How to Prepare for a Great Work Day

Preparation really is one of the keys to success. Having a great work day is no exception to this. When you’re properly prepared for the day you spend less time rushing in the morning and will be in an overall better mood. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a great work day.

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Now, on to the message at hand. How often do you feel rushed in the morning? Or leave something at home that you need? How often do you sit down at your desk feeling ready to start the day? Depending on your response to this question, your lack of preparation is likely a contributor to how prepared you are to have a great work day. I’ve noticed that my level of preparedness directly affects how mentally ready I am to start the work day.

If you want to have a better work day, keep reading for my tips…

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How to Plan for the Work Day

Prepare the Night Before– This sounds SUPER obvious but I’m stating the obvious anyway. The best way to be prepared for work in the morning is to start the night before. Morning prep time goes by much faster than many of us would like to admit. With that being said, nighttime is the best time to prep for the work day. Do things such as make lunch, choose your clothes and even kick start your to-do list. Also, wrangle anything extra you may need for the following day and have it ready. Classroom materials, workout clothes, lunch, etc. should be packed up and ready to go. When you can just grab everything and head out the door, you are less likely to run late and can get your work day off to the best start.
Start Waking Up Earlier– Waking up earlier allows you time to simply enjoy the morning. You can have your morning coffee or tea and even breakfast at home. When you don’t have to rush in the morning, you feel more calm and inclined to have a great day. Waking up earlier also gives you the opportunity to assess your to-do list and jot down any new ideas you may have. As a person who works a 9 to 5 and blogs on the side, my mornings are valuable to getting things done for the blog. Being able to accomplish even small tasks, lifts my spirits and I go into work looking to accomplish more.
Prioritize Your Tasks– We’re huge fans of prioritizing to avoid feeling overwhelmed. One thing that helps me is going through my emails and flagging the ones that need my attention. I then set a reminder within Outlook for a time when each one should be addressed. This has lifted a weight off my shoulders! Personally, I can easily feel overwhelmed when I feel like I have to respond to every request right away. Having the autonomy to prioritize my tasks first thing in the morning helps my day run smoothly.
Get into a routine– This circles back to tip #1. Having both a nighttime and morning routine gives you consistency and sharpens your time management. Every night I give myself 1-2 hours to focus on blog work, do my nighttime skincare routine, shower, pack my lunch & choose my outfit for the next day. My morning routine consists of pulling everything together and jotting a few notes down in my planner. If you know me, you know my morning coffee is a must! I like to take some time to enjoy that as well. These routines keep me from running around like a chicken with my head cut off! When I’m less stressed getting ready in the morning I’m ready to greet the work day with a smile ad you will be too!