Since the pandemic started a lot of things in our lives have changed besides from being more cautious and careful with our hygiene and how we approach the different environments and people around us. The way in which we perceive time has changed and also the way in which we handle our work and personal schedules.

We all had to adapt to new ways of communicating, interacting and working. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but now that we are slowly getting back to normal and picking up the previous pace we had in our lives, it has gotten more difficult to find ways in which we can stay productive while avoiding stress, disorder and lack of productivity.

Because we want you to be the best version of yourself you can be, Waku has prepared a list of healthy habits that will help you increase productivity in the healthiest way possible for your mind and body. Take a look!

Start your day the night before

You may have the idea that your day starts right when you wake up, but you can actually prepare for it right before you go to bed. This is easier than you may think, just check your schedule for the next day the night before and have everything ready for whatever activities you are doing the following day. Go over appointments, calls and any other important deadlines in the day so you have an awareness of what’s on the agenda.

Also, have your clothes picked out and everything you may need to take with you set aside. If you have to bring lunch or any other food, have it ready so that you can grab it the next morning and streamline the preparation process you usually have in the mornings.

Finally, set yourself up for sleep success. Make sure you turn off all electronics that could beep, buzz or light up during the night and disrupt your sleep.

Create a comfortable and focusing work environment

Our environment determines how we act, which means that even when we have the best of intentions to complete a task, it won’t matter if your environment is telling you otherwise. In order for this idea to succeed you can create your own unique bubble of focus starting with identifying the environments you are most productive in and then build that for yourself.

You can start by finding a music playlist that is good for working like lo-fi or classical. Try to display motivational quotes, thought-provoking wall art, and pictures of individuals who inspire you to give you that extra push if you hit a productivity roadblock during your workday. You could even just decorate your workspace with cool, relaxing colors and stuff that it's fun but not distracting.

Equip your workspace with everything you need to be productive and get tasks done. Keep it organized and close to hand and make sure you have a great natural light so that you won’t be getting sleepy.

Create and follow a simple To-Do list 

Sometimes our tasks may seem overwhelming and we may be encouraged to multi-task even if we may not be too good at it, and not because we can’t do it but because it may be stressful and demanding. We can all relate to the feeling of having so much to get done that we don’t even know where to start.

Keep it simple. Minimize your list to the most important priorities, then choose your top 3 priorities for the day and work one at a time. The key is to hyper focus on less, accomplish more. Also, developing a habit of saying no to things that interfere with your goals will give you more time to focus on the tasks that are important to you.

Take regular breaks

Taking a break once an hour gives a creative boost to those who find themselves empty. It’s backed by research that shows combatting “vigilance decrement” requires overcoming habituation by “deactivating and reactivating goals” to maximize resources. So, take a short break, meditate and come back to your job with a sense of purpose.

You could also have snacks prepared so that you can stand aside and grab a bite while listening to a fragment of your favorite podcast, calling a loved one or simply taking a short walk. Make sure you don’t use these breaks to scroll on your phone because that can take a lot of your time and completely disconnect you from the tasks you were doing.

If you give yourself 5 minutes every now and then throughout the day to ground yourself and get centered for the rest of the day, it can allow you to feel more prepared for when the day takes an unexpected turn.

Attempts to compensate for a lack of productivity often lead to some unhealthy habits. That is why, we encourage you to keep these tips in mind and keep yourself as focused and as stress-free as possible!