Shannon Gail_10 Ways to Have a Productive Day

1. Set your alarm 15 minutes early

Setting your alarm 15 minutes early can make a huge difference in the kind of morning you have.  With an extra 15 minutes, you can eat a better breakfast, get organized before you leave the house, or, if you’re having ‘one of those days,’ you can even hit snooze for a couple of extra minutes!

2. Make to-do lists

This should be number one.  Making To-Do lists is how we function!  We write everything from “work out” to “client meeting at 4p” down on our To-Do lists because it feels so darn good to cross things off!

3. Clean up a little bit before you leave

Mornings can be crazy, especially if you have nothing to wear (yep, we’ve left piles of clothes on our beds before).  But it is SO important to put away your clothes, make your bed, and clean up the kitchen before you walk out the door for the day.  You will thank yourself at 6:00 when you get home to a clean house.  This is where waking up 15 minutes early helps!

4. Give yourself deadlines

If you just have an open ended To-Do list, your tasks may never get completed on time. By having an exact time/date for each task, chances are, nothing will be forgotten or left for the last minute!

5. Take breaks

You shouldn’t feel guilty for taking a few minutes every two or three hours to check Facebook/Instagram, catch up on the latest celeb gossip, or go for a quick cup of coffee.  These little breaks will keep you refreshed and focus for the long haul!

6. Make lunch or dinner plans

This is crucial to getting through your day.  If all you have is work, work, and more work, the day may seem to go on forever.  But if you have something to look forward to – lunch with your fav coworker, dinner with your fiance, or drinks with the girls – you’ll feel like you’re working for something instead of just going home and jumping into your PJ’s at 6pm (although on some days that really is what we look forward to).

7. Keep your desk organized

If you keep your desk clean for the majority of the day, you will not only save time at the end of the day when it’s time to clean up, but it will keep you from misplacing things, which is great. And it doesn’t hurt for your boss to walk in and check out your amazingly organized desk.

8. Work out

If you have time to work out first thing in the morning, do it.  An awesome workout will give you a little extra energy and keep you motivated to make the rest of your day awesome.  If you don’t have time in the morning, make a plan to hit the gym after work – your work will thank you.  Taking care of yourself has so many perks, looking good is just one of them!

9. Write everything down

Although you may have a killer To-Do list, it’s still important to write even the little details down.  So whether you just want to remember to watch that one YouTube video your Mom sent you, or just make a note of the Nordstrom sale happening next weekend, write it down!

10. Don’t take your work home

Last but definitely not least, know when to “turn it off.”  Once you get home, try not to check your email, try not to obsess over your To-Do list, and just relax.  The time at the end of the day is not only necessary because you’re exhausted, but you need to give yourself time to recharge so you can be just as productive the next day! And if you do all of the things we listed above, you might even get to leave work early ;)