It has become too cliché when we say that the day doesn’t always go as planned; no doubt about that. However, I have come to understand that life is intentional – you have to be intentional with what you do with your day, what you’ll wear to work, your daily activities, meeting schedule and even what you eat daily. Nobody accidentally stumbles on a successful day if you don’t plan towards it. If you don’t plan your day, you may miss some opportunities that could have made a huge impact in your life. As we forge into the new week, here are 10 tips that help me have a great day, I thought it’ll be nice to share with you
- Prepare the night before – Reduce the stress in the morning by getting the simple details out of the way the night before. Iron what to wear, pack your bag, prepare and pack your lunch, put your keys, wallet etc. in your bag if they are not already there so you do not risk going to work late and without your essential tools.
- Wake Up 15 – 30 minutes early –How you start the morning can make or break your day, so give yourself plenty of time for a positive start. This few minutes give you extra time to stretch, yawn and meditate.
- Start the day with meditation –say a prayer, reflect on the activities for the day and commit your day into God’s hands. Pray about that difficult client, the strict boss and wisdom to guide you on that tough project whose deadline is fast approaching, This tip works like magic – you should try it.
- Plan your day –Take a few minutes and think about what you’d like the outcome of your day to be. Is it to just “get through” another day, or do you want it to be a productive day? Next, briefly look over your to-do-list for the day and allocate time to each task; this will keep you organized and prepared to take on the day!
- Don’t skip breakfast– breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should not be skipped except you’re fasting. Breakfast is your morning booster to keep you active and energized to start your day; I recommend something not too heavy so you don’t become lazy before your day starts.
- Smile and laugh more –Laughter is good for the heart and good for the soul. It has a way of refocusing, re-energizing, and resetting your mind. I made it a task to laugh every day and crack jokes with my colleagues and it was a real booster to my day.
- Check-in with loved ones– A lot can happen throughout the course of the day. Communicating with loved ones can cheer you up and help lift your spirit. Your loved one could be a spouse, sibling, parent, relation or a friend – someone who encourages you positively.
- Take regular breaks – you are not a machine. Your body is not designed to work non-stop on caffeine. Taking regular breaks is VERY essential for productivity.
- Listen to music –music makes the heart merry and does wonders to the mind; I love working with music because it helps me think – it’s my safe haven. Sometimes when you don’t know how to crack the next task on your desk, try listening to a good music, it can spark up your creativity.
- Start your workday with the most important task – Find the most important task on your to-do list and do it first thing when your workday starts. This task is usually difficult and requires more time so it is easy to fall for the temptation to procrastinate. But if you get it out of the way early, then you will feel less pressured and gradually finish off the other tasks.
You don’t have to jump in with all the ten tips, but I hope you give at least three of them a try this week. Have an amazing week ahead.
Written by Lynda Omerekpe