If you want to have the best day at the office — whether you’re working from home or in your office — a great day starts the night before. Stick with me because once I get done you will understand what I mean and you will want to incorporate some of these routines.
Coronavirus has changed the routines of many of us, but one thing that remains the same is the way in which you end a day will have a profound impact on how you greet the new day
A Great Day Starts The Night Before
- Move and stretch. If you’ve been sitting at your desk all day, your muscles are cramped and crimped. Get out of the chair and do some stretches. Touch your toes. Do jumping jacks. Twist. Look for an online yoga class. Meditate. Do what you need to do to rid yourself of the stressors of the workday. When you leave the office — no matter if it’s the home office — you want to face your off-hours feeling refreshed.
- Before you fall asleep, count your blessings. Better yet, write them down. Jot down something you’re grateful for at work, in your family and life and your health or whatever strikes your fancy. Even in your worst days, you can usually find something to be grateful for. Read your journal and look at what you were grateful for yesterday; this is a great way to start a day on a positive note.
- Plan and prep meals. If you find yourself in front of the camera all day in Zoom calls it’s difficult to find a way to sneak in a meal. This is especially true if you find yourself with thirty minutes between calls — what will you eat? How can you get something quick and nutritious? Pre-planning helps. Don’t waste precious minutes trying to decide what to eat. Plan what you want to eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner and prep what you can the day before. If you’re planning to have tuna salad for lunch, make it the night before, then the next day you can easily put it on some bread with some sprouts and viola — lunch without any muss or fuss!
Go to bed when you’re tired. Don’t fall asleep on the couch then drag yourself to bed at some late hour. When you’re tired that is bedtime. Take a bath. Do as much pre-bed prep before you go to bed. If you’re tired, then have to go outdoors to walk your dogs, then come in and brush your teeth and lay your clothes out… you will wake yourself back up then toss and turn. There is nothing better to help you face a day than a good night’s sleep.