I’m a firm believer your attitude at the beginning of the day can shape the rest of it. A stressful morning can lead to so much anxiety and excess stress and could derail your day. I often get asked how I get so much done in the day and how I’m able to multitask and shift my focus. It all starts with four simple tasks I do each morning and it sets me up for success! Everybody is different, so while these are the four things I actually do to have a productive day, you have to find what works for you!

1. Plan Out The Day

I do better with a schedule so I don’t feel like I’m missing anything. I swear by Google Calendar in the weekly view and plan out practically every minute of the day. For example I will schedule: 7:00 am to 7:20 check for important emails, 7:30 to 8:00 make coffee and get ready for the day, and so on. You can schedule in lunch, walks, etc. and this really shows you how to really prioritize and maximize the time you have in a day! I also color code it so I can easily see what is what. Pro tip: I also only try to tackle three to four super important tasks each day. That way, I can truly focus and dedicate time to those tasks. Plus, upon completion, there is greater satisfaction, which will make you feel better!

If possible, I try to plan to execute those tasks earlier in the day so I can really focus on them and if I need more time, there is flexibility in the schedule. Before, I used to spend hours planning out all these grand tasks and would feel defeated if I didn’t get them all done. I didn’t realize it’s just not possible to really get all of that done. Your energy is better spent completing those tasks, not planning for them. This is key for me in order to have a productive day.

2. Go to Sleep & Wake Up at the Same Time

Johnny and I are human and we stray on this every now and then, but usually we always go to sleep and wake up at the same time. We set alarms as a safety backup, but we both wake up at the same time every day, naturally. I think this is key to feeling rested. I swear by the Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock App, which I’ve been using since 2012! It monitors your sleep and wakes you up in the lightest sleep cycle so you don’t feel like you’ve been jolted out of a deep sleep.

Bonus: it also tells you if you talk, murmur, snore or toss and turn while sleeping. You can also add notes such as if you had coffee, it was a bad day, you were tired and more to see how that may affect your sleep performance! Sleep truly can make or break your day so I’m linking all of my sleep essentials below. We swear by our Leesa mattress, organic cotton sheets, fluffy down-alternative duvet insert, duvet cover and our silk pillowcases!

3. Have a Quiet Moment

I like to make a cup of coffee and have a quiet moment each morning. I’ll do a quick meditation or go through what I’m grateful for. You can do this anywhere but I find it’s a great way to calm my mind before rushing to get ready and start a productive day. Sometimes I do it in the bathroom at my vanity before I start my skincare routine. I personally love to have coffee in the morning. Some of you may prefer tea, making a smoothie or eating a full-blown breakfast.

When it’s cold outside, I prefer a hot cup of coffee and absolutely love my Nespresso! It’s easy to use and these are my favorite pods! When the weather starts warming up, I like to join Johnny and drink our own homemade cold brew.

4. Time Block & Stay Focused

Sticking to the task at hand and not letting your mind wander is key to actually having a productive day! Remember what I talked about in the first step? The reason I plan out my day is so I know exactly what I need to do, when I need to do it and can focus on it. I create an hour time block in the early evenings as my “dump” hour and when something pops up, but I don’t want to get distracted I put it my notes to do it then. That way you don’t get off track and the next thing you know you know, you’re out of time!