Most employees have some sort of routine. However, the most successful individuals and entrepreneurs have a routine tailored to their unique strengths and goals. They understand the importance of work-life balance [1]. By taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment, you can identify your top strengths and create a consistent routine that leverages your natural abilities, leading to increased productivity, fulfillment, and success. So, why should you create a strengths-based work routine? You will become more productive and boost your time management. In this article, you’ll learn how to improve your work routine and why efficient routines are crucial to success.
What is a daily work routine?
A daily work routine is an outline of tasks that you should accomplish. daily routine will tell you what you should be working on and when, from start to finish. Over time, your routine will become more natural to you. When creating a work routine, consider your goals, desires, and natural strengths. The purpose of a routine is to become more productive, save time, and make your goals easier to achieve. The HIGH5 strengths assessment can help you identify your top strengths, allowing you to tailor your routine to maximize your potential and achieve your goals more efficiently.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
When creating your daily work routine, consider taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment to identify your top strengths. Use this knowledge to prioritize tasks that align with your natural abilities, ensuring that your routine is tailored to your unique strengths and goals.
Why create a daily work routine?
A daily routine offers numerous benefits, especially when they are aligned with your natural strengths. By taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment, you can gain valuable insights into what you naturally excel at and enjoy. This knowledge allows you to prioritize tasks that leverage your strengths, enabling you to spend more time on what you truly love and find fulfilling. Inefficient routines do not allow you to allocate time effectively. Without a solid routine, uninteresting tasks may make up the majority of your time.
This could lead to unfulfillment and less interest in your work. A morning routine could help you get into the right mindset before work and sets you up to be productive during your work day. Let’s look at the benefits of a work routine.
Benefits of having a daily work routine in place
- Less stress and lower chances of burnout.
- Better physical health (yoga, for example).
- Newfound understanding of your desires, goals, and passions.
- More productivity and achievements in your career and relationships.
- Better sleep and energy levels.
- Better habit focus and an increased attention span.
- Decrease your odds of having depression and anxiety.
- Extra time to enjoy the activities you love and spend quality time with loved ones.
7 ways to improve your daily work routine
There are many strategies you could use to establish a productive basic routine. The long-term benefits of investing in your routine are immense. Here are some steps you can take to establish a strong daily routine, starting with planning your day the night before.
1. Plan the night before
Every night, create a list of tasks you wish to accomplish. The reason a task list can be effective is that it outlines your day in a very specific, materialistic way. You can easily remind yourself of your duties with a task list. Each time you complete a task, check it off so you can see your progress. Doing this the night before will reduce stress and save time, for you will not have to do this in the morning.
2. Wake up at the same time every day
This suggestion is less about a specific time you should go to bed and rise. However, having consistency is key. This can help you ensure that you’re getting enough hours each night. Sleep is crucial for staying productive and working at your best [2]. Waking up and going to bed at the same time will ensure you do not have a large sleep debt.
3. Eat a good breakfast
Breakfast is called the most important meal of the day for a reason. You need to have energy at this early time of day. It sets you up to be able to think clearly and be energetic. Ensure that the breakfast is healthy, as it will lead to clearer thinking. Some ideas? Oats with berries, eggs with sautéed mushrooms, or chia pudding.
4. Create a distraction-free workspace
Distractions are the enemy of productivity. Spend as much time away from distractions as possible to free up time to do what truly matters. To analyze what your distractions are, consider writing them down during the day. Whenever you get distracted, note when and why this occurs. Then, you can find and address your biggest distractions. You can even change the environment you work in. For example, on some days, you can work from a local coffee shop or library.
5. Tackle the worst thing first
Another concept to boost your productivity from the get-go is to eat the frog first, which means tackling the most difficult problem first. However, approaching challenging tasks can be daunting. By taking the HIGH5 strengths assessment, you can identify your top strengths and learn how to apply them effectively to difficult situations. Leveraging your strengths can help you approach the ‘frog’ with greater confidence and develop strategies to overcome challenges more efficiently. You can dedicate all of your energy toward the most challenging task. You can also eliminate the desire to procrastinate if you perform the tough task first. Later on in the day, you can feel happy and motivated by the fact that you already achieved a large task. Everything will seem easier in comparison to this difficult activity.
6. Rest or meditate
Work, “hustle,” or “grind” culture undermines the importance of sleep. If you truly want to be productive, you must prioritize rest. It is a natural part of human physiology. Ever heard of the saying, “Sleep on it,” the night before a test [3]? Depriving yourself of sleep only leads to negative consequences. You will be more likely to burnout, more stressed, less focused, less enthusiastic, and less productive. Ensure you get enough sleep at night (go to bed at a reasonable hour). You can avoid all of these negative consequences if you ensure you have time to rest and meditate. If needed, take a break to power nap (ideally early in the afternoon) and recharge [4].
7. Say no to unreasonable requests
If you are a people pleaser, this may be tough to put into practice. However, taking on unreasonable requests is not sustainable or beneficial in the long run. If you say yes to too many unnecessary tasks, this will put your routine off balance. You will have less time to focus on what is truly important and spend many hours performing counterproductive tasks. Ensure that you reject tasks that take your focus away from what matters. Performing these crucial tasks effectively will be better for your health and productivity than performing many tasks poorly.
Pro Tip From HIGH5
Before tackling your most challenging task, take a moment to reflect on your HIGH5 strengths assessment results. Consider how you can apply your strengths to break down the task into manageable steps and develop a strategy that leverages your natural abilities, making the ‘frog’ easier to swallow.
How to stick to your work routine?
Your routines become ingrained in your brain. They are made up of a series of habits. Whenever you perform a task that gives you pleasure, neurotransmitters flood your brain with dopamine. This makes you feel happy after getting likes on social media or indulging in an unhealthy meal. The subconscious mind will want to continue performing this task, regardless of its long and short-term harm. When you are trying to stick to a new routine, do not change all of your habits at once. Research reveals that this will overwhelm you. It decreases your odds of following through with your new routine.
Focusing on one habit at a time will also ensure you do not have decision fatigue in daily life. Another way you can contribute to your routine the following goal is to eliminate distractions. Does each social media ping tempt you to check your phone? Activate ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode for a set amount of time for deep focus. You can also tell your acquaintances about your new schedule. You may have to change the day or time you speak to them if it is less of a priority to you.
Template for your daily work routine
If you are having a tough time deciding how to create a routine, you can follow a general template. Therefore, it may not fit everyone’s goals and desires. When crafting a daily routine, you have to ensure it is followable for the long term. First thing in the morning, try recalling your goals for the day. Write them down and take a look at the activities you listed from the night before. Next, write down a few things you are excited and grateful for. After that, focus on hygiene and self-care. Enjoy a shower and brush your teeth.
Have a healthy breakfast before getting dressed. You should pick out your clothing the night before. Leave for work with enough time to arrive early. Once at work, understand your distractions. Either eliminate those distractions or place yourself in a different environment. Set out blocks of time where you will be working on the most important tasks. These are usually early on in the day. Finally, take a break whenever you truly feel it is necessary. Continue working until the day is over. Adjust this template and repeat as you see fit.
How to write your own daily routine?
While the previously described template is a good place to start drafting, it is extremely general and not specific to your situation or goals. The best schedule is one that you create yourself! In the morning, consider which self-care tasks you want to perform before work. They will put you in the right mindset. This can be time for meditation, starting a gratitude journal, recalling your goals, eating a healthy breakfast, and so on. Once you do this, prioritize your tasks at work. Ensure that the most difficult task is tackled first. Schedule a set period of time when you will only be working on each task. Avoid multitasking when possible, as it can reduce your productivity. Schedule time for a break when you need it. Continue following your list of powerful tasks until all of them are completed.
Daily routine examples for professionals and students
A daily routine helps you become more organized, keeps you productive, reduces bad habits, decreases stress and burnout, increases internal fulfillment, and drives you to accomplish your goals. Need some ideas? Check out the following for professionals, then students!
Daily routine examples for professionals
- Have a glass of lemon water, tea, or collagen instead of coffee.
- Use time management apps.
- Turn off electronics 2 hours before bed.
- Set a consistent wake and sleep schedule.
- Practice gratitude and say what you’re thankful for.
- Spend an hour every day talking with your family members and friends.
- Exercise for a half hour before work.
- Drink at least one glass of water with each meal.
- Choose healthy foods when possible.
Daily routine examples for students
- Start your homework as soon as you get home.
- Eat a healthy breakfast (such as eggs or oatmeal) every morning.
- Clean and organize your room and binders.
- Start studying for a quiz well in advance.
- Choose your outfit and get your materials ready each night before school.
- Reflect on your school day before lunch.
- Write down your homework and plans in a planner as soon as you think of them.
- Submit your schoolwork upon completion.
- If you play sports, stretch for a few minutes before starting your workout.
Work routine FAQ
How do I create a work routine?
Start by listing all the goals you want to accomplish. Then, find tasks that support those goals throughout the day. If you have a bad habit preventing you from achieving your goals, substitute that time with a more productive task. For example, instead of checking up on Facebook, listen to your favorite science podcast. Ensure that your routine is consistent, too. For example, try setting a bedtime that is the same across all weekdays. Include breaks and time for self-care, too.
Why is routine important at work and in the office?
There are numerous benefits to creating a work routine. You will have more time to focus on the tasks that you find truly important. The most difficult tasks will become easier to accomplish if you tackle them first. Then, all the other tasks in-between you must complete will also seem easier. This phenomenon is known as psychological momentum [5]. Organization is important when you are trying to collaborate with others and achieve your goals. All of this combined ensures that you can tackle your aspirations and live a fulfilling life.
Why is a schedule important?
Shedules give individuals a more predictable lifestyle. They help you address any unhelpful habits you may have, while simultaneously creating new, healthy habits. They can help reduce anxiety, stress, and burnout.
References:
- Drnovšek, M., Slavec, A., & Aleksić, D. (2023). “I want it all”: exploring the relationship between entrepreneurs’ satisfaction with work–life balance, well-being, flow and firm growth. Review of Managerial Science, 1–28. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11846-023-00623-2.
- Chaput, J. P., Dutil, C., Featherstone, R., Ross, R., Giangregorio, L., Saunders, T. J., Janssen, I., Poitras, V. J., Kho, M. E., Ross-White, A., Zankar, S., & Carrier, J. (2020). Sleep timing, sleep consistency, and health in adults: a systematic review. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism = Physiologie appliquee, nutrition et metabolisme, 45(10 (Suppl. 2)), S232–S247. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2020-0032.
- Sio, U. N., Monaghan, P., & Ormerod, T. (2013). Sleep on it, but only if it is difficult: effects of sleep on problem solving. Memory & cognition, 41(2), 159–166. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-012-0256-7.
- Dutheil, F., Danini, B., Bagheri, R., Fantini, M. L., Pereira, B., Moustafa, F., Trousselard, M., & Navel, V. (2021). Effects of a Short Daytime Nap on the Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(19), 10212. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910212.
- Iso-Ahola, S. E., & Dotson, C. O. (2016). Psychological Momentum-A Key to Continued Success. Frontiers in psychology, 7, 1328. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01328.
