Version 1 – The early bird
Everyone wants to seize the day, embody that carpe diem mentality and be the most efficient version of yourself as possible but sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it can still feel like there is just not enough hours in the day to get EVERYTHING done.
Fear not though, studies actually show that there is a series of events that should take place in a particular order to ensure that you get the most out your day. Below I have listed a combination of what the experts recommend and what I’ve found to be most effective – mind you this version will best suit those who are early morning risers. However, we will be paying homage to the night owls in our next installment so be sure to stay tuned if this doesn’t apply to you.
6am – 7am: Time to wake up and do your morning routine! For me it’s COFFEE but do whatever that thing is that helps you get out of bed.
7am – 8am: Exercise. This one definitely does not apply to me because lets be honest, it’s a huge feat for me to get out of bed before 7am let alone get my butt into a gym gear. However, experts recommend that it can be easier to stick with an exercise routine during this hour as less tends to conflict.
8am – 9am: Get to work and prioritize your day. Settle into your workspace, whether that is at the office, a room in your house or a table at Starbucks and evaluate your calendar and list of to-do’s. List out in priority what needs to get done and get started from there.
9am – 12pm: This is the time of day that you should be getting your most tedious work items accomplished. Write a report, a press release, fire off those emails, etc. whatever it is that your gut wants to put off – DON’T. Finish it while your mind is energized and refreshed and get it out of the way.
12pm – 1pm: Eat lunch and take a break.
1pm – 3pm: Re-caffeinate. If you’re anything like me then you usually get the post-lunch sleepies at this time. Fuel up on whatever your energy drink of choice is (coffee, Redbull, etc.) and buckle down and get back to work.
4pm – 4:30pm: Take a break. At this point you should have gotten a lot of your work done and need some time to quickly decompress.
4:30pm – 6pm: This is the time of day that I still like to be productive but at this point you’ve probably gotten all those difficult and tedious action items knocked off your list. Save this time of day for those “mindless work” matters that I know we all have (i.e. expenses, entering in your time, etc.).
6pm – 7pm: Get into your car, or whatever your mode of transportation is, and get home.
7pm – 9pm: Quickly browse any remaining emails that you might have missed since signing off and then get to relaxing! Eat dinner, watch TV, mediate. Do whatever that thing is that helps you detach from the stresses of the day.
9pm – 10pm: Go. To. Sleep. Though the Netflix temptation is real, remember, yet another busy day awaits you in the morning so make sure to get those essential 8 hours.
So there you go – an efficient and productive day laid out for you by the hour, literally. Let us know how it worked out for you and if we missed anything. And remember to stay tuned if you’re a night owl for our next installment – that one is for you!
