5 Daily Habits to Set Yourself up for a Productive Day
5 Daily Habits to Set Yourself Up for a Productive Day
Do you ever think there is not enough time in a day to get it all done? I’m here to tell you that there is. Staying at home with my kids is great. It’s something I never knew I wanted to do or thought I could do. I have found though, being productive is very difficult when I am with my toddlers all day. When I first quit my job and started staying at home, I noticed I got so much less done being home all day with my kids than I ever did in the few hours I was home after work before. How was that even possible?! The math did not add up. So I tried different routines and ideas to maximize my productivity and spend my time most efficiently throughout the day and I have discovered it comes down to two things…being organized and starting the day with a positive mindset. If you can master these two things, you can gain control of your day. Everyone’s routine will be different because every person’s priorities are different but if you are struggling to get motivated each morning or having trouble getting anything accomplished throughout the day, here are a few simple things I do to set myself up for a productive day that might help you, too!
Plan Ahead
I will say this over and over again! Planning ahead is so important for time management. One night a week I sit down and plan out our week including meal planning, events and activities, tasks I would like to complete, etc. Each night I will check my planner to see what we have the next day so I know what to expect. Each morning, I check again as a refresher so I can fill my free time with the things I need and want to get done! Having a plan ensures I’m not scrambling around trying to remember what I had to do or where we need to be. (If you want more insight on how to get more organized click here to read my post on 5 Tips for Getting and Staying Organized!)
Pack Your Bag
When I was working, I had a decent commute. That meant whatever I needed for the whole day needed to come with me like my work tote, lunchbox, diaper bag, workout clothes, etc. I got in the habit of getting all those things ready the night before and I have carried this habit over to staying at home! Every night, I double check the diaper bag. I make sure it is fully stocked with the normal things like changes of clothes for the kids, diapers, wipes, and snacks. I make sure my wallet is handy, my keys are where the are supposed to be and that whatever devices I might need (phone, headphones, tablet, etc.) are charged or on the charger. We may not have anything planned outside the house the next day, but having a bag ready ensures way less chaos if you do end up leaving the house on a whim. If you have kids, you know getting out the door with everyone and everything is way harder than actually going somewhere! You will have the opportunity to do more if you are ready to go and the burden of getting out the door won’t become a factor in deciding whether or not you can go do something last minute.
Pick Up the House
First, I never go to bed with a mess! The last thing I want to see when I wake up in the morning is a mess to clean up. It immediately puts me in an annoyed mood and I do not like starting my day that way. To manage this, so I am not spending my entire day and night picking up, I consistently straighten up throughout the day. I have seen and heard a lot of SAHMs that feel the same way about messes that I do (they don’t like them) and have a hard time being in the moment and playing with their kids because all they want to do is clean up the toys they have out. Something I have been doing is letting the kids make the mess and I join in the fun. Then I have them help me pick the mess up afterwards before moving on to something else. This allows me to be present with my kids while we play and it teaches them to pick up after themselves. It’s a win, win. After the kids go to bed, first I will pick up any toys not put away. Then I will clean up the kitchen from dinner which consists of putting any leftover food away, putting any dirty dishes in the dishwasher to wash overnight, wipe down the counters and put on the coffee for the next day. Lastly, I finish by straightening up. I will fold blankets and fix pillows on the couch and mostly just put away whatever random items have shown up on the counters and tables back in their homes. Side note, my husband helps with these things at night so be sure to ask for help if these things are important to you! I have done this routine for so long I do it without even thinking about it and I can move through it very quickly. It might seem tedious and time consuming but it’s not once you make it a habit!
Get Ready
I am not a morning person. I have tried so hard over the years to be but I am just not and quite frankly, I really have no desire to be! And that’s okay. Knowing this and embracing it has helped me find ways to make the mornings less difficult. I have found that the act of getting ready has been crucial in establishing a good mindset for my day since staying at home with the kids. Getting ready is going to look different for everyone! For me it looks like this:
1. Take a shower. I like to take a shower in the morning because it helps wake me up. Some days, mostly when I have to be somewhere earlier than normal the next morning, I will take one at night. I know myself, and getting up a little earlier is not as easy for me as it probably should be at this point in my adult life. But taking a shower at night means I gain some time back in the morning.
2. Fix my hair. I have unique hair. It can take me about 5 minutes to fix my hair unless I have to wash my hair and then that’s a much longer process. I rarely ever wash my hair in the morning if I have to be somewhere because I know how much extra time that will take and like I said before, I’m probably not actually going to get up any earlier to do that.
3. Put on makeup. I put on makeup almost every day. I’m not talking about full make up though. If I’m just at the house, I put on the bare minimum which for me is foundation, brow gel and mascara. Some people think I’m crazy for fixing my hair and makeup every day even when I’m at home but if I don’t do this, I feel tired. My hair gets flat and I have to wash it more often and my skin gets oily and I just don’t feel fresh. There is nothing wrong with not fixing your hair or not putting on makeup, but for me to feel awake and ready to take on two toddlers, I need to do this!
4. Get dressed. Getting dressed looks different every day for me and mostly depends on what we have going on that day. I don’t have to put on “real” clothes but I absolutely need to get out of the clothes I slept in. I remember when I started staying at home about a year ago and stopped working that I had to invest in some more “lounge” clothes. All I had were dress clothes and a few lounge clothes and that was not going to cut it staying at home. It is very hard to want to put on actual clothes with young kids because they have the tendency to use your clothing as their napkin, wipe or tissue. Am I right? So even if we have somewhere to be that day, when I’m getting ready in the morning, I will put on fresh lounge or athleisure clothes and lay out my regular clothes. Then when it’s time to head out the door, the last thing I do is change into those clothes. When we get back home, one of the first things I do is change back into those clothes. This act of getting dressed helps me feel mentally ready for the day.
5. Make my bed. The last thing I do when I’m getting ready is make my bed. It seems like such a small task but nothing says, “I’m ready for the day!” like a made bed! It’s a good visual reminder every time I see it made throughout the day that I already accomplished something that day and it keeps me motivated to do more. And even if I don’t accomplish anything else the rest of the day, I at least did that.
Making Time for Myself
I am extremely lucky that both of my kids still nap and nap at the same time. Most days, nap time is reserved for me and something that I want to do for myself. I don’t always spend the entire time on myself but at least a portion of it. I rarely use the time to talk or catch up with anyone because I truly enjoy listening to the silence for an hour or too. Having this time to recharge during the day and focus on something I enjoy doing or want to do is such a good way for me to reset my mind so I can continue being present with the kids for the remainder of the day. Everyone’s day looks different but make sure when planning your day you include time for yourself!
All of these things, planning ahead, keeping a bag ready, keeping the house picked up, getting ready and making time for myself each day are all small things that help me manage my time and be mentally prepared for each day. These habits and routines have allowed me to find the times throughout my day where I can be most productive. If I can start a day fresh with a positive mindset and be ready to take on whatever the day is going to throw at me, I have found I can be present and productive. I don’t have to have a clean house or spend time with my kids. I can have a clean house and spend time with my kids. It doesn’t have to be either/or. With time management and routine you can free up a lot of time throughout the day to be productive and get that to do list done! What do you do to set yourself up for successful day?