It feels like the to-do list never ends. There are so many different areas of your life to manage, & the tasks to get done keep piling up. What you want to get done never does – there are too many other last-minute things that pop-up & take up your time. The to-do list from one day simply gets transferred to the next page of the journal, with few, if any, items ever being crossed off.
If this sounds like you, I have seven simple tips that will transform your daily life. These productivity tips will help guide you to take charge of your schedule, get your most important tasks done, & still have time to rest & recharge.
This seems like the most simple step, but many people have to-do’s simply running around in their head that never get written on paper. This makes it difficult to remember all that has to be done, which means more mental energy is spent trying to remember the day’s tasks. It also makes it more difficult to prioritize which tasks are most important. Take out a pen & paper or open a note in your phone & write out everything that has to be done & everything you would like to get done today.
There are only so many hours in a day, but if you are strategic, you can get a lot done in those hours. Now that you have all of your tasks written down, highlight the most important three that need to get done today. If you like, you can take this a step further & number the remaining tasks in order of highest to lowest priority.
Based on the information from the last step, create a schedule for the day. Write what you are going to do every hour or, even better, every half hour. Make sure your most important tasks are on that schedule. For at least the first few days of doing this, try to also keep track on what you actually do during your scheduled hours to see if the allotted time you give for regular tasks is realistic, or if it’s too long or too short. You want your schedule to be realistic to follow, or you will find yourself not adhering to it at all.
I recommend also writing out your schedule with pen & paper, not on your phone. Schedules written in phones are too easy to edit. Write out the schedule with pen & paper & put it somewhere where you will see it all day.
4. Think about when you are most creative, most productive, & when your body wants to move
This step goes along with the previous one, but it’s important enough to get its own section. This step is not possible for everyone, especially those that have to adhere to strict work schedules, but for those who have more flexibility in their scheduling, it can be incredibly helpful.
When scheduling out your day, think about when you are most productive, when you are most creative, & when your body most wants to move. It doesn’t make sense to schedule something tedious & that you have to sit in your office for if it’s at the time of day when you feel most restless. Schedule your workout session for that time of day & schedule the office tasks for when your body is more relaxed but your mind is alert. Similarly, you don’t want to schedule your creative time for when you are feeling productive & want to knock out tasks. Many of us are naturally creative either early in the morning or late at night – schedule your creative tasks accordingly.
It will be easier to stick with your schedule & you will have a more productive day if you schedule tasks according to when your body & mind naturally feel most attuned to doing them.
5. When the hour or half hour starts, focus solely at the task at hand
Try to stick to your schedule as closely as possible. When an hour or half hour block starts, focus solely on the task you have scheduled. Resist trying to multitask. If you finish early, you can spend that time on another task or to rest & reset for a few minutes. If the hour or half hour ends before you finish the task, make a note in your journal of how long it actually takes you to do that task &, if it is not a high priority task to finish that day, move on. This will help you stay on track with your schedule & not fall behind.
Make sure the environment you are working in is conducive to a productive day. This may mean different things to different people. Some people work great at a neat & tidy desk, while others work best outdoors. Some people enjoy a cup of hot tea within close reach, while others would rather have a glass of cool water. Change your environment to reflect what you need to work at your best. For me, natural light is a must. I enjoy sitting on my couch in front of my fireplace, a cup of hot tea or coffee on the table in front of me, my journal opened beside me, & natural light streaming through the window. Here, I am at my most productive.
Because you are now so productive & you have a schedule to follow, make sure you also schedule in self-care breaks throughout your day. This is something to help you stay on track because you know a break is coming soon, & it is a reset before whatever else is left in your day. When I schedule self-care breaks into my day, I find I am even more productive in what I do with this time. Instead of mindlessly scrolling TikTok at whatever time in the day because I feel burnt out, I schedule in time to read, write, go for walks, & do yoga. These self-care habits are much healthier for my mental & physical health, & they leave me feeling much more refreshed & ready to tackle the rest of my day.
What are your favorite productivity tips? Share in the comments below!
If you’re feeling a little stumped as to what your New Year’s resolutions should be in 2022, I have 22 suggestions that will positively impact your mental & physical health.
In fact, even if you already have your resolutions made, these 22 healthy habits are ones that anyone can incorporate into their life. They focus on your mental & physical wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of those around you. Some of the habits will challenge you to step outside your comfort zone, while others will encourage you to stay safe & cozy inside.
Adopt a few habits that resonate most with you, or make 2022 the year of radical change in your life & adopt them all. By the end of the year, you may find your lifestyle has changed for the better, your mindset is one of abundance & gratitude, & your health is the best it’s ever been.
We are all guilty of it, myself included. In fact, this is my main resolution for 2022 – be more intentional with my time. It’s too easy to work until we feel burnt out, & then spend an hour or two scrolling through social media or bingeing TV shows on Netflix. The activities may seem restful, but I never feel filled after doing them. In fact, I feel just as tired as ever & less productive.
This is the year I decided that would change. I bought some colorful pens & a planner with which I could plan every hour of my day. With it, I schedule everything: Work, play, house chores, & more. With scheduled time every day for self-care, I always know when the next rest period is coming. That makes my hours of work more productive, & my self-care time much more meaningful. I’m actually sitting down to read a book or rolling out my yoga mat to stretch! House chores are getting done, & I can spend date night focused on my husband instead of thinking about what I have to get done the next day.
You don’t have to plan every hour of your day to be intentional with your time. Setting timers on apps, making to-do lists, & focusing on the present moment are all great ways to bring more intentionality & productivity to your day.
2. Fuel your body
Harvest Spinach Salad – you can find the recipe here
As a nutrition coach, I know that food has many meanings for us. It can be source of comfort or stress. Certain foods can bring back warm, comforting memories, & there are certain dishes that are traditional to eat at various family gatherings & holidays. But first & foremost, food is fuel. It is what gives us energy & makes our brains & bodies work.
When we eat to fuel our bodies, we are more likely to focus on nourishment rather than restriction, & we are more likely to eat healthier options. There is nothing wrong with indulging in a treat every once in a while, but when you eat to fuel your body, you are more likely to eat whole food sources throughout your daily life. And in order for your brain & body to work at peak performance, they must be fueled adequately, which means no more restrictive dieting or starvation. Good food, & lots of it, is what your body needs.
This is something almost all of us can improve on. Aim for at least eight cups of water a day (if you can drink more, even better!). Our bodies need water for proper organ function, gut health, brain function, & more.
The sun has lots of benefits for our mental & physical health, including an increase in serotonin (one of our “happy hormones”), an increase in Vitamin D, & stronger bones. Aim to get at least 15 minutes of sunlight a day. You can go for a walk, sit outdoors at a restaurant, or even just enjoy a cup of coffee on your porch.
5. Move your body in loving ways
Me doing yoga
Too often, I see people exercising as a form of punishment or as a trade-off for food (because they burned this many calories, now they can eat these many calories). Exercise is meant to make us feel better. It strengthens our muscles & bones, releases serotonin, improves our sleep, improves gut health, gives us an energy boost, & more! It is not meant to be a punishment for indulging in a special treat, or to be a required activity before eating.
Move your body in loving ways. Find types of exercise that you enjoy, & do them because they make you feel good. When your body is sore, make time to stretch your tired muscles. It’s a wonderful feeling to discover how far you have progressed in an exercise regimen & to feel yourself getting stronger & healthier. Make it a regular self-care habit in your life, & appreciate your body for all that it does.
6. Make time for self-care
Me meditating
Whether it be exercise, reading, taking hot baths, or spending time doing a hobby, it is important to regularly engage in self-care. Schedule in that time with yourself, & make it as much of a priority as you would a meeting with your boss. Do activities you know you love, or try something new! The most important part is that you are taking time out of your day to take care of your mind, body, and/or spirit. The activity is up to you!
Do something positive for your mental health & for the mental health of your loved ones by spending time with them. Studies show spending time with family & friends can help improve your self-confidence & self-worth, help you cope with difficult stressors, & can give you a greater sense of purpose. Even better, spending time with those we love decreases stress, which, in turn, means less inflammation in the body.
Whether it’s in person or over the phone, make time regularly in your schedule to talk to & spend time with the people that matter most in your life.
Money is a huge stressor for many people. Debt looms over the heads of college students, new home owners, & anyone who has ever missed a credit card payment, & trying to pay off that debt while paying other bills, buying food, & trying to enjoy life can be a major stressor.
Take time this year to become more fiscally fit. Find a budget that works for you & stick to it. If you need help, there are lots of books & online programs available. Find one that works best for you. Simply having the knowledge of how much money you have & where it is allocated can be an enormous relief. Once you know what you can afford to spend, it becomes less stressful to be spending. And creating a savings account that you regularly add to can be a great self-confidence boost & a source of comfort for the future.
You don’t have to go far to reap the benefits of traveling. While much of the world is still shut down to travel, going on a road trip to a nearby state or even just a day trip around your own city is a great place to start. Make an itinerary, or just see where the wind takes you! Explore, try new foods, meet someone new – make it a trip you will never forget, even if it’s just a short walk from your own neighborhood.
There are so many things to try in this life! Kayaking, painting, baton twirling – the list is endless! Find something new that you have always wanted to try & give it a shot! Whether it ends in you mastering the skill, or in a heap on the floor laughing at yourself, it’s a great experience to step outside your comfort zone & try something new.
11. Live more sustainably
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As I always say, we only have two homes – our bodies & the earth. We have to take care of both of them.
Whether it’s a huge change like biking to work each day, or a smaller change like remembering to turn off the light whenever you leave the room, you are making a difference in the sustainability of our planet. And a lot of the changes you can make are healthier for you as well! Biking to work means increased physical fitness, better cardiovascular health, & more time spent in sunlight. Turning off the lights means a decreased energy bill, which is a fiscally fit lifestyle change. Natural cleaners are great for the environment & for reducing the toxins we breathe, & eating more vegetables & fruits means fewer animal products eaten, which is healthier for you & for reducing carbon emissions.
It can be overwhelming to try to live a completely sustainable lifestyle, so instead, pick at least one sustainable living habit & make it a regular practice in your daily life.
Brighten someone else’s day (& your own day as well) by doing random acts of kindness! It can be huge gestures like paying for someone’s meal at a restaurant, or smaller things like holding the door open for someone. The idea behind it is that it goes without notice – don’t pull attention to yourself or take credit for what you have done. And, if someone does insist on thanking you, tell them to pay it forward! Keep the kindness train moving!
We all need a little encouragement. Give out compliments as if you have too many to hold. Let people know what you like about them! You get bonus points if you can move past appearance. Compliment someone’s work ethic, their positive attitude, or how they parent their kids. It can be a huge boost to someone’s self-confidence, & their smile will be infectious – you will end up smiling, too!
If you can, read lots of books. Whether it’s to learn something new or to escape into another world, books are a great way to engage in self-care. Additionally, reading has been shown to strengthen our brains, increase empathy, reduce stress, & improve our memory retention. Find a book in a subject that interests you or a story that makes you want to keep turning the pages & get reading!
The environment we live in has a direct impact on our physical & mental wellbeing. Just keeping our desk clean can greatly reduce stress & improve our productivity. Even more than this, keeping a clean home means fewer germs & reduced stress in the space that is supposed to give us rest.
If you want to go above & beyond, get a plant! Despite the climate-controlled buildings we have been living in for so long, humans used to live in nature, & our minds & bodies still reap benefits from having nature in our living quarters.
I am absolutely fascinated by biophilic design, which connects people with nature within our buildings & communities. People have done some really amazing architectural feats to achieve this balance between architecture & nature, but simply bringing some plants into your home can have some incredible health benefits, including reduced stress & air purification.
Gratitude transforms our mindset from one of scarcity to abundance. It turns what we have into enough.
Ending each day by writing down a few things you are grateful for can have enormous benefits for your mental health, including reduced stress, better emotional regulation, & increased resilience. The more specific you are in the things you write, the more effective this practice will be.
Just like we should be handing out compliments regularly to the people we are with, we should also be sharing them with ourselves. How long would you stay in a relationship with someone who spoke to you the way that you do? Would it be a healthy, long marriage, or would you not even make it past the first date?
Use kind words. When things go wrong, have grace for yourself. Encourage yourself & take time each day to build yourself up, not tear yourself down. It seems simple, but speaking more positively to ourselves can radically transform our lives. Our mindset is in control of how we perceive the world & ourselves, & when we have a more positive outlook of our life situation & an appreciation for who we are, we can gain increased self-confidence, increased self-worth, & perhaps even a better understanding of what purpose we may play in this world.
Social media can be a source of information & connection, but it can also be draining & stressful. Take some time to go through the accounts that you are following & unfriend the ones that are no longer adding value to your life or, even worse, are contributing to any toxic thoughts or habits you may be engaging in. Fill your feed with positivity & useful information that helps you engage in healthier habits. And when you do interact, consider setting a time limit. Time slips away when we are scrolling through our feeds, & that can be a huge detriment to our productivity & quality of life.
I don’t necessarily mean face your darkest fears, but do something this year that makes you step outside of your comfort zone. Whether that’s standing up for yourself at work or telling a friend how much they mean to you, doing something that makes us cringe can increase our self-confidence & self-worth. Go on a trip, try a new food, sign up for a talent show – even if it doesn’t go as planned, you can still look back with pride knowing that you faced your fear.
Regular routines can help us de-stress & feel motivated for our days. Have a regular morning routine that excites you to get out of bed in the morning can help you feel refreshed & energized for your day. You can spend time journaling, reading, washing your face, exercising, making a fancy breakfast – there are so many possibilities. And at night, engage in activities that help you relax & rewind from the day. Journal about what you’re grateful for, wash the day off your face, & spend time reading or engaging in a quiet activity away from screens. It will improve your sleep, reduce stress, & help you feel more refreshed the next morning.
Too often, we spend the moments other people are talking to think about what we want to say next instead of really listening to what they are saying. Make listening a priority this year.
When I was little, I was always told the phrase, “You have two ears & one mouth, & they should be used in that proportion.” I find this holds up in almost every situation in my life. Even when I feel I have something meaningful to say, or when I am debating about an important topic, I find whatever point I wanted to make or thought I wanted to share can always wait. And when I take the time to listen to the person I am talking with, I often find we are more aligned in our thoughts than we realize. Coming to a conclusion, having empathy for one another, & building a healthy relationship all become more more probable when I take the time to listen to what someone is saying.
22. Check-in with yourself regularly
Me meditating on my back porch
The best habit I can ever recommend to anyone is to have regular check-ins with yourself. Make time each morning to think about how you are feeling, & based on that information, schedule in time that day for what you need. If you are still feeling tired, maybe a little 20-minute nap would be good this afternoon, or maybe a nice hot cup of coffee is a good way to start the day. If you are feeling sore, take some time to stretch. Or, if you’re feeling lonely, make it a point to call someone you love today.
Check-in with yourself at the end of a long week & see how you are feeling. Are you energized by the work & want to be productive this weekend, or do you need some extra time to relax & recharge before Monday comes again?
Scheduling regular check-ins about work, school, exercise programs, relationships, & just general well-being can be immensely helpful in discovering what you actually need in your life to be healthier, mentally, physically & spiritually. Too often we rush through life without actually thinking about how we feel. Sit down with yourself the way you would with a good friend & make time for your inner voice to be heard.
What are your resolutions for 2022? What healthy habits are you adding to your lifestyle? Leave me a comment below!
It’s that time of year again. Early January is the time to set lofty goals we are often inspired to achieve for about a month & then forget about until another year has passed. The new year brings with it the desire to better ourselves, but how to achieve our goals can sometimes seem elusive.
While we have been taught how to set goals & told that we should set them every year, we often don’t know the necessary steps we need to take to achieve them. Achieving an attainable goal should only take a bit of your time each day, but it is something you have to dedicate yourself to daily to achieve it. The steps to achieve your goal should becoming a habit, not a chore.
Follow these four simple steps to make this the year you achieve your New Year’s resolutions & create lasting change in your life.
What is it you really want to achieve this year? What passion do you have that gets you really excited? Where do you see yourself being truly happy? Nothing is off limits. Nothing is unattainable. Sit down & brainstorm ideas. Think about where you like to be year from now, & then…
A goal in your head is erased as soon as a new thought enters. Write down your goal & put it in a place you will see it every day, such as your bathroom mirror. It should be something you see every morning so you remember to focus on it throughout your day. And every evening, you should see it so you can evaluate what you did that day to attain your goal & how much closer you are to achieving it.
When you write down your goal, make sure it is a SMART goal – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant & Time-bound. Don’t be vague about what you want – put some thought into what it is & be specific in your wording. Make sure it is measurable so you can track your progress. You don’t just want to lose weight – you want to lose 50 pounds. Now, make sure it is attainable. Maybe 50 pounds seems a little too daunting, but 30 pounds? That is doable. Make sure you aren’t limiting yourself, but you don’t want to set a goal that you can’t achieve either. Next, make sure your goal is relevant. Do you need to lost 30 pounds? Do you even want to lose 30 pounds? Maybe there is another goal that would be better for you to focus on this year. And lastly, your goal should be time-based. For most New Year’s resolutions, this timeframe is one year.
A goal without a plan to attain it is as useful as a box of cake mix without any other ingredients. It has the potential to make a delicious cake, but without the eggs & oil, it’s just another box in your pantry.
Set a timeline for your goal, & then write out a list of smaller goals you have to achieve in order to make your big goal happen. Make sure the smaller goals are SMART goals as well.
For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, just getting a gym membership & buying some celery is not going to make that happen. You need a plan & multiple steps to help you achieve that goal. Set aside time each day for a workout. Even better, mark the specific time on your calendar to make sure it happens. Look up healthy recipes & make a list of what you are going to eat each day. Keep a food journal. And then set timely goals for each month. By the end of month two, your goal should be about 10 pounds lost, which means each week you have to lose about one to two pounds. Focus on these smaller goals that will lead up to your bigger one, & by this time next year, you will be 50 pounds smaller.
This process applies to every goal you may set, not just losing weight. Set smaller goals along the way that will help you reach your big goal, & set aside time each day to achieve them. How much money do you have to save a month to save $1,000 by the end of the year? If you want to make this the year of trying new things, maybe make the third Saturday every month the day you try something new, like sky diving, so by the end of the year you have tried 12 new crazy things you never thought you would do. If you want to travel more, start planning your trip to Italy now, & each month set a goal you want to attain to make it closer to that trip: Save $1,000, get in touch with a travel agent, buy a fancy new dress you will only wear when you are finally being serenaded on a gondola. Whatever the goal is, set the steps you need to attain it, & then focus on those. They aren’t nearly as overwhelming, but if you follow the plan, the big goal will be achieved.
Do not wait until December to discover you have or have not attained your New Year’s resolution. Evaluate your progress as you go. Now that you have daily, weekly & monthly stepping stones put in place for the year, you are able to evaluate if you are on the right track to achieve your resolution, or if you need to set more attainable goals, work harder, or change another habit that’s getting in your way or limiting your progress. Whatever you do, do not get discouraged. If you have not made one stepping stone, you can still be successful. It is much easier to make small adjustments along the way than to make a big life change at the end of the year.
What are your New Year’s resolutions this year? Leave me a comment below & let’s support each other this year!
P.S. Newsletter subscribers this month receive a FREE set of planner sheets for their journal to help them keep their New Year’s Resolutions all year long. Receive this & more perks all year by signing up for the weekly newsletter here.
P. P. S. Evolve is offering a 30-Day New Year, New You program to help you achieve your health & wellness goals. You can learn more by emailing me with any questions at TylerVLayne@gmail.com
