I said goodbye to traditional office life some 17 months ago, yet still struggle with defining my workday. Whether open-door, closed-door or cubicle-bound, office life offers a stability and consistency that come with scheduled work hours and responsibilities.
Upon entry into the Workshifting realm, the before, during and after work all become one. And, as is the case for many workshifters, your load will effectively increase if you become responsible for your own IT, marketing and the like.
How You Start and End Your Day Influences What Happens In-between
So, now, productivity not only becomes more challenging, it becomes more integral to successfully reaching any destination along the workshifting highway. Here are some ideas I am tinkering with, in order to move into the HOV lane of productivity.
Create a morning routine which invokes a positive flow of energy and ideas through the remainder of your day.
In physical terms, this ritual could involve a swim, a walk with the sunrise or a cup of freshly-brewed coffee. Sometimes, just having your coffee in a different place and checking your personal email or reading a few edifying articles will prepare your mind for the work that is ahead!
Mentally, the activity should calm you while at the same time awaken your brain to remain open to a flow of ideas throughout the day. Life coach and author, Wendi Blum, suggests that you start your day with a gratitude list – i.e., on a positive note. Or, perhaps, set the intention for what you would like to/need to accomplish on that day. Different from mere calendaring or goal-setting, setting the intention implies a connection and commitmment to the task at hand and the possession of the talent/skills/discipline needed to achieve!
Remember that the key to the morning “routine” may be keeping it exactly the same each day, or switching it up sometimes depending on what type of flow of thoughts/creativity/ energy you seek!
Create an evening ritual which encapsulates the positive aspects of your day and sets you up for success tomorrow.
As workshifters, it can feel as though our ‘work’day never ends! Therefore, it’s that much more imperative that we create a physical and/or mental separation to transition from work to relaxation. Whether it is an evening social activity or walk outside – find a way clear the clutter of the day.
Stop, ask your mind/heart/soul to receive the wisdom and knowledge you need to fuel the next day’s tasks. These requests of yourself act like the automatic “Windows updates” your computer performs at night, readying it with the latest tools it needs to work at optimum levels.
What are your morning routines and evening rituals that make you most productive?
Photo Credit: outdoorPDK
