When you’re feeling generally unmotivated with life or a little bit lost, making those initial first moves to clarity and purpose can feel wildly overwhelming—especially when you’re not 100% sure of where you want to go. In times like these, joining a personal development club like <a href="https://bit.ly/3L1aGdd">Topknot </a>is such a solid solution. With <a href="https://bit.ly/3L1aGdd">Topknot </a>, you’ll be connected with a club of committed people with shared interests and you’ll have the space and structure you need to learn about yourself, make concrete plans, and take action.

1. Join a personal development club that’ll help you set goals

When was the last time you took a <a href="https://theeverygirl.com/where-travel-enneagram/">vacation </a>with the sole purpose of doing absolutely nothing? Between the hustle and bustle of work, chores, and social gatherings, it’s super easy to get in a mundane routine where you might feel like you’re on autopilot. Take a day, a weekend, or a few PTO days to disconnect from the world, recharge, and reconnect with yourself. Carve out space to pick up that book you’ve been dying to read, finally do that brain dump in your journal, and reflect on your life and where you want to go.

2. Have A Self-discovery Vacation (Or Staycation)

The further I get into adulthood, the more I believe in having a <a href="https://theeverygirl.com/hobbies-at-home/">hobby </a>to help me make the most of my downtime. If you’re looking to improve your <a href="https://online.kettering.edu/news/2019/04/15/why-hobbies-are-important">mental, emotional, or physical health </a>while rediscovering the joys of life, consider finding a hobby to enrich your day-to-day routine. And if you’re having trouble narrowing it down, go with what you know and look to your inner child. Whether it be dancing, doodling, playing soccer, or painting, reconnecting with something that used to bring you bliss is a sure way to make your life a little bit more well-rounded in adulthood.

3. Connect with an old childhood hobby

When was the last time you took a peek at or updated your bucket list? Dream big and really explore the must-do and must-see things that you want to tackle in your future (both distant and near). Then, go through and sift out the selections that you can make moves toward right now. Whether you’re looking for a little bit of control over your destiny or simply want something to look forward to, getting creative and making plans for your future can help you continue on toward a life that you’re excited about.

4. Update Your Bucket List

When in doubt, phone a friend. Besides the fact that connecting with other humans can help boost your mood, improve your quality of life, and even lengthen your lifespan, catching up with someone you love and trust can be an incredibly therapeutic experience, especially when you’re feeling “meh” or like you’re in a bit of a slump. Whether you’re looking for advice, need to vent, or just want to distract yourself, reconnecting with your community can be a powerful tool for sifting out your own thoughts, releasing emotions, & increasing dopamine levels. Lean on your people—they’ve got your back.

5. Schedule Time To Connect With A Loved One You Trust

Ups and downs are inevitable and if you're in a season of feeling meh, you're not alone. Here are five ways to find clarity and reignite your fire:

Self Improvement

5 Ways to Get Back on Track if You’re Feeling “Meh” About Life

The Roman-era Stoic philosopher Seneca once joked that the one thing fools all have in common is that they are always getting ready to live but never actually do.That was 20 centuries ago. For tens of thousands of years, people have been procrastinating just like you do today: They put things off, delayed, made excuses, and wished their deadlines would disappear. And just as it does with you, this caused them anxiety, made them piss off their colleagues and families, and, worst of all, wasted time.

Fortunately, unlike our ancient counterparts, we have ages of wisdom to help us avoid the mental traps that lead us to procrastinate.Here are seven anti-procrastination tactics that are rooted in ancient philosophy and can be applied in the modern world.<ol><li>Action by action</li><li>Create a routine</li><li>Use a counterforce</li><li>Get one small win every day</li><li>Free yourself from the inessential</li><li>Face your important tasks head-on</li><li>Creat a sense of urgency</li></ol>

7 Tactics Of The Ancient World That Have Stood The Test Of Time

Don’t let your imagination be crushed by life as a whole… Stick with the situation at hand, and ask, “Why is this so unbearable? Why can’t I endure it?” You’ll be embarrassed to answer.—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations , 8.36

Action By Action

With any goal, our imaginations often run wild envisioning all the things that can go wrong. While it <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=645f7253d2&e=47e85155f0">can be productive </a>to think about the troubles that might lie ahead — the Stoics used an exercise called premeditatio malorum , or “premeditation of evils,” to prepare for potential adversity — imagining the worst usually just causes us to become paralyzed with fear. This is why <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=ba27c1cfdc&e=47e85155f0">Marcus Aurelius’ </a>advice was to keep in mind that a life is built action by action. No author ever writes a book, he would say. Instead, they write one sentence and then another and then another.

In the sports world, University of Alabama coach <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=e856728e5f&e=47e85155f0">Nick Saban </a> taught his players to ignore the big picture — important games, winning championships, the opponent’s enormous lead — and focus instead on doing the absolutely smallest things well. He would tell them, “Think about what you need to do in this drill, on this play, in this moment. That’s the process: Let’s think about what we can do today, the task at hand.”

In many circumstances, we do not deal with our affairs in accordance with correct assumptions, but rather we follow thoughtless habit.—Musonius Rufus, Lectures and Fragments , 6.7

Create A Routine

<a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=3e0e5428e4&e=47e85155f0">Epictetus </a>once said that “every habit and capability is confirmed and grows in its corresponding actions, walking by walking, and running by running… therefore, if you want to do something, make a habit of it.” If you don’t want to do something, he said, make a habit of doing the opposite. For this reason, the Stoics were big on <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=0cc8982e90&e=47e85155f0">habits and routines </a>. They believed that in a world where so much is out of our control, committing to a routine we do control is a way of establishing and reminding ourselves of our own power.

Without a disciplined schedule, procrastination inevitably moves in with all the chaos, complacency, and confusion: What was I going to do? What do I wear? What should I eat? What should I do first? What should I do after that? What sort of work should I do? Should I scramble to address this problem or rush to put out this fire?

That’s torture. Seneca would call it a design problem. “Life without a design is erratic,” he wrote. “As soon as one is in place, principles become necessary. I think you’ll concede that nothing is more shameful than uncertain and wavering conduct, and beating a cowardly retreat. This will happen in all our affairs unless we remove the faults that seize and detain our spirits, preventing them from pushing forward and making an all-out effort.”

The writer Haruki Murakami talks about why he follows the same routine every day. “The repetition itself becomes the important thing,” he says. “It’s a form of mesmerism. I mesmerize myself to reach a deeper state of mind.” Procrastination feeds on our uncertainty. Routine eliminates that uncertainty. We know what we do and when we do it.

Since habit is such a powerful influence, and we’re used to pursuing our impulses to gain and avoid outside our own choice, we should set a contrary habit against that, and where appearances are really slippery, use the counterforce of our training. — Epictetus, Discourses , 3.12.16

Use A Counterforce

When a dog is barking loudly because someone is at the door, the worst thing you can do is yell. To the dog, it’s like you’re barking, too. When a dog is running away, it’s not helpful to chase it — again, now it’s like you’re both running. A better option in both scenarios is to give the dog something else to do. Tell it to sit. Run in the other direction. Break the pattern. Interrupt the negative impulse.

The same goes for humans. When a bad habit reveals itself, counteract it with a commitment to a contrary virtue. Sometimes, when you find yourself procrastinating, it’s best not to dig in and fight it. Instead, get up and take a walk to clear your head. Try what artist <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=c02ad43abe&e=47e85155f0">Austin Kleon </a>calls productive procrastination: “A kind of promiscuous working in which I procrastinate on one project by working on another, sometimes switching between two or more projects until all the projects are done.”

Oppose established habits, use the counterforce of training to get traction and make progress, and channel the negative impulse into something, anything, positive.

Well-being is attained by little and little, and nevertheless is no little thing itself.—Zeno

Get One Small Win Every Day

Seneca wrote a lot of letters to Roman knight Lucilius. Through them, we get the sense that Lucilius struggled with many of the things we all struggle with: anxiety, distraction, fear, temptation, and self-discipline. It’s good that he had a friend like Seneca—someone who cared about him and told him the truth. One of Seneca’s best pieces of advice in those letters was actually pretty simple. “Each day,” he told Lucilius, you should “acquire something that will fortify you against poverty, against death, indeed against other misfortunes, as well.”

One gain per day. That’s it. This is the way to curbing our procrastinating tendencies: remembering that <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=6248dee44d&e=47e85155f0">incremental, consistent, humble, persistent work </a>is the way to improvement. Your business, your book, your career, your body — you build them with little things, day after day.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a filmmaker, entrepreneur, author, former governor, professional bodybuilder, and father of five. He’s also a fan of the Stoics. In <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=e6c8537fe1&e=47e85155f0">a recent video </a>, he gave his best advice for staying strong during this pandemic: “Just as long as you do something every day, that is the important thing.” One thing a day adds up. One step at a time is all it takes. You just gotta get one small win. And the sooner you start, the better you’ll feel—and be.

It is essential for you to remember that the attention you give to any action should be in due proportion to its worth, for then you won’t tire and give up, if you aren’t busying yourself with lesser things beyond what should be allowed.—Marcus Aurelius

Free Yourself From The Inessential

Procrastination can often be a product of overwhelm. We have so much on our to-do list that we don’t even know where to begin, so we don’t begin. Seneca liked to use the word “discursive.” When we have our attention pointed in so many different directions, we have it pointed nowhere. He compared it to the nomad: “Everywhere means nowhere.” The way forward is to <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=c4cef2512c&e=47e85155f0">zero in on what’s most important </a>.

It was Aurelius’ simple recipe for improvement and for happiness. And the fact that it came from such a busy man with so many obligations and responsibilities should not be forgotten. “If you seek tranquillity,” he said, “do less.” And then he follows the note to himself with some clarification: Not nothing—less. Do only what’s essential. “Which brings a double satisfaction,” he writes, “to do less, better.”

Follow this advice today and every day. So much of what we think we must do — and what we end up doing — is not essential. Rip off the chains of obligation to these things. Then you’ll be able to better do what is essential and get a taste of the tranquillity that Aurelius was talking about.

Yes, you can — if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable.—Marcus Aurelius

Face Your Important Tasks Head-on

All the crises, distractions, and temptations we face today have their analogs in the past. So we should listen to the command that Aurelius gave himself on one of those days when he was struggling to stay focused: “Concentrate every minute like a Roman — like a man — on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice.”

From his stepfather Antoninus, Aurelius learned how to work long hours and “stay in the saddle.” He never shirked hard work or avoided his most unpleasant duties. He had a job to do and didn’t complain about it. “Never be overheard complaining,” he wrote, “not even to yourself.”

Putting off our responsibilities is easy. Complaining is easy. Both are as natural to us as breathing. But what good has either ever done for anyone in the long run? Sure, shaking your fist at the sky and venting your frustrations can feel liberating in the moment, but has it ever changed your circumstances for the better, solved your problems, or made you happier?

Has procrastinating ever made your life less stressful and more efficient? I’m willing to bet the answer is no. This is why we must follow Aurelius’ lead and focus on the important tasks in front of us. If we can win that battle first, the rest of the day will be a breeze.

Stop letting yourself be distracted. That is not allowed. Instead, as if you were dying right now… Stop allowing your mind to be a slave, to be jerked about by selfish impulses, to kick against fate and the present, and to mistrust the future.—Marcus Aurelius

Create A Sense Of Urgency

An adage of author and historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson was that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” Today, we know that principle as Parkinson’s law. So, if you have two weeks to write a paper for school, it will take two weeks. If you block off all day Sunday to clean your house, it will take all day. If you give something unlimited time, it will take forever. When we’re pressed by a deadline, we don’t procrastinate.

We can use Parkinson’s law to our advantage. The Stoics did. <a href="https://ryanholiday.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dcd3642d86121fbcaa9914228&id=ca67770c23&e=47e85155f0">Memento mori </a>— the reflection on mortality — was their reminder. Remember that you are mortal. Remember that you are always pressed by a deadline. Remember what Aurelius said: “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” It wasn’t to create panic, but priority, humility, urgency, appreciation.

As wonderful as it would be if there were no such thing as death, we can use death as a tool: We can use it as a spur to move us forward. We can use it as a reminder of what’s truly important and use our time accordingly.

The Roman-era Stoic philosopher Seneca once joked that the one thing fools all have in common is that they are always getting ready to live but never actually do. That was 20 centuries ago. For tens…

How to Beat Procrastination Like a Stoic Philosopher

If you’ve ever spent more time talking yourself into doing something than it actually took to complete the task, you know how hard self-motivation can be. Whether it’s procrastination, distraction, or disinterest, the struggle can be real. Fortunately, there are some tricks that can help get you moving.Science-backed principles of persuasion can be the push you need to get stuff done, says New York Times best-selling author Daniel Pink, who teaches a <a href="https://www.masterclass.com/classes/daniel-pink-teaches-sales-and-persuasion">new MasterClass on persuasion and sales </a>.

Self-motivation has a new urgency in the pandemic when time is so distorted. So many of us are missing cues and structure found in a typical workplace. Anything small you can use to get yourself going can be super useful.If you’re feeling stuck, try one of these five simple tricks:

When you’re trying to persuade someone to do something, one tactic is to make it simple. You’re not trying to change their mind, you’re making it easy for them to say ‘yes.'Use this technique on yourself by agreeing to just do five more. For example, make five more calls, read five more pages, or send five emails.In many cases, 80% of the problem is getting started. By making that initial step easy, you’re not trying to change your mind; you’re doing what you need to get started and you’ll likely build the momentum to do a lot more.

1. Just five more

Setting goals is how many of us achieve the things we desire most, but goals can also be daunting when they’re big, like writing a book. Persuade yourself to get moving by setting smaller, interim goals, such as writing a chapter every week.Long-term goals don’t motivate. They can be too much—something you can’t wrap your head around—and cause you to freak out. Goals that are easier to accomplish can be motivating. When you see the end of something, you kick harder to get to the finish line.

2. Set interim goals

Posting an intention on social media can also be motivating. This has to do with the behavioral science that watched people are nice people. A public commitment is like being watched. You don’t want to lose face or look bad.To work, the public commitment persuasion tactic has to involve specific goal setting. You can’t just proclaim you’re going to write a book or run a marathon.If one has never written book, for example, it won’t be effective. Provide a timeframe, such as a finishing a chapter this week. Smaller and more specific is better than large and general announcements.

3. Make a public commitment

Another trick for getting more done is to take a break. The brain and body are not meant to work nonstop, says Pink.For whatever weird reason, we have the idea that powering through is the best way to get stuff done and a sign of our own virtue. We’ve got it upside down and believe amateurs take breaks and pros don’t. Athletes know that taking breaks is not a deviation from performance but is part of performance.Your drive to get more done would increase if you would simply take a walk outside every afternoon.

4. Take breaks

Having a looming deadline can be a good motivator for committing to action. You can set them yourself or leverage deadlines given to you by a manager or coworker.Deadlines help turn an abstract into something concrete, instead of a dull nagging to do something. Deadlines also provide the power of endings. It helps when you see the finish line.

5. Set deadlines

Science-backed principles of persuasion can be the push you need to get stuff done.


5 ways to persuade yourself to be more productive

Rather than going all-in on resolutions, set snackable goals that you can feel awesome about achieving. When we set realistic goals it helps motivate us to achieve them which in turn boosts our mental health. Give yourself credit for partially meeting the goal and think about how goal setting can impact your job, relationships, and self-care this year. For example, maybe you decide you want to try <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/organize-kitchen-sustainable-eating/">one week of sustainable cooking</a>, or three straight days of yoga. Whatever you choose, ticking off this small win will offer you a boost of happiness and satisfaction.

1. Set short-term goals for yourself

<a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/tips-for-creating-boundaries/">Setting boundaries is no cakewalk</a>. Every day, your family, colleagues, and (gestures widely) the world ask for parts of you. While you may find it fulfilling to help out here and there, setting boundaries is also key to your mental health and well-being. Here’s how to scale back: Observe where you are overextended. Is it related to difficulty saying no, <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/how-to-say-no-to-hanging-out/">people-pleasing</a>, FOMO, avoidance of something else at home, or in your relationship? You have to protect your free time or it will inevitably get lost in the mayhem of work-life balance issues.

2. Fix broken boundaries

Surprise, surprise: Sleep has a major influence on your mood and well-being. Without adequate sleep, you will forever be stuck in the reactionary patterns that govern your unconscious habits. And one of the first things to atrophy when we are chronically sleep deprived <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7181893/">is our mood regulation</a>. To improve it, <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/morning-routine-better-sleep/">you need to emphasize quality, quantity, and consistency</a>. All three factors matter in repairing long-held patterns of chronic sleep disruption. As if we all needed one more reason to prioritize shut-eye, consider this it.

3. Double down on sleep

Aim for 15 minutes of movement twice a day. For an added boost, do it outside to get sunlight therapy at the same time (two for the price of one). Who doesn’t love a BOGO? It doesn’t require a huge time commitment in order to get the mood boost from movement either. If you do decide to <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/endorphins-and-exercise/">squeeze in your feel-good, endorphin-boosting exercise outside</a>, just make sure you also <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/spf-roadblocks-australian-gold/">apply your SPF</a>.

4. Move your body (even just a little)

A mindfulness-slash-stillness practice can have <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/quick-mindfulness-break/">revolutionary effects on your happiness levels </a>. The biggest ROI in terms of cost, time, and outcome, by far, is a stillness or meditation practice of some sort. Mindfulness is proven to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2019.01074/full">increase mood</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4407465/">improve sleep</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2848393/">decrease anxiety</a>, and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6088366/">create more sustainable focus and concentration</a>. If you’re struggling to <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/three-minute-meditation/">start a meditation practice</a>, think of things you’re grateful for, then extend feelings of kindness out to others. This is sometimes called <a href="https://www.wellandgood.com/best-meditation-style-wellness-needs/">loving-kindness meditation</a>, and it can be an easy access point for people who struggle to sit still.

5. Sit still

Add a little sunshine to the first month of your year with these expert-approved, beginning of the year happiness tips.

5 Happiness-Boosting Things To Do To Start Your Year Off Right, According to Positive Psychologists

“Research has found that <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/08/140808111931.htm">about 40% of everyday life is shaped by habits </a>,” says Gretchen Rubin, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Four-Tendencies-Indispensable-Personality-Profiles/dp/1524760919?tag=wwwfccom-20">The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People’s Lives Better, Too) </a>and creator of the <a href="https://gretchenrubin.com/2021/11/announcing-the-happier-app/">Happier app </a>, which helps users track and stick to habits by tapping into personalized motivation techniques. “If you have habits that work for you, you’re much more likely to be happier, healthier, more productive, and more creative. And if you have habits that don’t work for you, it’s much harder.

One habit that you may need to break is recognizing that you can’t control what’s going to happen with the pandemic, says Ethan Kross, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chatter-Voice-Head-Matters-Harness/dp/0525575235?tag=wwwfccom-20">Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It</a>.“There are lots of things that we can do to be safer and to live productive, satisfying lives, even in the current climate, but there are some things that are just out of our control. The moment we recognize that, we can minimize the chatter surrounding the pandemic and move forward.”

Spending Mental Energy on Things You Can’t Control

Another mindset you may have adopted during the pandemic is buying into limiting beliefs that may be holding you back, says Kindra Hall, author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Choose-Your-Story-Change-Life/dp/1400228409?tag=wwwfccom-20">Choose Your Story, Change Your Life: Silence Your Inner Critic and Rewrite Your Life from the Inside Out </a>.“It’s those statements like, ‘Oh, I just can’t do this, or ‘What’s the point?'” she says. “It’s stories that are reeling around in the background that keep us from taking action.”Limiting beliefs may be due to past measures of success.Instead, Hall suggests redefining what success looks.

Measuring Success by Old Standards

Just when you got used to remote working, many employers are calling back teams to office or hybrid arrangements. This can be a big disruptor to the habits you’ve adopted, good or bad.“So many habits were disrupted during the pandemic, but what’s interesting is that some people have introduced positive habits, such as eating more healthfully because they’re cooking more or doing morning meditations because they’re not commuting,” says Rubin.

Not Planning for the Next Normal

It’s not too late to make a few more New Year’s resolutions.


3 pandemic habits to drop in 2022

This is a good time to think about what you value and how you plan to craft your next move. List your top 10 most important factors, such as more time for your children, caring for your parents, or making a difference in your community. You might value being able to have three days off in the middle of the week, or perhaps you need more time to work on yourself. Whatever you value, make sure you center it.

1. How do I want to live my life?

Is it going back to school, pursuing a credential, or securing an apprenticeship? Once you know what’s most important, consider the possible paths that can get you there. Keep an open mind: The right path might be something you hadn't thought about or something that surprises you.

2. What is the logical path for me to accomplish my goals?

Sometimes making a big move in your life causes well-meaning people to project their fears and doubts onto you and try to talk you out of what you know is right for yourself. Those seeds of doubt can wreak havoc on your <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/confidence">confidence </a>. That is why you need encouragement and support. This support could come from a professional organization, former colleagues, mentors, or like-minded friends. Find a tribe of people who have your back so you don’t feel alone. They’ll help you navigate the ins and outs of your new journey.

3. What are my sources of support?

Three questions to help you determine what’s next.

How to Courageously Redesign Your Life

One of the most powerful ways to keep your mind healthy is with exercise.Physical activity has been shown to promote neurogenesis — the formation of new neurons — and so it’s not surprising that exercise would help keep your mind sharp. In 2012, Zelinski published a meta analysis on methods to improve cognition in older adults.An analysis from the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging found that moderate exercise in mid or late life was linked to a reduced chance of developing mild cognitive impairment.

The Value Of Exercise

Just as you can train your body, you can also train your brain. “Cognitive training is very much like taking your brain to the gym,” says Amit Lampit, a clinical neuroscientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia. The idea is to use highly structured exercises to practice cognitive processes so you can improve and maintain cognitive performance.

Pushing Your Brain

A Mediterranean diet (high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fish and olive oil) may help keep your brain healthy, Zelinski says. Numerous studies have shown that diets that follow the Mediterranean pattern might help maintain good cognitive health.A study published in 2019 looked at more than 2,600 participants in a longitudinal study of aging and found that those who’d eaten a Mediterranean-style diet as adults had better cognitive performance in middle age.

The Right Diet

Health

What really works to help an aging brain. It’s not going to function like it did in your 20s, but there are things you can do.

Getting into a routine can be one of the best ways to stay productive—especially while working from home. <ol><li>wake up at similar times each day</li><li>exercise if you’re accustomed to it</li><li>eat breakfast/have your morning coffee</li></ol>Sticking to a schedule will help you stay regimented and as alert as possible, because when you know what to expect, it's less daunting to start your day—no matter what you have on your plate.

Getting into a Routine

For Marie Kondo— Netflix star and bestselling author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Changing-Magic-Tidying-Decluttering-Organizing/dp/1607747308?linkCode=ogi&tag=oprah-auto-20&ascsubtag=[artid|10072.g.25804405[src|[ch|[lt|">The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing </a>— starting the morning with "good energy" is important for productivity. <a href="https://konmari.com/marie-kondo-productivity-tips/">According to Kondo </a>, her a.m. ritual involves opening up the windows, burning incense, and saying a prayer—but your morning routine should be whatever leaves you feeling relaxed, energized, and motivated, whether that’s a <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/g31672490/best-yoga-apps/">30-minute yoga class </a>, <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/g27310718/best-journals-for-writing/">writing in your journal </a>, <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/books/g34772945/best-books-2021/">reading a book </a>, <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/health/a27030704/how-to-start-meditating/">meditating </a>, or <a href="https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/food/a28323138/oprah-sexy-eggs-breakfast-recipe/">whipping up a healthy breakfast </a>.

Start the morning with “good energy”

Before you get to work in the morning, create a prioritized to-do list. It’s always best practice to tackle the toughest, most difficult items first. The tricky things are easy to push off and procrastinate, but if you're successful, you'll gain the confidence and momentum to get through the rest of your list.

Create a prioritized to-do list

Trying to get more accomplished at home, at work, or at school? Here, expert-approved ways to be more productive (and efficient!) every day.

Simple Ways to Be More Productive Every Day

We often have lots to do in the morning, says Somia Zaman, a psychotherapist, from deciding what to wear, to making packed lunches, packing school bags, and making breakfast. “Many of us are guilty of leaving everything we need to do until the morning, when we could plan ahead and do some preparation the night before,” she says. “A morning spent rushing about under pressure can make us more likely to neglect ourselves, for example not making time for breakfast, which can set our day off on a bad footing.”

Mistake #1: Leaving everything until the morning

No surprise here. Most people reach straight for their phone when they wake in the morning. “This can have a negative impact on a person’s mood for the rest of the day because you aren’t allowing yourself to wake up naturally,” says Zaman. “You’re also likely to feel more anxious reaching for your phone as soon as you wake, because if you start the day by checking a lengthy ‘to do’ list, you are more likely to start the day feeling overwhelmed.”

Mistake #2: Reaching for your phone first thing

Breakfast not only sets you up mentally for the day but physically as well, says <a href="http://www.ldnmumsfitness.com/">Sarah Campus </a>, a wellbeing coach and founder of LDN Mums Fitness. “It kickstarts your metabolism, and it regulates your blood sugars,” she says.“By avoiding breakfast, you’re more likely to snack and – in particular – reach for sugary snacks which will give you a spike in energy but an even quicker slump creating a viscous cycle.”

Mistake #3: Skipping breakfast

Sorry, but this will probably make you feel foggy – and actually more tired, says Campus. “It throws you off your circadian rhythm, interfering with your body’s natural sleep-wake rhythms,” she explains. “Regularly relying on it to sneak in more sleep will mess with your body’s internal clock, which can actually deprive you of sleep and lack of energy.”

Mistake #5: Hitting the snooze button

We’ve all heard of those crazy long morning routines that start at 4.30am – that’s not the end goal, here. We have to be kind to ourselves and create our own morning routines that work for us.“Everyone’s different: if you’re a morning person, maybe 7am sun salutations are a good thing. If you love a lie in, maybe an 8am alarm followed by Good Morning Britain is good for you. There’s no silver bullet or right or wrong, it’s about what works for you.”

Mistake #6: Forcing yourself to get up at the crack of dawn

For those who suffer with anxiety, it’s often much worse in the mornings. The stress hormone cortisol is released as a response to stress, and science shows cortisol is highest in the first hour of waking for those experiencing stress.Often when stressed, people make the mistake of reaching for caffeine and sugar as quick fixes. These can increase your anxiety. Instead, try to incorporate nutrients like zinc, magnesium, vitamin B and omega-3 fatty acids – linked to calming down anxiety. Avocado and eggs is a good solution.

Mistake #7: Reaching for caffeine and sugar

Some say writing a to-do list, either literally or mentally, is a good way to start the day. But it doesn’t work for everyone. Dannielle Haig, a psychologist, says: “The most effective time to plan your day is the night before, because it enables you to park your work for the day enhancing a positive work-life balance.“If you write your list whilst everything is fresh in your mind at the end of the day and then you can rest knowing you have tomorrow set to handle whatever you need to get done. It gives you a sense of control and contentment making your recovery time effective.”

Mistake #8: Planning for the work day

“You’ve not drunk anything for six to nine hours straight, you are dehydrated,” says <a href="http://www.lauofattraction.co.uk/">Laura Connor </a>, a life coach. “Do not reach for the coffee first, it’s a diuretic and will dehydrate you further.“Drink a large glass of water, at room temperature on an empty stomach, before you do anything else! This will hydrate you, make you more regular and help with detoxing. Most people aren’t aware that dehydration causes a release of stress hormone, cortisol, so get hydrating before you face the day.”

Mistake #9: Not hydrating after sleep

<a href="http://www.hustleandhush.com/">Tee Twyford </a>, a coach and founder of hustle + hush, says: “One of the biggest mistakes we make in the morning is to allow external sources to influence our day before we’ve had a chance to listen to our own inner voice. I’m not even talking about our partner, family or flatmates – as most of us will reach for our phones and check our WhatsApp messages, inboxes, social media newsfeeds and news alerts before we acknowledge the person next to us.“All of which means, before we’ve even checked in with ourselves and what we might need, we’ve opened up the floodgates of a very noisy world.”

Mistake #10: Allow external sources to influence your day

Many people identify with the experience of waking up already worrying about all the tasks and stressful things that are upcoming. All the things we worry about fall into one of three categories: unimportant, unlikely or uncontrollable.When you start the day in a negative thought loop, the thoughts are more likely to spiral into a vortex of negative emotions that affect your mood and your day. That’s why exposing yourself to the news first thing is a rubbish way to start the day. As humans, we’re programmed with a negative bias and our systems naturally respond by pumping out stress hormones.

Mistake #4: Ruminating

Don't worry, we're not advising you to get up at 5am every day.

10 Mistakes You're Probably Making In The Morning

"The real lesson," Burkeman writes, "is that it pays to use whatever freedom you do have over your schedule not to 'maximize your time' or 'optimize your day', in some vague way, but specifically to ringfence three or four hours of undisturbed focus (ideally when your energy levels are highest)."You're going to get the vast majority of your important work done in the four most productive hours of your day no matter what you do. That's just how human brains work. Even Jeff Bezos only expects to manage <a href="https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/jeff-bezos-morning-routine-is-opposite-of-most-productivity-advice-maybe-yours-should-be-too.html">three high-quality decisions each day </a>.So build your time management decisions around this 'Rule of 4.' Don't try to extend your core working time; you can't. And don't try to stretch it over eight (or more) distracted hours; that won't work either. Instead, pick you four golden four hours and protect them like a mama grizzly bear.He goes on to list a distinguished list of thinkers, from Charles Darwin to Ingmar Bergman, who put in around this many hours of work a day. This might sound like a shockingly short work day, but it was no surprise to me. I have also previously covered the huge range of evidence from science, the biographies of geniuses, and even anthropology that pretty much proves <a href="https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/this-is-the-ideal-number-of-hours-to-work-a-day-ac.html">our brains only have around four hours a day of work a day in them </a>.

Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

Laura Cary
@lauracary

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Bite-sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

Laura Cary
@lauracary