To help you boost your productivity through wellness practices, we’ve gathered eight insightful tips from professionals across various fields. From a writer’s perspective on the optimal work-rest rhythm to a travel advisor’s take on body-scan meditation for focus, CEOs and community managers alike share their daily routines for increased productivity.
- Optimal Work-Rest Rhythm
- Power Naps for Productivity
- Maintaining Healthy Eating Habits
- Phone-Free First Hour
- Intermittent Fasting for Clarity
- Workday Deadline and Meditation
- Regular Exercise Fuels Productivity
- Body-Scan Meditation for Focus
1. Optimal Work-Rest Rhythm
Finding your optimal work-rest rhythm is key to staying productive and preventing burnout. I can work effectively for about 60-90 minutes before needing a break. During that break, I make it a point to step outside and ground myself in nature for a few minutes, leaving my phone behind to avoid distractions, negative feelings, or going on a rabbit trail.
This practice refreshes my energy and keeps me focused and on track, ensuring my productivity remains steady throughout the day. If stepping outside isn’t feasible, a brief walk, stretching exercises, or even a short journaling session can be excellent alternatives to recharge your mind and body.
Sophia Victoria, Writer and Wellness Nerd, Sophiv.com
2. Power Naps for Productivity
I take power naps to boost productivity. They became part of my daily routine a few years ago, and since then, I haven’t found any other wellness practices that would be easier to implement and more effective.
After a quick nap lasting 15 to 20 minutes, I feel energized, creative, and better concentrated. All of that has a positive influence both on my work and overall well-being. Power naps reduce fatigue more effectively than countless cups of coffee. They also help me regulate emotions and feel less tense, which resonates in all areas of my life. I encourage everyone to try power napping themselves. You won’t regret it.
Agata Szczepanek, Community Manager, MyPerfectResume
3. Maintaining Healthy Eating Habits
Maintaining healthy eating habits is key to having enough energy and focus to stay productive. Eating nutritious meals throughout the day helps keep blood sugar levels balanced, which can reduce tiredness and fatigue.
Starting the day with a healthy breakfast that includes a variety of foods from all the food groups, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, proteins, and healthy fats, is beneficial. Eating smaller meals throughout the day instead of three large meals helps you stay energized and alert for longer periods. Drinking water is also important since dehydration can severely impact focus and productivity.
Evan Tunis, President, Florida Healthcare Insurance
4. Phone-Free First Hour
Incorporating a phone-free first hour into my daily routine has been transformative. This time allows me to be fully present, whether with family or just enjoying a quiet moment with coffee.
By avoiding distractions that usually flood in from my phone, even for an hour, I’ve significantly improved my energy and focus throughout the morning because I have a greater perspective.
Chris Stott, Director, Seven Marketing
5. Intermittent Fasting for Clarity
Contrary to the popular notion of three square meals a day, I practice intermittent fasting. I confine my eating to a specific time window, usually eight hours. Outside that window, it’s just water and occasional black coffee.
Fasting sharpens the mind. You’re lighter and more alert when not bogged down by constant digestion. It’s a metabolic switch. Your body moves from utilizing quick sugars to burning fat for fuel, leading to increased mental clarity. The brain loves ketones; when it gets them, tasks seem easier, making problems less complicated.
Aysu Erkan, Marketing Manager, Şekilli Yazı
6. Workday Deadline and Meditation
The one wellness practice I’ve incorporated into my daily routine is setting a clear workday deadline. What I mean by this is that by 8:00 p.m., all work must be shut off so I can spend the time I need to journal and meditate.
I found that by setting a deadline like that and having a reward to work towards, like my meditation, provides me a reward at the end of the day as part of a daily routine. It also pushes me to leverage Parkinson’s Law by having more concrete deadlines instead of working late. Being productive is very important, and sometimes it simply results from incorporating little habits or routines into one’s day.
Sebastian Jania, CEO, Ontario Property Buyers
7. Regular Exercise Fuels Productivity
Performing regular exercise is the absolute secret that helps sustain productivity. Just a 30-minute workout session helps invigorate my body and mind. A morning workout invigorates my body and mind.
This activity effectively enhances energy levels, reduces stress, and ignites creativity. Whether it’s a jog, yoga, or calisthenics, this ritual ensures I approach my writing tasks with zeal and mental clarity. Fitness fuels my words while making my every day more productive.
Dhari Alabdulhadi, CTO and Founder, Ubuy Kuwait
8. Body-Scan Meditation for Focus
Now, more than ever, our lives seem to go a mile a minute. With busy schedules and filled calendars, trying to stay productive while working can be another stressor added to our lives, impacting our overall wellness.
When I feel my mind being pulled in several directions and my productivity is affected, body-scan meditation helps. This mindfulness helps me tune out all the chaos and bring me back to the center. I AM MORE FOCUSED AND MORE PRODUCTIVE once I have spent even five to ten minutes quieting the outside noise.
Sarah Newbanks, Travel Advisor, The Explorer Travel Co
Ready to Turbocharge Your Day? Here’s Your Action Plan!
So you’ve dived into all these awesome tips from industry experts on how to up your productivity game, and now you’re keen to put them into play, like yesterday. But where to start, you ask? Worry not! We’ve got your back with this down-to-earth guide that’ll have you soaring productivity-wise in no time.
Simple Hacks for Immediate Impact
- Optimal Work-Rest Timer: Use a Pomodoro Timer app to work for 60-90 minutes and then take a 5-10 minute break.
- Nap-On-Go: Have a cozy blanket or eye mask at your workspace. When you feel low on energy, take a quick 15-20 minute power nap.
- Snack Smart: Keep a stash of healthy snacks like almonds, fruit slices, or yogurt. Replace the candy bowl with these to maintain energy throughout the day.
- First Hour Unplugged: Charge your phone in another room when you wake up. Spend the first hour of your day device-free, focusing on coffee, family, or meditation.
- Fasting Alerts: Set reminders for your eating window if you’re trying intermittent fasting. Use an app to track fasting and feeding times.
- Workday Alarm: Set an alarm for when your workday ends. When it rings, it’s time to unplug and transition to personal time.
- Quick Workouts: Keep a pair of sneakers at your workspace. Use any break for a quick jog or a few stretches.
- Mindfulness Reminder: Set 5-10 minute mindfulness sessions on your calendar. Use free apps for guided body-scan meditation sessions.
There you go! Simple, right? Each tip aligns with the expert advice you’ve read about, and now you’ve got the tools to make these wellness practices a part of your daily productivity regime. Try one, try them all, but most importantly, make them work for you!