Have you ever wondered what makes highly productive people so productive? As you can imagine, it’s likely a mix of different factors. Some of these factors may be beyond your control. They can have a personality type or a natural energy level that just makes them above average.
However, there are many factors that are completely under your control that you can manipulate for your own benefit. For example, most productive people have a steady, repeatable nighttime routine that prepares them for success each morning.
What do these nightly routines entail and how can you capitalize on them?
The Best Nighttime Routines for Productive People
Here are some of the best nighttime routines to get you ready for productivity in the morning:
1. Stop drinking caffeine and alcohol
Too many people rely too heavily on substances like caffeine (for an energy boost) and alcohol (to relax or unwind) throughout the day. In small amounts and when consumed responsibly, these substances can actually have a positive impact on your life. But if you consume them too close to bedtime, your sleep can be practically ruined.
2. Do something you love
Take some time every night to do something you love – even if it’s only 15 minutes. This could mean playing a video game, playing a musical instrument, or just hanging out with your family. No matter how busy you are, it is important to take your time. By doing something relaxing and / or fun, you will relieve stress and prepare for a more upbeat, peaceful morning.
3. Put away the digital screens
Most of us spend our evenings staring at digital screens, whether watching a TV show or checking emails on our smartphones. Do what many productive people do at least a few hours before bed, and put away the digital screens. The bright blue light from most digital devices can affect your ability to sleep. Using digital screens to work can add extra stress to you.
4. Read a physical book
Many people find reading a book relaxing and conducive to a good night’s sleep. And if you’re reading about a topic that is important to your career, it can educate you or even help you create a thought-through plan. Keep a handful of interesting books by your bed or near your couch so you can easily pick something up and start reading whenever you feel like it.
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5. Set priorities and / or tasks
When your day’s work turns into your evening hours, you should spend some time setting priorities or making to-do lists. Your mornings will be much more focused and productive when you “go ahead” with rigid goals. Write down a list of everything you want to achieve, preferably on paper, and set a priority level for each of these achievements. “A” priorities are “must” tasks; Priorities “B” are important, but can be dropped in favor of A tasks. and “C” priorities serve as “backburner” tasks, which are nowhere near as important. Time management is an important factor in increasing productivity.
6. Make decisions for the morning
Decision fatigue is a real phenomenon where the quality of your decisions tends to degrade the more decisions you are forced to make. In other words, if you have 30 decisions to make in a day, your thirtieth decision will be measurably worse than your first decision. You can reduce decision fatigue by making other decisions ahead of time – especially trivially simple decisions like laying out your clothes and preparing your breakfast, which can be done the night before.
7. Meditate
Many highly productive people meditate for at least 15 minutes a night. The goal of meditation is to clear your mind of persistent or distracting thoughts and to give you a few moments of clear awareness. It’s great for relieving stress that has built up throughout the day and can even help you sleep better.
8. Go to bed at the same time
Sleep is important if you want to achieve maximum productivity. One of the best ways to get a better night’s sleep is to be consistent. Try to go to bed at the same time every night, even on the weekend, and follow the same routine before going to bed. Over time, you will find it easier to fall asleep and fall asleep.
Productive people know the importance of establishing a routine
One secret of success is making these routines actual routines. It is not enough to just try them once or twice to make them effective. Make a commitment to follow your chosen routines for three days in a row. If this is successful, try to keep these habits for a full week. When you can do this, it becomes much easier to repeat these patterns of behavior indefinitely and unleash their true potential.
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