mild dehydration and a 1 percent drop in hydration status can impair mood, memory, attention and executive function.”

She personally recommends drinking at least the equivalent of half your body weight in ounces of water each day, but getting into the habit of drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning is also a good start.

5.Doing too many things at once.

It’s easy to want to juggle everything when you’re trying to get a long list of to-dos done quickly.(This is inevitable if you’re juggling work, childcare, and other responsibilities.)

But to the extent possible, you should strive to “single-task,” Zellner says.

She explains: “Multi-tasking at the same time can reduce productivity by up to 40% and can have a long-term negative impact on the brain.”She encourages clients to focus on one thing for a certain amount of time, which has the added benefit of getting them into a state of mind flow.

Transitioning to single-tasking can take a few weeks, as you need to retrain your brain to focus on a specific task for an extended period of time.But stick with it and allow for plenty of breaks.

6.Wasn’t prepared the night before.

After a busy day, the last thing people want to do is plan for the next day.But experts say planning can greatly improve productivity and ultimately earn you more time off.

“I recommend that people make a list at the end of each work day of what they must do the next day.Then look at the ‘hard things’ for that day – meetings, phone calls – and make a rough schedule.When can you complete the tasks you must accomplish by the end of the day?”Vanderkam said.

Another key part of getting ready for next day?

“Good quality sleep,” says Zellner.” A 2016 study confirmed that sleep deprivation impairs selective attention, the ability to focus on specific information when other things are happening around you.This means that sleep deprivation can prevent you from concentrating and being productive.”

7.There’s no prioritizing calm.

Mornings can be chaotic, especially when you’re trying to do a lot of things while taking care of others.But Bailey warns that doing too much can really backfire.

If we start the day with anxiety instead of relaxing, unwinding and enjoying the calm, it will last all day.”Calm” looks very personal.Maybe it’s meditating for five minutes.Maybe it’s sitting quietly with a cup of coffee.Maybe it’s taking your pet for a walk.

Also, whenever you want to change your morning routine, take your time.It’s better to do one thing at a time and add it to what you’re already doing.So, if you make coffee every morning, can you use the brewing time to make a balanced breakfast?Do some deep breathing?Make your daily plan?

Because when it comes to productivity, steady wins the race.