Productivity Tip:

Upgrade Your Downtime

You know breaks are essential if you want to stay productive. But how are you spending them? Mindlessly watching cat videos on YouTube may be fine, but you also need some more intentional, nourishing downtime. 

Here’s one idea from the authors of the book Intention: The Surprising Psychology of High Performers:

“Try asking yourself—what is one thing that you can devote 10 minutes a day to getting better at? Ideally, something that doesn’t require travel or significant investment. Try it out for 30 days (do 10 minutes of the thing each day) and see what happens.”

They add that beyond getting better at that thing, you might also find you want to spend more time doing it. So it’s a great way to recharge, develop, and find your path. Why not give it a try?

Routine Breakdown

Shelby Leigh, Bestselling Author & Owner of Marketing by Shelby

A Marketing Maven’s Morning Routine

Author and owner of multi-6 figure business Marketing by Shelby says the first two steps of her routine happen in bed. “I love sitting in bed for 10-15 minutes before getting up, although I do open the curtains as I’ve read that it helps your circadian rhythm for your eyes to be exposed to natural light when you wake up.” (She’s right, by the way!)

The Routine:

• Plays brain games. “Whether people find it productive or not, I love starting my morning with mind games like Wordle and Nerdle to wake my brain up!”
• Spends a few quick minutes journaling. “I immediately capture any ideas/things I was thinking about as I woke up so I don’t forget them, as well as to get them out of my mind so I can focus on today’s tasks rather than future problems.”
• Goes for a morning walk. “Outside, normally after breakfast, or on my walking pad inside while reading emails if it’s cold outside.”
• Reviews her to-do list. “I plan this the day before but review in the morning and circle the 3 tasks I must get done that day.”

Why it works:

• Are word games good for your brain? Yes, as long as they continue to challenge you.
• Journaling is great for mental health—so is doing a brain dump to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper.
• Morning walks get your blood flowing as well as your creativity, and they boost your mood. Walking outside adds the benefits of sunlight and fresh air.
• Singling out the day’s priorities keeps you focused on the right things.

If you want to stay on track with your goals, make sure you’re setting your top 3-5 priorities for the day, every day. There’s space to do this in Panda Planner. Building this one small habit can make a huge difference to your life!