From prios to pencil press-ups: how to stay productive at work

The first 10 minutes after you wake up have a big impact on the rest of your day. With a daily morning ritual – a combination of healthy habits – you can prepare both your body and mind for an energetic and productive day at work.

How? With an offline morning. Avoid the snooze button, hydrate your body with a glass of water and do some stretches to stimulate your circulation. Take a shower, enjoy a healthy breakfast and (if your morning routine allows it) read something motivating. A book, a magazine, a calendar with inspiring quotes … Just not on a screen.

And what about the evening? More of the same! An evening ritual – without your telephone – will prepare you for a good night’s sleep. Put your clothes ready for the next day, lay the breakfast table, read a book, drink a cup of (decaffeinated) tea or warm milk …
 

Do you (often) work from home? Try and follow your morning and evening ritual, in order to keep the structure of a ‘normal’ working day. Dress as if you are going to the office – it’s better for your productivity than your pyjamas or comfortable tracksuit. If possible, choose a home workspace in a separate (and tidy) room, so that you can literally close the door on your work in the evening.

Ideally, install your desk near a window, so that you can enjoy light and fresh air at your workplace – it does wonders for your productivity. Do you live in a busy neighbourhood with noisy streets? Invest in some decent noise-cancelling headphones.

Set your day’s priorities at the start of that working day. Then plan your day schedule according to the energy levels of the human biorhythm. By planning your tasks like this, you can maximise your productivity throughout the day.

• Morning (8 am - 12 noon): this is when your concentration is best. So use that time for complex dossiers and difficult decisions.
• Early afternoon (12 noon - 4 pm): your energy levels are much lower after lunch.
  Then you can focus on simple administration and routine tasks.
• Late afternoon (4 pm - 6 pm): your energy levels increase again – perfect for meetings, telephone calls, etc.

Sitting for long periods is bad for your productivity and your health in general. Regular exercise, on the other hand, boosts concentration, energy and fat burning, makes muscles stronger and reduces back complaints.

But how do you exercise more at your (home) workplace? Try to switch position every half hour. Go and top up your glass of water, stand up during a phone call or meeting, use your lunch break for a walk … Apps and tools like Big Stretch Reminder, Workrave and Rise&Recharge give you an extra reminder.
 

There are various simple methods you can apply to increase your productivity in the workplace. An offline morning and evening ritual, an optimally designed home workplace, planning that suits the human biorhythm, regularly standing up … These simple tips help you to increase productivity without causing you difficulty.