Being self-employed, I spend a lot of time experimenting on the perfect Creative Productivity Recipe. Right now, it seems to be something like:
- 1 part Time of Day
- 2 parts Intentional Email Time
- 1 ½ parts Tools (aka music that helps me focus like brain.fm, setting a timer, priority lists…here’s a post I wrote on my favorites)
- A dash of Coffee…
- And the Secret Spice: 2 parts Exercise and Movement
Through my own experience and through heaps of research, making time for movement throughout your work day really helps you be productive, stay healthier, and feel just plain good about life.
Although it can be tough to wake up early, I tend to feel better and get more done when I start my day off with even just 20 minutes of exercise. Working out early gets your metabolism cranking, and makes me feel like I’ve gotten something done first thing, which sets the tone for a productive day.
Here’s a few ideas to help you lead by example to curate a culture of movement in your workplace:
- It can be super easy to get up and take “microbreaks” during the day to get your body moving, no matter where you’re working. I like to drink a lot of water so I’m hydrated, I get up to fill my water glass, and, yep, use the ladies’ room, which gets me up and walking around.
- Another strategy is taking a phone call outside or if you have a meeting that lends itself, try taking a stroll instead of just sitting in a conference room. Or, if you’re Google, you have a conference bike (drool). There may be one or two of these in Fort Collins too…
- I also enjoy taking time to eat in a different place than I’m working. This gets me up, with a different perspective (literally), and helps me feel refreshed when I get back to work.
One key to successful breaks for me is mindset. If I allow myself specific times to work and take breaks, I'm more likely to truly let go rather than feel like I'm procrastinating or "should" be working.
Click on the image below to see the larger version.
Do you notice a difference in your productivity when you get up and move around, or make time to exercise? Impart your wisdom below so others can learn from your strategies!
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Once again, thank you from my heart and soul for your support, great senses of humor, brilliant minds, collaboration and what you're each doing to make the world a better place.
Cheers, Karina
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San Francisco, baby! I had a blast working with a forward-thinking, innovative and inspiring team and doing some digital graphic recording for them. Although the content is for their eyes only, here's a snippet of my work getting digital.