Maximizing Your Mornings and Nights for Ultimate Productivity

Why Mornings Are So Important

It's the start of your day! A terrible morning can create a terrible day. Likewise, a terrific morning can create a terrific day. While things can progressively get better or worse, of course, it's crucial that you get the choice of how YOU start your day.

What Nights Are So Important

Interestingly, the secret to an effective morning routine lies in having a productive night routine. By completing tasks at night, you reduce the workload for your morning self. Poor sleep will result in a difficult morning, perpetuating a negative cycle.

 How Can I Develop Good Morning AND Night Routines?

            Glad you asked! Let's dive into this right now. I will share with you four things you can do for your mornings and four things you can do at night for optimal success.

Morning: Drink Water & Eat Breakfast

""But KT, I'm not a breakfast person." Well, you should become one! Here's why. Drinking water in the morning is incredibly beneficial. It wakes up your cells, aids digestion, helps eliminate toxins from your body, boosts metabolism, provides energy, rehydrates you, and more! Yes, water should come before coffee. You need a pure glass first. As for breakfast, particularly for women, it supports weight management. First, it kickstarts your metabolism, signaling your body that it's not starving and ready to function. Second, it reduces the chance of overeating later because you're extremely hungry. You don't need to have a large breakfast immediately upon waking, but consuming something, especially with protein, within an hour and a half of waking can do wonders for you.

Morning: Move Your Body

If all else fails, your day becomes hectic, you feel exhausted, or lose motivation, at least you will have done something beneficial for your body. I'm not talking about a full workout! You could just spend 1 minute doing jumping jacks and 5 minutes on a yoga or mobility flow. That's all it takes. This also supports metabolic function and boosts your energy. It's like experiencing a runner's high without actually running.

You deserve an energetic boost to your day.

Morning: Review Your Goals & To Do List

We must remember our purpose and what we are aiming for. Waking up every morning and heading to work, especially if it's a job you don't particularly enjoy, can be draining. However, reminding yourself, "I am working towards that new car," "I am working towards financial freedom," or "I am fulfilling my purpose of helping others," can help reset your tolerance level. Additionally, reviewing your to-do list helps you concentrate on what truly matters. Instead of rushing around completing tasks without real purpose, you allow yourself to live intentionally and focus on what truly matters with the energy and time you have each day.

Morning: Read and Write

Reading is essential; it liberates the mind and ignites creativity and ideas. Your brain functions best in the morning, so spending time reading a few pages of a book can lead to success. Whether it teaches you something new, inspires an idea, or offers an engaging topic, reading is excellent nourishment for the brain. There was a time when we would sit and read newspapers. Disconnect from your phone and reconnect with literature. Additionally, spend 2-3 minutes writing down something you were grateful for that happened yesterday. Reflecting on small victories highlights the positive and diminishes the negative. We don't need to dwell on things that bring us down; that happens naturally. Instead, we should focus on what went well and bring more joy into our lives.

Night: Pack

Nobody wants to spend their morning rushing to gather bags. Our morning energy should be used differently. Instead, prepare everything the night before. Pack your lunch bag, work bag, gym bag, and personal bag in advance so they're ready in the morning. This way, you can enjoy a calm, slow, and peaceful start to your day. While you're at it, lay out the clothes you plan to wear the next day. At night, your mental energy is depleted, allowing you to quickly choose a simple yet effective outfit. In the morning, however, with your brain juice restored, you might overthink your outfit choice. Let the night version of yourself make that decision.

Night: Tidy Up

II'm not suggesting you need to deep clean your whole house, or even wash the dishes. Tidying up simply means placing items where they belong. Ensure all dirty dishes are in the sink, dirty clothes are in the hamper, and shoes and jackets are put away, among other things. Remember, your morning self doesn't deserve to wake up to a mess. Plus, your morning self might feel like cleaning, which isn't the best use of that morning energy. Since you'll already be tired and a bit lazy at night, you'll do this quickly and efficiently.

Night: Wind Down

Take some time to decompress. Your day has likely been filled with nonstop activities. Now is the moment to appreciate your home and your bed before drifting off to sleep. This might be a good time to cuddle and chat with your partner, indulge in some extra reading, or enjoy a bath. Whatever you choose, ensure it's something for yourself that promotes relaxation. It's like setting the tone for the night and can lead to better dreams instead of anxious ones. Have you ever gone to bed overthinking about work, a movie, or something similar, only for it to show up in your dreams? It's relentless! So, give your mind and body a break before bedtime.

Night: Make The Plan

In the morning is when you review your to-do list, but at night is when you make it. Take a moment to write down the most important things you need to get done the next day along with a few things you would LIKE to get done. Morning you will make the decision, but night you is giving the idea. Teamwork!

Try this 8 tips out for the next 8 weeks. I have a very strong feeling you will notice a significant difference in your day to day life.