Want to set up your business for a productive day? Who doesn’t?! Pedddle Founder Nicki has written down her top tips for having the most productive day possible.
As a wife, a Mum of two, owning two cats and running both Pedddle and Tresstle, mornings can feel rushed. Any level of responsibility with your business, whether or not you have pets and a family too, means making time for yourself essential. It’s not possible for things to go smoothly every single day, but I find that having a morning routine and taking just 10 minutes for myself helps keep me happier, healthier, and more productive for the day.
Pedddle Founder, Nicki
Getting the right mindset
We all know how tough it is being a small business owner, wearing so many hats and having to multitask with so many things. The morning sets you up for the whole day, so it’s important to set a routine and perhaps have a little morning ritual which will help you to ultimately be more productive and get you in the right frame of mind.
We’ve all been there – a morning rush to get the kids ready for school or because you’ve accidentally hit the snooze button, running around to feed the pets, skipping breakfast because you feel in a hurry, having a mild heart attack at the thought of your ’to do’ list.
Your morning routine really does impact the whole day – if you’re rushed in the morning, you feel rushed for the rest of the day. We’re very aware of ‘toxic positivity’ and setting the ’ideal morning routine’, plus we all have off days, but even just attempting to have a clearer routine can help you exponentially.
Here are some tips which might just help you get into the right mindset and set up your business for a productive day.
How to set a morning routine
Ideally, you would set at least 10 minutes aside for these things, but the entire routine should take 20 minutes max. If you can get up 30 minutes before the rest of the household – you’ve got this!
- Wake up and stretch out. Stretching is so important as we wake up – here’s why.
- Drink (or force down!) a glass of water. This will ensure you’re hydrated and put your brain in the best possible position for a productive day!
- Take 5 minutes to sit and focus on your reasons ’why’. Visualise your short and long term targets. Picture yourself achieving those goals, the position and lifestyle that you want. Congratulate yourself for the things you’ve achieved so far, and for taking the time to focus.
- Did you know that power posing can actually make you feel more confident? If you power pose whilst you’re thinking about the points above, you may actually feel more confident in achieving them. Check out this TED Talk on the science.
- Exercise. Any form of exercise is good! You could do a quick YouTube workout, HIIT, a jog/walk – before having breakfast is best. Get your body active and it will help focus your mind – but don’t worry if you can’t! This YouTube video from Yoga With Adriene is ideal if you’ll be sitting down or at a desk all day – whether you do it in the morning or after work. It only takes a few minutes!
- Time to eat! Breakfast can set you up for the day, but it really does vary for everyone. This BBC article on the benefits of regular meals and keeping your blood sugars up throughout the day is worth a read.
- Get your thoughts out of your head! Do you journal? If so, this blog might interest you. Write down any tasks you thought or missed the night before, any things that have sprung to mind and get them out of your head and on paper, so you don’t dwell.
- A quick clean-up. Do you feel like a tidy house equals a tidy mind? This isn’t the same for everyone, but if you’re like me, it’s much harder to focus with a list of chores. Even feeding the kids and pets can make the mornings feel rushed, but a messy home can lead to a more hectic start work-wise. Even just creating a small calm space can help.
Want more tips on organising your day? Click here for my weekly planner and advice.
Or, we have plenty of other information in our other blogs.