The Morning
Be proactively lazy. Get your clothes ready the night before, make your lunch, and line up your emails in your draft box. Stay away from snack machines at work, as the ingredients are likely to bring you up and back down into a slump. Work out when you eat meals and snacks and plan energizing and healthy food for those times.
Awake. Wake up at a time that suits you. If you have children, this may not be a realistic option but consider ways to improve sleep quality.
Routine. Know your biorhythms and make your most productive tasks in the hours when you feel most energized. Have a routine and stick to it! Get the worst task completed first. Once it’s done, you have a lighter head to get on with smaller or more exciting activities.
Exercise. Ensure some exercise routine in your day; even a 15-minute walk during your break can do wonders.
Reflect. Find ten things that make you smile from the inside every day. Remind yourself what you are particularly good at. Use that every day and find ways in which you can improve it.
The Afternoon
The afternoon can be the slump zone. Take short intermittent breaks. A short video or funny clip may help, or a brief chat with a colleague can refresh the mind. Even going to make a hot drink can refuel your mind to tackle the next task. Dark days can make the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the region of our brain which regulates daily rhythms, believe it is time to rest. If you are indoors, walk outside and ensure you take in some light.
Set up conditions to achieve flow. Place yourself in a distraction-free zone, have healthy snacks within reach to give you a boost; protein shakes, nuts, carrot sticks, and apple slices are my favorite.
Sense of control. Ensure you have some sense of control over what you are doing at all times, so the day doesn’t run away with you.
Take a moment for reflection. Recognize yourself for what went right. Self-reflection enables you to see what went wrong. Creating a schedule for the next week will enable you to see what needs to be adjusted.
The Evening
Be productive. It is important to create a foundation for productivity. A good night’s sleep is key to being at your best. This is not just about how long you sleep but about you’re eating and drinking habits, exercise, and de-fuzzing your thoughts before you go to sleep.
Remember. The evening is about getting organized and powered up for the next productive day.
Make your bedroom a screen-free zone. Turning away from your phone, laptop or tablet at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep is proven to give you a restful night.
Meditate. Recharge your mind and body by going into a peaceful and relaxed state. This will also help with clearing your mind of the negative things that might have happened during the day.
Alcohol is detrimental to your performance. Even one glass can affect your sleep quality, so it is best to avoid it completely. Drink some water before you snuggle down to sleep.
Wind down. Stop what you are doing an hour before bed by reading or doing some meditation.