6 DAILY HABITS THAT WILL BOOST YOUR PRODUCTIVITY IN 2023.

As the previous year has just winded up, we may find ourselves in the new years resolution frenzy, pulling us into a state of reflection and goal setting. Upon setting new goals for this year, it is worth pausing and reflecting on what the previous year brought us, be it good tidings or hurdles, because that helps us identify areas in our lives that need change and prevents us from repeating the mistakes of the past into the present and future. For goals to be achievable, we need to look into our levels of motivation which factors in when it comes to productivity. To boost motivation, we need to create habits that helps us to create the discipline in the steps taken to attain those goals.

Creating habits is important because habits are what bridges the gap between written goals and goal achievement. The thing about habits is that you don't see the results immediately but after a period of time as it needs consistent practice, I like to define habits as tiny changes that leave a lasting imprint. These seemingly small habits not only makes the process of accomplishing your goals effortless but also enjoyable. Try these 6 daily habits and see its impacts in your levels of productivity.

 1. MAKING TIME FOR A MORNING ROUTINE.

I get it, the 9-5 job, home responsibilities, intense pressure to perform at work not forgetting crazy traffic jams, it can seem a handful and make us feel as though we don't have enough time for a morning routine. However, when we create the time for it by waking up earlier than usual, we can be surprised at just how much we can accomplish during the day with ease. Morning routine activities can be as simple as self reflecting in silence, doing exercises, reading a non fictional book, doing stretches or meditating. These are examples of activities you can do for your morning routine and it is essential to pick an activity that resonates the most with you. All these activities help you feel balanced and resets your focus for the day. 

Having a solid morning routine will reenergize you and will help you build resilience to tackle challenges of the day. In addition to the morning routine, you can write down the tasks you want to accomplish during the day. Organizing your day will help in decluttering your mind and make you feel in control of the day's activities which leads to increased levels of productivity. Side note: when you write down what you intend to do during the day, it is important to be realistic so that you don't strain yourself.

2. BEING MINDFUL OF YOUR PHYSICAL HEALTH.

Physical health and mental health are codependent on each other. You can't have stable mental health if you neglect your physical health and physical health is an entire scope that encompasses your diet, sleep hygiene and body movement. 

• Diet 

Eating a balanced diet is necessary because it gives the body's cells the right nutrients which enhances one's strength and vitality. If you particularly want to boost your levels of happiness, you can frequently take serotonin boosting foods such as bananas, nuts and seeds, fish, eggs, milk, oats, yoghurt and pineapple. One's levels of happiness plays a role in motivation which affects productivity.

• Sleep hygiene

Sleeping habits is linked to mood stability. Do you remember a time in your life when you had less hours of sleep and you seemed to easily get worked up by anything during the day even at the slightest things, well this is scientifically true because sleeping habits affects how we feel. Getting enough sleep will set you in the right tone for the day and will balance your moods enabling you to have enough energy to take on the tasks and responsibilities of the day.

• Body movement

With almost everything done online today from work to lunch being delivered at your doorstep, it's easy to get caught up in a loop of inactivity and this leads to low energy levels which contributes to low productivity. Whatever it is that you can do, make sure not to just sit there the entire day! Move your body in any way through walking, dancing, stretching. Moving your body will give you an endorphin boost making you feel happy and fulfilled and this enhances your productivity levels. 

3. LIMITING SOCIAL MEDIA INTAKE.

In this digital age, it's hard not to compulsively check one's phone because it seems that there's always a notification waiting for us to respond to. It's like there's always something begging for our attention and we can't control the urge to check on what other people are up to. This can be toxic because we are constantly comparing our lives to others, spending less time on things that really matter and it leads to information overload which is a contributing factor to stress. It is important to cultivate moderation when it comes to social media intake to minimize distractions therefore improving our attention and concentration levels which are important prerequisites for enhanced productivity. Some of the ways to moderate our social media consumption includes:-

• Setting time limits on apps to help you manage the time you spend on social media.
• Avoid using social media when you start your day in the morning and when you go to bed.
• Turning off unnecessary notifications.

4. CONNECTING WITH A LOVED ONE/ LONGTIME FRIEND.

Social connection is vital for mental health because connection is the essence of our being. When we are not connected, we experience increased feelings of loneliness and emptiness in our lives and this can lead to depression. Checking up on a distant family member or friend will help in strengthening one's connection with them and improves the relationship. Having healthy relationships with your partner, friends and family is important because these social bonds make you feel loved, supported and cared for which is fundamental for promoting mental health. This will help you to be present in your place of work and in carrying out your daily tasks and enhances your optimal performance.

5. JOURNALLING YOUR EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS.

I can't seem to emphasize enough about journalling because, personally, it has brought me immense growth in my personal life. For people who don't know what to do with intense emotions, journalling can be a great start point in navigating through that. Often, these people are unable to identify their emotions because they haven't been taught how to deal with them and this makes it hard for them to label those emotions they are feeling. The flip side of this is that they won't know how to express it in a healthy way and instead bottle it up.

One way to learn how to deal with intense emotions is by writing down exactly how you feel. By writing it down, you will be able to find out what triggered it and find ways in helping you manage these emotions. This will build your emotional intelligence which is essential for strengthening your relationship with yourself and others e.g family members, work colleagues hence ensuring harmonious associations with your counterparts and this promotes productivity in the long run.

6. HAVE A DAILY DOSE OF FUN.

Sometimes, the only way to get out of a slumpy feeling is simply by having fun and laughing your heart out. A daily dose of fun could mean watching your favorite movie, singing or humming to your favorite music, dancing while doing house chores, drawing, reading a book. It could be anything that lets your guard down and enables you to have a light hearted moment. Studies show that having fun reduces cortisol levels which is a stress hormone that spikes when one is stressed. By reducing the cortisol levels, one is able to stay relaxed. On the contrary, having fun boosts serotonin production which is responsible for emotional stability. These effects improves one's clarity and focus which is necessary for enhanced productivity levels.

Take out 

For big changes to happen in our lives, we need to focus on the small changes. These small changes don't seem to make a big impact but in the long run, when we look back, we see a whole big difference. Achieving goals is a sum of those tiny changes that took place over time. Sometimes, we may lack the motivation to follow up with these habits but discipline is what is required for us to maintain the consistency. You need to constantly remind yourself why you need to perform these daily habits and let that be the intent that drives you. Taking action means creating discipline in taking these steps. For a written goal to materialize, we need to be proactive in taking those steps. If only there was a short cut, we'd all have taken it, but in this case, all we need to do is fold our sleeves and get to work in making our dreams a reality. 

Article by, 

Therapist Faith Chepkwony.

chepkwonyfaith13@gmail.com