Most of us lose an hour a day checking personal emails and social media. Don't start the day by setting a bad habit.Block your browser for when you start work.

Opening web browsers

Standing rather than sitting can help you gain more control and power over a situation.Go for a walk or use a standing desk for the first 10 minutes of your day.

Sitting in your chair

Drinking a coffee to kickstart your day is a bad idea because it interferes with the time when the stress hormone cortisol is peaking in your body.Only drink coffee between 10:00 AM and noon or 2:00 PM and 5 PM, when your cortisol levels are lowest.

Drinking coffee

It takes up to 25 minutes to get in a productive state after checking emails.Keep your email closed for the first 30 minutes of your working day. Switch off email notifications while you're focusing on work.

Checking emails first thing

Keeping too much information in your head can make you think you are in control, even when that's not true.Keep a notebook where you can empty your mind from any ideas or to-dos, before starting the day.

Not emptying your brain

Multitaskers perform generally worse in tasks than those working sequentially.Plan your day ahead for maximum productivity by allocating 40 minutes blocks for single tasks, with 20 minutes blocks in between to work on miscellaneous tasks.

Several tasks at once

Block out meeting-free time at the start of every day in your calendar, accepting only the most unavoidable meetings.

Going straight into a meeting

Exposure to light early in the morning is beneficial for your mood, alertness, and metabolism.If your desk is near a window, open the blinds or curtains each morning lo let light in. If that is not the case, consider investing in a SAD lamp.

Away from natural light

You need to share your deadlines with others for them to be effective.Share your task list, deadlines and progress with your team on a daily basis.

Self-imposed deadlines

2 min read There are a number of things you're probably doing every morning that are actually hindering your productivity. If you're an avid coffee drinker, you might be surprised to find out that drinking coffee between 8 and 10 a.m can make you more stressed throughout the day.

Drinking coffee

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