Career success doesn’t happen overnight. Working hard while avoiding burnout is the key to progress. Adding a few productivity habits to your daily routine will help you succeed in your career, revitalize your energy levels, and experience more joy every day.
1. Monitoring for Burnout Symptoms
Experts estimate that three in five American employees experience stress related to their jobs. The same research shows they experience symptoms like:
- Low motivation
- Lack of energy
- Reduced interest in enjoyable activities
- Emotional exhaustion
- Physical fatigue
If you are facing these symptoms, you’re likely working in a state of burnout. Productive people heal themselves with routine changes and self-care. Once they’re in a better state, they watch for the return of those symptoms so they can nip anxiety-inducing habits in the bud.
Reflect on your daily experience with a journal to see if you would benefit from rest, relaxation, and a healthy change in your schedule. You’ll return to a better state of mind and learn what to watch for as your career progresses.
2. Maintaining a Personal Calendar
You probably couldn’t do your job without a professional calendar. When was the last time you maintained a personal calendar too? People with productivity habits utilize calendars to juggle their responsibilities and find time for mood-boosting activities.
Try using a digital calendar and a paper planner to see which style works best for you. As you integrate your daily routine into either version, you’ll support your overall well-being by managing your time more effectively.
3. Reserving Time to Clean Your Workspace
Your workspace likely accumulates a little bit of mess every day. The disorganized piles of paper, mugs, and crumpled sticky notes make the space much less enjoyable. Try reserving a short block every day to sort through those things. It only takes a few minutes to freshen your workspace and return to your responsibilities with greater focus.
If you’re worried about saving 10-15 minutes for this work hack, think of that time as a boost in your productivity. Researchers found that stressors at work cost American businesses $190 billion annually because higher stress influences how often you get sick. You’ll feel healthier and clock in more often when stress isn’t deteriorating your immune system.
4. Save Moments for Yourself
Productivity-stealing stress builds quickly when you don’t feel like you have any free time. Save moments for yourself whenever you can so your productivity doesn’t start lagging. You could use 10 minutes in the morning to enjoy your coffee on the porch or read a chapter in an inspirational book before your commute begins.
Even waking up early to play 30 minutes of your favorite video game before work will give you more ownership over your time. It could be exactly what you need to regain control, giving you the confidence to tackle your to-do list.
5. Tackle the Challenging Stuff First
If you’re a morning person, get the hard stuff out done before your energy naturally dips in the afternoon. That could mean finalizing a project or clearing through your inbox. The best productivity habits work with your energy flow. Getting the hardest task out of the way early in the morning might make the rest of your day less stressful if you’re in the right headspace.
6. Break Tasks Into Manageable Steps
Someone who considers themselves more of a night owl might get more done every day by breaking down their responsibilities. Make everything a series of small tasks that you complete throughout the day. You’ll feel much better because you’re being productive while taking things slow because the daytime is when you’re most groggy. The key to making it work is excellent calendar organization so you can start on things well ahead of their deadlines.
7. Get Physical Exercise Regularly
People who exercise throughout the week gain more focus because movement supports their mental health. It’s one of the productivity habits that’s easy to forget. Going for a walk isn’t the same as attending a meeting, but you’ll show up to your next meeting ready to give it your full attention. A 10-minute workout could be worth considering if you don’t get much physical activity.
8. Prioritize Taking Breaks
It might seem counterintuitive to take breaks if you want to be productive, but it gives your brain time to reset. You’ll relax your cognitive muscles and get back to your responsibilities with more energy. Try taking a break once every hour by walking around the office, stepping outside, or simply scrolling through social media for a set amount of time. As long as your chosen activity is stress-free, you’ll see an improvement in your productivity in no time.
Make Your Routine Better With Productivity Habits
It’s never too late to try new productivity habits in your career. Consider where your stress or distractions come from to target the best solutions. When you implement helpful habits daily, you’ll see long-term change that generates greater career success.
Author bio: Cora Gold is a career writer and the editor of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. She writes about productivity tips, entrepreneurship, and freelancing for publications including Built In, Mediabistro, and Startup Nation. Connect with Cora on LinkedIn and X.
