Three tricks to a productive work day!

"How do you do it all?!" is something I hear frequently. And I'm over here thinking, "How do I do what?"

I'm not Wonderwoman. To me, it doesn't even seem like I do all that much {guess that's a perk to doing what you love for a living}. But after some thought, I realized I had a pretty sweet routine down that helps me walk with pep in my step and a smile on my face while I tackle sew-a-thons in my studio, and I wanted to share how I attack each day with enthusiasm to help other work from home creatives who may not wake up feeling pumped for the day!

Trick 1: Skip  your morning coffee, tea, all caffeine. I'm not saying ditch it entirely, but instead of heading straight to the coffee pot first thing every morning, drink a tall glass of water before your first cup of joe. Starting your day out hydrated is energizing, and helps prevent mid-day headaches! For each cup of caffeine you drink, throw in a cup of good ole H2O. Not only is it good for your complexion, but I find staying well hydrated is an incredible mood booster for me!

Picture from a morning walk with the dogs.

Trick 2: Exercise. And believe me, I don't like exercising. At all. But it really does help you start the day with more energy and pep in your step!  Go for a short morning walk, do some stretches, hula hoop for a few minutes, do some yoga - wake your body up! I do some simple stretches every morning, and take my dogs on a twenty minute walk before I hit the studio {even when it's icy, even when it's raining, even when it's 100+ degrees outside}. There's no excuse to not make such a simple change to your morning routine that has such positive results! 

{I also throw in some stretches through the day, when I go from sitting to standing I do a few toe touches and side bend thingies - keeps me from getting achy muscles and keeps the energy pumping!}

Trick 3: Eat breakfast. I'm not a morning food person. I actually can't stand the thought of eating before 11am. But! On the days I eat breakfast, even if it's just toast or some apple slices, I feel amazing. My body is happy, my brain is happy, and eating before I hit the studio helps me stay focused, makes me less irritable {I didn't even realize how grouchy I was without breakfast until I started eating it!} and it energizes me! More energy = more productivity!!

So, no, I don't actually have a coffee IV drip hooked up to me. I have just made a few changes to my morning routine that has a positive effect on my brain and body! 

What is your morning routine? Do you have any tricks to starting your day off with pep in your step? Share them in the comments!