5 New Habits I’ve Added To My Daily Routine To Increase Productivity and Decrease Stress
New year means a new routine focusing on bettering myself and increasing my happiness. Heres how I did it…
Okay, I get it. You’re probably tired of hearing about people’s New Years resolutions at this point. Maybe you’re like me and hate making them. I don’t blame you. But, these changes I made weren’t resolutions. They are just new habits I adopted to help me focus on me and decrease my stress which has only increased in the last 2 years. Here are the 5 daily habits I started doing and why.
- Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day
Research has shown that our bodies and our minds do best when we have a sleep schedule. I know its hard to go to bed at the same time every night. Many of us have trouble falling asleep or have children or pets that make it impossible to stay asleep all night. Trust me, I get it. But, trying my best to go to bed around the same time and wake up the same time everyday was a goal. Interestingly enough, my body actually adapted to my new schedule within a few weeks and now I’m tired every night by 10pm. So, every night I am washed up and in bed by 10pm. I know that may sound early to some but I know my body and I don’t function well after 10pm anyway. I wake up around 7am everyday. Even on the weekends my body wakes itself up by 7:30 without an alarm now. I’ve noticed that by sticking to a sleep schedule, I’m not as tired during the day and I’m able to be more productive. Also, by having a set time I like to shut electronics down, I know I have to finish my work earlier so I’m more motivated to do so. If you can’t keep a set sleep schedule, at least try to get a minimum of 7–8 hours of sleep a night. Most people don’t realize how important enough quality sleep is to our health but, without adequate sleep, you will increase your anxiety and stress levels. Your risk of heart attack and stroke are also increased with lack of sleep.
2. Setting aside 1 hour a day to read
I love to read. In fact, it has probably been my favorite hobby since I was in elementary school. Unfortunately, these days between work, school, pets, children and everything else, there just hasn’t been a lot of time for me to read. So, I decided to change that. I realized that setting aside 1 hour a day to read wasn’t just good for me but for everyone around me. Thats because when I spend time doing something I love, my stress levels decrease and my brain feels less foggy. The 1 hour reboot gives me time to relax and breathe again. Plus, reading sparks my creativity which also makes me more productive and I’ve found that I complete more work after my reading break. Of course, this is something specific to me. If reading isn’t your thing then thats fine. Just find something you love doing and set aside at least 1 hour a day to do it. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
3. Picking out my outfit for the day the night before
Okay, this was something my mom used to make me do as a kid and honestly I hated doing it. I don’t know what it was about it but I only liked to pick out my clothes in the morning. Well, not anymore. I find that picking out an outfit the night before save me significant time in the morning. Probably because I used to spend at least 30 minutes trying on different outfits. Now I have my 1 outfit ready and prepped, steamed and all, in the bathroom waiting for me in the morning. It’s a small thing but it takes out some stress from my morning routine.
4. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day
This one I’m sure you’ve been told to do many times. If you’re anything like me, then you’re notorious for not drinking enough water. Personally, drinking water is boring to me and just makes me have to pee more which is annoying. But, keeping hydrated is extremely important for all of our organs including our brain. Being properly hydrated can help increase productivity and decrease brain fog. It can even keep you energized. One thing I find that works for me is keeping a large pitcher in the fridge of water with lemon in it. I find that flavored water is easier to drink a lot and lemon in water has a lot of health benefits too. Plus, keeping it in the fridge makes it easy to access. I also like to use a fun and bright water bottle that I keep with me at all times. This way even if I’m running errands I can stay hydrated.
5. Lastly, talking to my family everyday
And by this, I don’t mean the people directly in my household. If I didn’t talk to them everyday it would be weird. I’m talking my parents and siblings who don’t live nearby. I make it a goal to talk to them for at least 30 minutes a day. Usually, I’m texting them here and there throughout the day anyway since we have a family groupchat. But, I mean calling a family member and chatting on the phone or facetime for 30 minutes a day. After all, we all know how important family is. You wanna keep them close especially during these difficult times. For me, facetiming with them daily puts a smile on my face and helps me stay connected. It also gives me someone to vent to and get realistic feedback from. My siblings aren’t afraid to hold back, which I hate sometimes but can be really helpful. Sometimes, you just need someone to push you to be more productive or someone to talk your ideas through with. Plus, in times like these you can never know whats going to happen so do yourself a favor and pick up the phone and call your mom, or dad, or sibling or even just a good friend. Stay connected with them and make sure to tell them how much they mean to you!
Thanks for reading! I hope I gave you some useful tips. Stay healthy and safe everyone!
