5 Habits to Improve Your Productivity

BY MELANIE BARR

When I’m not achieving something that I’d like to accomplish, as difficult as it is to admit, most of the time it is related to habits I’m either too stubborn or unwilling — at least at the moment — to change.

The thought of changing it at the time seems monumental, or even impossible, but once the habit is changed I often wonder why it took so long to make the positive change in the first place. Thinking back to the most successful times in my career, I was successful mostly because of the habits I practiced. I showed up every day following through with the daily and weekly habits that led me to success.

We are not perfect and not every day will be perfect but our habits are what is going to lead us to make progress toward our highest goals, our deepest wants for our business and life, and to “experience the life that we crave.”

Figuring Out what Habits Need Improvement

This might be difficult to read and even more difficult to ask ourselves and admit — it is for me at times. What habits in your life could be improved? At the beginning of the year, I thought through (as difficult and hard as it was to admit) what habits might be holding me back.

The thought of changing a habit at the time seemed insurmountable. Maybe it’s simply a guilty pleasure, like a glass of wine or a Netflix show at the end of the night. I’m a mom of twins and at the end of the day — when I’ve woken up at 6:45am, talked all day, worked to grow She Built It™, organized, cleaned, homeschooled, cooked three meals for my family — I’m ready to watch a show and not think, plan, or do anything for an hour after the kids have gone to sleep. I like to let my mind unwind and destress.

As much as I like a nice glass of wine and a show on my iPad, I know it’s not the best habit during the week. This year I’ve replaced a glass of wine with water and a Netflix show with a book.

Maybe you are not at a time or place where you are ready to replace habits — there was a time I certainly wasn’t — but once you do you, you will see changes in your productivity, success, and you will start to feel great.

Only you know the habits that could be changed for the better. I know it can be a very difficult thing to admit and change but the hard thing — most often — is not the actual and physical change, it’s acknowledging it and taking the first step. It’s possible to make a significant life change in as little as 18 days if you are consistent and willing to give it a try.

Exercise

I taught my body to do what I had no idea it was capable of.

Endorphins are a beautiful and much needed thing. Growing up, I was athletic but never a runner. I was going through a tough break-up with a boyfriend I had been with for awhile when a friend said to me “you should run a marathon.”

I thought “what? No way.” I was not a runner but I agreed to the training to see if I liked it. Through the training, I mentally worked my way through the difficult time I was going through.

Instead of letting the feelings of sadness consume me, I learned to work through them — miles on the pavement. It became my way of working through challenges and overcoming obstacles. I went on to run a half marathon and, after proving to myself I could accomplish the half marathon, I went on to run the full 26.2 miles.

I taught my body to do what I had no idea it was capable of.

Not long after completing the marathon, I became pregnant with twins. Having one baby is hard... having multiple is exhausting in a way I had never experienced. I went from having extremely challenging workouts 6 days a week to struggling to be consistent in my workouts, or workout at all, due to lack of time while caring for two babies and often having colds due their little immune systems. It didn’t help they were in the same room, but separating them into different rooms seemed unfathomable.

One of the twins would get a cold, a week later the other, and I knew due to being with them for hours that I would have it too. They are older now and thankfully that’s all changed but I struggled for several years. This year, I have been determined to come up for air. I’m back in our home workout area (due to homeschooling the kids I work out at home in case they need something) 6 days a week and feel great.

The endorphins carry me through my jam packed days and I find myself a better and happier mom, wife, and leader because of working out. The stress leaves my system and the endorphins leave me feeling happier and having more energy for work and our family.

You might be thinking, it takes energy to workout. In reality, working out brings us strength and more energy. It also helps to find the right workouts for you. I love to run. I didn’t know I did until I slowly, literally step by step, put one foot in front of the other and learned how to love it — not everyone does. The trick is finding what is right for you and what makes you want to get up and workout every day so that you don’t feel like it’s a chore. It becomes a habit that you look forward to.

Maybe for you it’s yoga, getting outside in the fresh air for walks, boxing or kickboxing, dancing, online strength or stretching workouts, cycling. The options are endless and the beautiful thing is there is an online workout for anything today once you find your passion and the exercise that is right for you.

Rest

I’ve talked to so many people recently who have said “due to the pandemic, working more from home, and not having to do the consistent travel or daily commute that they are sleeping more and better.” I am too.

The right amount of sleep helps us wake up with clarity, we are not tired and irritable, and it gives us energy to power through our day. It can be hard to turn off a favorite show to get the absolute amount of rest we need — the shows hook us at the end because the streaming platforms keep us watching. This is what I tell myself when I have to see what is happening in the first few minutes of the next episode.

I decided to trade my online shows, only during the week — it’s an indulgence on the weekends — for books. I learn something new, it’s good for my mind and brain, and helps me to easily fall asleep.

Food & Hydration

Have you ever felt hungry only to find out that you're not really hungry you’re just dehydrated? Keeping a good water and hydration intake throughout the day helps you to feel good and have more energy. Diet and the food we eat throughout the day can do the same.

We all have different DNA, so finding the foods that are right for us and that give us the right amount of energy to slay our days is what’s important. I’ve been an animal protein eater my entire life, until last year. I made a switch to eating mostly fish, fruits and vegetables.

I know not everyone would feel good on this diet but for me it was life changing. I have so much more energy. I also started intermittent fasting. I also know that this does not work for everyone but I have found a combination that works for me and through some patience, trying new things, and trial and error, you can too, if you haven’t already.

Limiting Technology

This is a hard one for me. I’m on tech all day — my computer, phone, iPad. I’m guessing that you are too.

One thing I’ve really tried to be cognizant about doing is putting my phone away almost completely on one day every weekend. Sure, I check it a few times a day and if the kids are not at home, I keep it close in case I’m needed, but I try to take a day to have a social media and tech platform detox.

When I do this, I find that the next day I’m so much more productive. It’s also great to give that time 100% to yourself, family, and friends. It’s healthy and has become a favorite habit that I look forward to in order to recharge for the week ahead.

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