What My Productive Morning Looks Like

Following my previous article on crafting a productive morning routine, many people have asked me to share what exactly my morning routine looks like.

First and foremost, I don't wake up at a specific time every day. My husband is nuts and wakes up around 4AM so he can play video games and relax before he leaves for work around 6:30AM. Typically I wake up when he leaves around 6:30AM. My aim is to be out of bed by 7AM, but let's face it, that doesn't always happen, especially on the days where I don't have to be at work until 1PM.

But nonetheless, I'm typically up by 7AM, and then the real fun begins.

I always, always get dressed in the mornings. Even if I don't have to be at work until 1PM. Even if I have absolutely nowhere else to be except at my desk in the living room. I always get dressed, even if it's just pulling on a comfy shirt and a pair of jeans. There is something about not being in PJs or sweatpants that triggers your brain to move to a more productive head-space. If you are struggling with being productive in the mornings, try this small tip. Get changed into an outfit that is more put together, and I guarantee there will be a part of you that is more ready for the day.

I am subscribed to the Skimm, a daily morning news brief geared towards young women. It does have a left-leaning slant, but I think they do a fantastic job of summarizing big news stories in easy to digest "skimms" of the content. This news digest appears in my inbox around the same time and that's typically one of the first things I do. You can sign up for the Skimm's morning newsletter here.

I typically also briefly check my New York Times app to check in on any events the Skimm may have missed or not covered. I always check it because I absolutely freaking love the NYT and the way they report information. I know the info I am getting from them can be trusted. I receive their evening digest newsletter which is fantastic for gleaning knowledge on any events I may have missed while at work. I do have a subscription ($4 a month for unlimited access to articles), but there are ways you can read NYT articles for free without having to pay. If you are looking for a news source that accurately reports information and news, the NYT is it.

I then check my LinkedIn account. LinkedIn has quickly become my favorite social media platform because of the opportunities for career growth and personal development. I respond to any pending connection requests, unread messages, and respond to any commentary left on my posts overnight. I then send 5 new personalized connection requests to recruiters and HR specialists who are not yet in my network. I am constantly trying to grow my connections in the human resources field because that is where I want to start my career. Challenging myself to reach out to 5 people every day and explain why I would love to include them in my network is a fantastic way that I can accomplish this goal. It's not spammy - my connection requests consists of "my name is Alex, I'm a young professional interested in the field of HR and I would love to follow your journey as a recruiter. I'm excited for the opportunity to keep up with the great work you are doing at _____." This is a very respectful way to reach out to people on LinkedIn and grow your network. Professionalism is key to LinkedIn.

From this point forward, I do one of several things.

• 1) Get started on my recruiting course work from Milspo Academy.
• 2) Head to LinkedIn Learning to continue my current HR learning path.
• 2) Begin working on my university school assignment for the week.

And the rest of the day is history, but I always go into it knowing I have taken the time to set up my day for success.

Now, let's talk briefly about that commute before we wrap things up. If you work outside of the home, chances are you have to drive to work and that you have some time you need to fill. This is a great opportunity to learn something new or do some personal development work. I always listen to the Blinkist daily pick on the way to work, whether that is in the morning or in the afternoon. These are daily pics of nonfiction content that have been compressed into 10-15 "blinks," quick 1-2 minute audio clips of learning content. You can also choose to read the blinks instead if you aren't an audio person. The content is randomized, and I never now what I'll be learning whenever I open the app. I like the sense of surprise and the randomness of the chosen daily content. It is a great way to turn my 15 minute commute into something productive. You can sign up for Blinkist here.

You have more time in the mornings than you probably realize. If you're the kind of person who is always rushing from one activity to the next, it's time to restructure your day so that your mornings allow for more careful contemplation.

Your mornings are the key to unlocking success in your day. What are some small things you can do in the mornings to encourage productivity and success all day long? If you really want to challenge yourself, think about things you could change about your evenings that might help with this process. How can you change the cycle to something positive?