While riding my bike the other day, I thought about productivity. I consider myself a moderately productive person. I run 2 businesses, I’m starting a third, I keep a fairly well-balanced exercise schedule, I sleep 7-8 hours most nights, and I make sure to spend important quality time with my wife and child. I’ll be the first to admit that the scales definitely tip from one side to the other at times, but for the most part, I’d call myself pretty well-balanced. So, during my uphill pedaling, I thought about why and what makes me as productive? I jotted down a few notes and checked them with some research. Here are my findings.
Sleep
It’s my number one thing that helps me be more productive throughout the day. If I don’t sleep, I’m not nearly as on top of things as I can be. Less than 6 1/2 hours, I can make it through the day, but I’m not nearly as well as when I have a solid 7 1/2 to 8 hours. According to Sleep.org, proper amounts of sleep improve your mood and give you more energy during the day. One quick tip: Make sure to turn off all your electronics at least 60-90 minutes before actual bed time.
Exercise
Exercise more. Yes, I’ll continue to say it until I can’t say it no more! Exercise simply makes you feel better, but it also improves your concentration, makes your memory sharper, makes you a quicker learner, and lowers stress. How’s that for a productivity enhancer? Check out this post from the Harvard Business Review.
Eat Better
We all know about the obesity epidemic in our country and around the world, but are we actually contributing or solving the problem? One way to find out is to look at your food intake over the next 24-48 hours. There are 3 top productivity killers, they are sugar, alcohol, and caffeine. Stop or at least limit your intake of those three and increase your vegetable intake and you’ll notice huge changes in your energy levels and you’ll no longer get that dreaded lunch coma. Again, I refer to HBR for more about how diet effects your productivity.
Meditate
Meditation is having it’s moment, but it’s been around for years. First, I say not to be afraid of this wonderful tool that will help us all be more peaceful. It also helps us handle stress better, deal with colleagues better, lower blood pressure, and oh so much more. See a post on Arianna Huffington’s Thrive Global about how meditation can be used as a productivity tool.
Breathe Consciously
We go back to Thrive Global for a great article about yoga breathing and it’s benefits. In my experience, when I’m breathing deeply, I am more relaxed. Anytime I feel stressed, I take a deep breath. I use a few different breathing techniques to help me focus when I find myself distracted. The breath is the easiest way to change our state of being. The next time you’re feeling under pressure, just take a deep breath and hold it for 3 seconds or even 5 seconds. Then slowly exhale. You’ll immediately notice a change. It’s that simple.
There you have it, 5 ways to improve your productivity through wellness. If you have trouble, feel free to reach out, I’m always happy to help along the journey. Find me on social media @teddymcdonald or grab my free beginner meditation series here.
Originally published on the author’s website.