If you struggle with productivity and none of the productivity tools and apps seem to work, then you need to focus on yourself and work with the innate tools you have — your mind and body.

What you might not have realized is that your day doesn’t start the moment you wake up, it starts the moment you go to bed. Your previous day sets precedence for the new day, and to start it well, you have to end the previous one on a good note.

In this article, I will be sharing steps you should follow if you want to wake up happy and equipped for the day.

Make a list of the tasks you want to do the next day

Have you ever been in a situation where you struggled with a particular task, but decided to step away from it?

Think back to when you last did it… was that task easier to complete, or did it still give you as much trouble?

As shown in the Zeigarnik effect, the brain remembers unfinished tasks more than it remembers finished tasks.

The brain retains the information and processes it to find answers. So, when you create a to-do, you assign uncompleted tasks to your subconscious mind.

The result?

When you sit down the next day to complete the task you set the previous day, it would be easier and take less time. It is a great tactic for writers as it spares one the agonizing minutes of staring at a blank screen.

Read a book you enjoy before you go to bed

Not only does reading a book put you in a good mood, but it also gives you something to look forward to (i.e. if the book is a page-turner).

You are not too old to enjoy a good bedtime story, especially when you can read one out for yourself. In addition, research shows that reading fiction reduces stress.

Clear all grievances you held during the day

Don’t harm yourself by filling your mind with strong emotions.

I have discovered that the mood I sleep in determines my waking mood. And while I can’t control the thoughts I allow sneak in as I fall asleep, I can control the mood I allow myself before laying down on the bed.

If you don’t want to ruin the next day, settle your differences before the day is over. If you’re sad or angry, calm your self down by listening to your favorite music or writing down how you feel and why you feel that way. It works better than emotional eating, trust me.

Sleep early

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Even one night of short sleep can affect you the next day. Not only are you more likely to feel sleepy, but you’re also more likely to be in a bad mood, be less productive at work…”

If your brain is not rested, then you are going to have a very hard time being productive. Sleep is very important and should not be compromised.

An adult needs at least 7 hours of sleep daily, as recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

No matter the setting of your body clock — whether you prefer to sleep in the morning and work afternoons, or work afternoons and sleep in the mornings, do not neglect your rest time.

Sleep refreshes the mind and body.

Even computer hardware needs to be shut down intermittently and rebooted for optimal performance.

A good night’s rest guarantees a productive morning. And as the popular saying goes, “Early to bed, early to rise.”

Do not use your phone early in the morning

Most importantly, do not turn on your phone until you have accomplished one or two tasks in the morning. All your effort would be wasted if the first thing you do when you wake up is to check your phone.

The brain is active at that point, and when you waste it on a passive activity such as scrolling through your phone, you have decreased your output for the day. It doesn’t matter if you are checking your mails.

Checking your mails is worse. It loads your brain with unnecessary information and tasks that could have waited.

The mornings should be the time you pull out the list you made the previous day and cancel some items on the list by getting them done.

Start your day with a productive morning.

In summary,

1. Make a list of tasks you want to do the next day

2. Read a book you enjoy before going to bed

3. Clear all grievances you held during the day

4. Sleep early

5. Do not use your phone first thing in the morning

Try it out for a week, and observe the changes to your mood and the effect on your productivity during the day.