Approximately 42 percent of the workforce in the U.S. currently works from home full-time [1].
If you’re new to work from home life, you might find that you struggle to get organized and energized for the day. The good news is that you now have the option to create a brand new morning routine for work that sets you up for a successful, productive day.
Here are 20 tips that will help you put together the perfect work from home routine.
1. Start the Night Before
Did you know that a great morning routine actually starts the night before? It’s hard to wake up feeling ready to tackle the day when you’re sleep-deprived, right?
What can you do at night to have a successful morning?
Start by going to bed at roughly the same time. Reduce your blue light exposure before bed, too, as this can make it hard for you to feel tired when nighttime rolls around [2]. Lay out your clothes for the next day and make sure your workspace is prepped and ready so you don’t feel like you’re scrambling in the morning.
2. Wake Up Early
In addition to going to bed around the same time each night, it also helps to wake up at the same time each morning. Set a recurring alarm and give yourself enough time to go through a morning routine before the workday begins.
It might be tempting to sleep in until the last possible minute since you don’t have to worry about a commute. However, sleeping in will also likely leave you feeling frazzled and unprepared for work.
3. Stay Away from Social Media
Resist the urge to grab your phone and start scrolling through Instagram or Facebook first thing in the morning.
You might be eager to see what’s going on in the world, but try to reserve the morning hours as your time to focus on yourself.
The internet isn’t going anywhere. You’ll have plenty of time for social media scrolling later.
4. Drink Some Water
Before you start drinking coffee, make sure you drink some water first.
Hydrating early in the day will help you to avoid fatigue later on [3]. It gives you a chance to “front load” your water intake for the day and ensures you’re drinking enough, too.
If you don’t enjoy the taste of plain water or want to further increase your hydration, you can also add in a flavored electrolyte mix like Hydrant for some extra minerals and benefits. Many customers like to start their day with Hydrant for a rush of hydration in the morning and help them check off one healthy habit for the day.
5. Move Your Body
Not everyone has the time, energy, or desire to exercise first thing in the morning. However, it does feel good to move a little bit before you sit down to work.
Take a few minutes to stretch or go for a quick walk. This is a good way to get your blood flowing so you can feel a little less stiff and a little more alert.
6. Get Outside
If possible, try to get outside for a few minutes in the morning, too. It feels great to get some fresh air on your skin, and exposure to the sun first thing in the morning has a positive effect on your circadian rhythm and makes it easier for you to stay alert and fall asleep at night [4].
7. “Get Ready”
Take some time to “get ready” for the day before you start working. Take a shower, style your hair, apply makeup if you typically wear it. You don’t need to put together a glamorous look just to sit at your desk, but spending a few minutes on yourself will help to put you in the right mindset.
8. Wear Real Clothes
Wearing “real clothes” can also help you feel ready to tackle the workday. Instead of staying in your pajamas all day, change into a new outfit. Even if it’s fairly casual, the act of changing your clothes can still affect your productivity for the better.
9. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
It might be tempting to skip breakfast and jump straight into work. Eating a nutritious meal first thing in the morning can help to balance your blood sugar, though, and set you up to make healthier choices all day long [5].
10. Enjoy Some Caffeine
We all need a little boost in the morning, don’t we? Before you start working, enjoy some caffeine to increase your energy and help you feel more alert.
Whether you prefer coffee, tea, or prefer to add a flavored, caffeinated hydration mix to your water, there are lots of ways to give yourself an extra jolt in the AM.
11. Complete an Easy Task
Give yourself an easy win first thing in the morning. By completing an easy task, such as making your bed or unloading the dishwasher, right away, you can start a ripple effect and feel more accomplished before you’ve even started working. This, in turn, can help you to increase your productivity for the rest of the day.
12. Listen to or Watch Something Uplifting
Do you find that you need a little extra motivation in the morning? If so, try listening to a motivating podcast or watching an uplifting video on YouTube while you eat breakfast or while you do your morning stretches.
Listening to or watching uplifting content, be it spiritual, motivational, or business-related, can help you shift your mindset. As a result, you may feel more optimistic and confident in your ability to handle everything on your to-do list.
13. Connect with Your Loved Ones
Try to spend some time with your spouse and children before you start to work, too. Maybe you can eat breakfast together or do some stretches as a family before everyone settles in for work or gets ready for school. Taking just a few minutes can help you feel more connected as the day goes on.
14. Set Goals
Before you begin working, sit down and write out some goals for the day. What do you want to accomplish? How do you want to feel? Is there anything you want to avoid?
Whatever your goals are, put them in writing. Then, place the paper somewhere that’s easy to see as you go about your workday. This will help you remember what you’re working toward and will keep you in the right mindset, even when things get difficult.
15. Review Your Schedule
If you’re used to a pretty routine work schedule, you might not need this step. For those whose schedule or to-do list changes day by day, it helps to take a moment to review your schedule and see what’s on the agenda. This can help you feel more prepared and ensure you don’t forget anything important.
16. Prioritize Your To-Do List
Speaking of forgetting important things, make sure you’re prioritizing your to-do list, too.
Go through everything that needs to get done for the day and mark each task with a letter based on its importance. For example, the most pressing task gets a letter “A” next to it, the next most pressing task gets a letter “B,” etc.
This will help you avoid spending too much time on smaller tasks and will make it easier to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
17. Make Time for Breaks
Schedule breaks for yourself throughout the workday. Pick a time to have lunch or step away from your computer for a quick walk outside.
Remember, breaks are non-negotiable. They help you to stay focused, be more productive, and be more creative [6].
18. Set Up Your Workspace
Do you ever find yourself scrambling around the house looking for things throughout the workday?
Do you end up digging around for your laptop’s power cable two minutes before a meeting is about to start? Do you have to sift through papers on your desk to find the notes you took yesterday?
To avoid these situations, spend some time setting up your workspace each morning. Gather all the supplies you’ll need for the day and tidy up so things like notes and file folders are easy to find.
19. Establish Boundaries
If you work from home and share your “office” with other family members, make sure you’re establishing boundaries for the workday with them.
Let them know when you have meetings and aren’t available to answer questions or help with other tasks. This will minimize interruptions so you can stay focused and productive.
20. Keep Practicing
Finally, make sure you continue practicing and fine-tuning your morning routine. You might not be able to overhaul everything all at once, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The more you repeat your routine, the easier and more habitual it’ll become.
If it feels overwhelming to try and take on all of these tips at once, start by picking just one or two. Once you’ve mastered those, you can add in a few more to build your ultimate morning routine.
Time to Perfect Your Working from Home Routine
It’s time to make your daily routine work for you!
If your work from home morning routine could use a makeover, give these tips a try today. They’ll give you some structure for your mornings and help you maximize your productivity.
