6 Nighttime Routines that Boost Your Productivity
When people think of boosting their productivity, they usually only involve their daytime hours. However, to have a productive day, you need to start by having the right nighttime routine. Getting adequate rest is a priority but it’s not the only requirement for a productive tomorrow. Here are six nighttime routines that will increase your productivity.
- Unplug From the World
With lightning-fast technological advancements, there are more devices keeping us connected to the world. Whether it’s your smartphone, personal computer, or smartwatch, these devices are all designed to keep us tethered to each other. Though important when working, they can become a detriment to your productivity if they’re part of your night. Checking emails, finishing office work, or browsing social media all put your health and productivity at risk. Fatigue, irritability, and feelings of being overwhelmed are just some of the negative effects of staying connected all the time. Try something different and unplug from the world. When you get home, go into offline mode: turn off your devices, put them away, and leave the where you won’t be tempted to check your email or look through the latest tweets.Disconnecting not only lets you rest and decompress, it also provides time to spend with your family or doing something you enjoy.
- Meditation/Affirmation
Going home at night doesn’t mean work stress stops weighing on your mind, and if you’re constantly thinking about projects or contracts, a good night’s sleep becomes difficult. Without enough sleep, your daytime productivity will drop. To relax and have a proper restful night, you need to unwind. A good way to do this is through meditation. Start by choosing a meditation spot and sticking to it every night. This helps create an environment you associate with relaxation. Try a comfortable chair placed at the side of your bed. From there, you need to decide what form of meditation to use. A simple way to meditate is to speak positive affirmations. Sit back, breathe deeply, and say positive things about the day that’s ending and the one coming tomorrow.This creates a sense of positivity and success in your subconscious mind. Tomorrow, even the hardest of tasks will seem easier to do, and you will find yourself being more productive.
- Give Thanks
Sometimes, the last thing we think of doing at the end of the day is give thanks. The automatic thought is to focus on all the things that went wrong and what could have gone better. (Why are we so hard on ourselves?) Instead, be grateful for both the good and bad things that happened. See the challenges as a way to improve yourself. An attitude of gratitude is immensely beneficial to your health and productivity.Gratitude does not always come automatically, especially if your day has been particularly stressful. You have to make a conscious effort to be thankful. In the beginning, it may be hard. But if you keep at it, it will become a habit.
- Keep a Journal
Writing is another way to release your stress and prepare for a restful night. Having a journal provides an avenue for emotional release. If you are feeling angry, frustrated, or overly excited, a journal is a good place to tone down those emotions. Be completely honest with yourself as you write, and try to get all your thoughts and feelings out. You’ll be surprised to find that as you write, you begin to relax.Just 15 to 20 minutes of journal writing every night can have numerous mental health benefits. It helps you deal with stressful events and prepares you for whatever challenges you might face tomorrow.
- Plan for Tomorrow
Just before you sleep, sit down and envision tomorrow. A well-planned day is a productive day. Write down your goals for tomorrow in your journal, listing them from the most important to least. Having definitive timelines for each task will ensure you complete them. Be careful not to have too many things planned, as failing to complete them will kill your morale. At most you should have three to four goals.
- Have a Regular Bedtime
Children aren’t the only ones who need a rigid bedtime schedule; you do too. Establish a specific time during which you start your bedtime routine, and ensure that you allow for a six to eight hours of sleep.Have a warm bath. Put on some relaxing music in your bedroom, and make sure the room is dark. These actions will prepare your body for sleep. Maintain this same sleep time every day, even during the weekend, when it is tempting to sleep in. It teaches your body to sleep and wake up at certain times, decreasing the chance for insomnia and other sleep-related problems.
A good day does not start in the morning. It starts by planning for it the night before. Use your nighttime to prepare your mind and body, and you’ll have a much more productive day tomorrow.
What’s your nighttime routine look like? Do you write in your journal at the end of the day, or in the morning?
