Instead, hit the ground running as soon as your workday begins. Regardless of whether you work in an office, at home, at a coffee shop or by the pool, once you sit down to work you need a plan. Otherwise, the temptation to give in to distractions will eventually overpower you. Be proactive, not reactive.
When you plan your day the night before, several things happen, and they all work to your advantage.
- When you go to bed with a plan for tomorrow, you can feed your subconscious during the night. The alternative is to lie awake thinking about all the things you must get done tomorrow. Which do you think produces less stress?
- Less stress = better sleep. Research on sleep consistently demonstrates that high levels of stress lead to poor sleep. Being able to mentally detach from the demands of life will help you get a good night's rest and wake up feeling refreshed instead of hungover. It will also help you fall asleep faster too, meaning more total sleep time.
- You wake up with an intention for the day. Think back to the last highly productive day you had. Did you hit the ground running or did you float through the morning with no idea what you needed to be doing?
- You'll get more done. Have you ever noticed the incredibly high levels of productivity we seem to experience the day before we leave for vacation? What would happen in your life if you were able to function like that more than just a couple of days a year?
I can tell you without a doubt that this simple idea is a game changer. If I go to bed worrying about everything I need to get done, I feel overwhelmed. I wake up in the morning looking for ways to avoid what needs to be done. My procrastination goes through the roof. My stress level skyrockets and my productivity plummets. It's a vicious cycle that's hard to break.
On the other hand, if I have already laid out a plan for how I'm going to spend my time (not just a long to-do list, but an actual schedule of events), I feel much more at peace and I wake up ready to face the day knowing what must be done and when.
It's the difference between going into work wondering what kind of day lies ahead and knowing (or creating) the day you want to have. There will still be distractions, but with a plan you'll be much more likely to roll with the punches because you know what needs to get done.
So figure out a plan of attack for tomorrow, and leave work knowing that it will be there when you get back. Make a clean break.
Now go home and be more present with the ones who really matter.
About the Author: Rob Clifton
Rob Clifton is the After Hours Supervisor for Motion in Birmingham, AL. He and his team provide emergency breakdown assistance to customers outside of normal business hours. A graduate of Auburn University, Rob has spent 12 years with the company, and enjoys his current role: building a knowledgeable and dependable customer service team. Find out more at: Motion.com/plantservices or Motion.com/learning-development.
