Do you ever wish you were more productive during the day? People often wish for better lives, but they don't know where to start or how to take the necessary first steps. They overload their to-do lists with hundreds of items to accomplish at the start of every day—only to get frustrated when they cannot meet those goals and then decide to scrap everything entirely.

If you can relate to this, you're not alone!

What most people don’t know is that having a productive day isn't all about how fast you can check off all the items on your list. If you want to work smarter and get more tasks done, you need to start your morning the right way. Here are seven morning practices for a more productive day:

1. Go to Bed Early and Get Up Early

What time do you go to bed at night? What time do you wake up in the morning? If you want to be productive throughout the day, the number of hours you sleep, the time you sleep, and the time you get up have a lot to do with it.

Waking up earlier gives you better concentration and enhances your productivity. You'll get more energy throughout the day to accomplish more and tick off the items on your to-do list. Your brain tends to be at its most alert state in the morning. You get to focus on more important tasks while everyone else is still asleep. You'll also get fewer interruptions. You may not be aware of it, but you tend to make better decisions at the start of the day when your mind is rested, rather than in the afternoon or evening.

Of course, waking up earlier is only achievable if you go to bed early, or else you will be tired throughout the day, leading you to be even less productive.

2. Meditate

Starting the day with silence by reflecting and meditating seems counterproductive, especially if you want to get started earlier to cross off those items on your checklist. There are plenty of things to do—why do you have to pause for a while?

What most people don't realize is that inserting some meditation as a morning practice to start your day has a lot of essential benefits:

Meditating helps you remain in a state of calmness.

Instead of rushing through and feeling overwhelmed by the number of tasks you have on your to-do list, you can start the day peacefully and carry that peace with you for the rest of the day. You'll feel happier and more relaxed instead of stressed and tired, no matter how many things you have to do.

Meditating gives you more energy.

When you meditate, endorphins get released, which helps your emotional well-being. These endorphins also give you the little energy boost you need to feel more awake and alert—not just in the morning but throughout the day.

Meditating builds your focus.

Sitting for a few minutes in silence and stillness lets your subconscious relax, which allows you to sharpen your focus. It hones in on your priorities, so you get the direction and clarity you need for the tasks you have to do. When you remain focused, you can get crucial work done instead of hopping from one task to another and getting distracted by everything that comes your way.

3. Journal

Journaling in the morning helps you with several things, including clearing your mind and setting your goals. You can write in stream-of-consciousness and say anything you want. If you prefer a more structured journaling system to follow every day, you can make use of the following journal prompts that will help you create a structured journaling system every day:

What’s on your mind?

Scribble anything that crosses your mind. Think of it as a way to dump everything on your mind into your journal that is your safe space. Write your thoughts, your fears, your dreams, what you're excited about, what you’re looking forward to, and everything else.

What are some things you want to celebrate?

Write down your wins for the previous day/s. List about your achievements and other things that make you feel good. This will boost your mood and make you feel better throughout the day.

What are some things you could do better?

Take a second to think about what you could have done better for the previous day. Are there any situations you would have handled differently? Did you skip your exercise routine or go to bed late? This question helps you identify possible bad habits and practices so you don’t slip into them.

What are some lessons you’ve come across?

Here, you can record notable things you’ve come across, such as takeaways from that inspirational book you just read or the podcast you listened to before going to bed yesterday. Come across any blog posts or articles that made you think? Jot them down here.

What are your goals?

Write down three to five things that you will accomplish today, no matter what. You can also write down some larger goals for the weeks or months and then break them down into smaller daily goals.

When it comes to journaling, Wondr Journal has everything you need to start and maintain a journaling practice. Use one of our templates or daily prompts to help you build a journaling habit and never run out of things to write about. Start journaling with Wondr Journal today! 

4. Exercise

If you browse through the internet for good habits to build in the morning, almost all of them will tell you to spend some time exercising. Here are some benefits of exercising:

Morning exercise helps you focus more.

If ever you find yourself getting distracted from the tasks at hand, try exercising. The discipline of doing a workout keeps you from making excuses while exercising, which carries on throughout the day. Through exercise, you also train yourself to get rid of obstacles and avoid distractions.

Morning exercise is great for your mental health.

Exercising doesn’t just benefit your body—it helps your mind too. After a workout in the morning, you’ll find yourself able to feel more rejuvenated and recharged. You’ll also have an improved attention span and better mental clarity.

Morning exercise helps you make healthier choices.

When you get up early in the morning and set some time for exercise, it causes you to be more conscious of your choices throughout the day. You’ll find yourself choosing a delicious apple instead of a bag of chips for snacks.

Morning exercise helps you sleep better at night.

Exercise and sleep go hand in hand. If you get enough exercise, you balance out your hormones, which helps you establish a good daily routine for yourself. Establishing a regular pattern helps improve your sleep which helps you lose weight.

Exercising is one of the best ways to get energy flowing and blood pumping. If you don’t know where to start, you can do some stretching or head to YouTube for some inspiration.

5. Eat a Good Breakfast

If you feel sluggish, tired, and unable to focus throughout the day, it might be because you skipped breakfast. People often skip breakfast, thinking it isn't necessary or that it will help them lose weight. Most people don't know that eating breakfast helps prevent your blood glucose levels from fluctuating, helping you control your appetite.

Eating breakfast also helps restore nutrients in your body and boosts your energy level, so you have enough metabolism to accomplish your tasks for the day.

6. Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

There’s nothing like approaching your day with a positive mindset. Gratitude destroys negative emotions and moods, and when you focus on being grateful, no matter what challenges you face, they won't knock you down. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude by listing down what you are thankful for. If you want to gather them in a particular place, you can start keeping a gratitude journal.

7. Plan Your Day

Planning out your day is necessary if you want to have a productive one. When you list down the tasks you need to get done, you can identify your priorities, so you don't get distracted by other things that pop up and demand your attention.

Start with the most essential to help gain momentum to do the smaller, more manageable tasks. Be realistic when listing your daily goals. It might help to have a maximum of three primary goals every day—rather than hundreds—so you don't get overwhelmed by the amount of work you need to do.

You can keep track of your goals and daily progress by keeping a productivity journal. You can also note smaller tasks or habits that you want to establish there, such as drinking eight glasses of water or going for a walk with your dog every afternoon.

Building a Productive Day

Consistency is fundamental, and discipline goes hand in hand with it. If you truly want a better day and a better life, you have to stick by the rules you make for yourself. At the same time, if you do fail, don't beat yourself up and give up. Building good habits takes patience and effort. Do it one step at a time, and you'll see all the hard work you do pay off one day.

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