The first few hours of the work day have a significant effect on your level of productivity over the following eight—so it’s important you have a morning routine that sets you up for success. How you begin your morning often sets the tone and your attitude for the day. It can also derail or direct your focus. If you remain committed to good morning work habits, you won’t fall prey to feeling unproductive and distracted at the end of the day or week.
1. Arrive on time
This may be obvious to most people—but some don’t realize that showing up late can not only leave a bad impression, but also throw off your entire day. Getting in on time or a little early helps your mindset for the day and helps promote a feeling of accomplishment.
2. Don’t be moody
You’ll want to pay attention to your mood and be aware of its effect on others. First and last thing in the day is when emotional intelligence can have the greatest impact. So if you’re not a “morning person,” try to suck it up and have a positive attitude when you arrive at the office. Grab a second or third cup of coffee, if that’s what it takes.
Your first hour at work can set your ‘attitude barometer’ for the rest of the day, so from a purely emotional point of view, I think it’s an important part of the day. One morning grump can infect an entire team and put everyone on the wrong footing.
3. Organize your day
The first hour of the work day is the best time to assess priorities and to focus on what you absolutely need to accomplish. Too many people get distracted first thing in the morning with unimportant activities such as diving right into their e-mail, when there may be a whole host of more important issues that need dealing with. Make a to-do list, or update the one you made the previous day, and try to stick to it. However, if your boss has an urgent need, then it’s OK re-shuffle your priorities within reason.
4. Check in with your colleagues
Especially if you’re in a leadership position, it’s critical to be present, mentally and physically, and to communicate. Taking the time to connect with your team members is essential, and doing the seemingly small things–making eye contact, smiling, asking them about their night, and checking in on what they may need help with–helps you as a leader take the pulse of the team, and helps set the tone for all the employees.
A quick 5 to 10 minute team briefing can also be an effective way for many people to start their day. Make it a short meeting, with no chairs, have everyone share their top goal for the day, and share any critical information the rest of the team absolutely needs to know. Doing the huddles helps people focus and more importantly, connects everyone with the team. And by sharing your goals for the day publicly, the odds of achieving them rise substantially.
5. Remind yourself of your core purpose at work
I’d suggest that you take a moment each morning to remind yourself of your core purpose at work. Connecting to a sense of purpose is one of the most powerful motivators there is, and taking just a moment each day to reconnect to what truly matters in your job and what you are ultimately trying to achieve and for whom, can help you feel more motivated and help you focus on the priority areas in your work.
