Most productive things you can get done early in the morning before work, according to career coaches
If you’re looking to move seamlessly and successfully through your day, updating your early morning M.O. is a good place to start.
Performance and executive coaches reveal their top tips for making the most of this sliver of your A.M.
Whether you struggle with time management or want to be sure you're accomplishing projects and tasks before the work day even starts, check out the smart advice below.
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It's bound to get you thinking differently about your mornings.
Wear a variation of the same thing every day
Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist, executive performance coach and author of "Be Fearless: Change Your Life in 28 Days," recommends keeping your wardrobe simple to supercharge your day.
Keep your wardrobe simple or wear similar items of clothing every day to help you save time in the mornings. (iStock)
"Zuckerberg and his hoodie. Jobs and his jeans and black turtleneck," Alpert said.
He was referencing a quote from Mark Zuckerberg during the latter's public town hall meeting at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California, in 2014: "I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community," Zuckerberg said, according to tech.co.
"I'm in this really lucky position, where I get to wake up every day and help serve more than a billion people. And I feel like I'm not doing my job if I spend any of my energy on things that are silly or frivolous about my life."
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Said Alpert, "Makes sense to me."
He said he wears jeans himself almost daily since they're easy to pair with shirts — thereby saving him time.
Embrace a positive mental attitude (PMA)
Deb Harrison, a growth and change coach and consultant based in New York's Hudson Valley, said a strategy she recommends for productivity and well-being is the "morning mindset for motivation."
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Deb Harrison (@dharrisonpvd)
(This is assuming you’re not working a night shift that ends in the morning.)
Upon waking, you can set the tone for how you’re going to mentally approach the day by thinking about what you’re going to do, while envisioning yourself accomplishing those tasks, said Harrison.
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"For example, you might think about calmly doing chores that need to be done," she said.
"In addition, you can speak to yourself positively, saying things like, ‘I’m going to put in my best effort for the day and be proud of what I accomplish, including the effort I make,’" she said — noting that mental imaging and self-talk build confidence and calm.
Kick-start the day with hydration
It's likely not the first time you've heard it: It's important to drink a lot of water first thing in the morning, experts say.
"As simple as it sounds," said Alpert, "it's a vitally important act with far-reaching benefits."
Drink a lot of water in the morning, because your body needs to make up for the seven hours of hydration you missed while sleeping. (iStock)
"Think about it: If you go to sleep at midnight and wake up at 7:00 a.m. you've gone at least seven hours without hydrating," Alpert said.
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"The average adult body is 50-65% water and blood is 82% water. The brain cells are 85% water and muscles are 75%," he added.
Still not convinced?
Drinking enough water may actually improve healthy aging and help fight off illness. (iStock)
A recent study found that staying hydrated by drinking enough water may improve healthy aging and help stave off illness, Fox News Digital reported.
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If you’re not a fan of plain water, squeeze some lemon or lime wedges into your water and/or add a few slices of cucumber.
Block out time for a high-impact task
"A great way to start your day is by using the quiet of early mornings to plan your day with a focus on impact rather than activity," said Andrea J. Miller, a D.C.-based leadership and performance coach and consultant; she specializes in career transitions and leadership development.
Start the day with some sort of high-impact task. You may come out of it feeling accomplished and empowered — and can dedicate time during your work day to completing other tasks more quickly. (iStock)
"Start by identifying one high-impact task that will make a significant difference in your work — and then dedicate this uninterrupted time to it," she said.
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The approach ensures that you're starting your day with clarity about your priorities — and creating a sense of momentum even before the official work day begins.
Before you sleep, tap into your unconscious mind
This concept comes courtesy of Mitchell Creasey, founder of The President’s Coach, an executive coaching firm in Toronto, Canada.
He suggested that when you lie down in bed at night, ask yourself, "What do I need to do first tomorrow morning?"
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Mitchell Creasey (@thepresidentscoach)
Creasey said you shouldn’t try to answer it.
Rather, simply ask yourself the question — and then go to sleep.
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"Your unconscious mind will sort through your mental to-do list while you sleep," he said.
"And when you wake, you’ll know exactly what email to send, what post to write or have the answer to the problem you’ve been wrestling with, all before the work day begins," he said.
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