Productivity is usually a collaboration between staying focused on your goals and making the most out of each minute of your work day.
Whether you work from home or in a traditional office setting, your home should always be organized in a way that simplifies your life and aids you in each of your endeavors.
When it’s time for your next home renovation project, be sure to include these three improvement ideas to help make the most of your day-to-day life.
1. Exercise
We all know how important exercise is for our health, but not everyone realizes how critical it is for your career, too. A recent study conducted at the University of Bristol found that people who exercise during the workday have consistently higher work performance, better time management, a more positive outlook, and improved mental clarity.
Unfortunately, getting across town to the gym before work usually means less sleep for the majority of us. But you can get your morning workout—and save a little snooze time—by converting a portion of your basement or spare bedroom into a home gym. Be sure to beef up your floor supports so that the added weight doesn’t cause any structural damage, especially if your new gym is not on a ground floor. You’ll also need to install sturdy flooring that will stand up to a beating.
2. Organize
Though some people would argue that they work better in chaos, science begs to differ. Our brains can only focus on so many things at once, and if your home is piled high with clutter, you’re probably not making the most of your time there.
From closet kits to pull-out pantry cabinets and toy storage chests to custom-built bookshelves, organizational tools are essential for your next renovation.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! If you need a home office but don’t have the budget to build a new addition, consider converting a guest room closet into your entrepreneurial haven. If you don’t have a guest room, why not frame off a portion of your basement to design an entire separate office space?
3. Visualize
Let’s face it. Between social commitments, jobs, and families, most of us have lives that are jam-packed with obligations and constant reminders and to-do lists. It’s a tough load to juggle, but tapping inward helps alleviate some of the mental clutter.
Whether this is a simple morning meditation for you, or even some calming music to give you a sense of peace on your morning bus ride, allow some time to visually picture your day ahead, focusing on your top goals and to-dos. Away from the incessant buzzing of calendar reminders, this will mentally prepare you in a calming and positive way that will last you the whole day through.
Coming up with a positive mantra that you can repeat in times of stress is a tried-and-true way to leave behind your stressors, too.
4. Eat Balanced Meals
You know the old adage well enough by now. Breakfast is the most important part of the day, and for good reason. It gets your metabolism going for the day ahead of you, gives you that early shot of energy you need to to get off on the right start with healthy nutrients, and it helps to establish a morning routine—a well-known habit of successful people.
At night, try as often as possible to have a sit-down meal with family and loved ones. This also establishes a good sense of routine and tradition, but also increases your chances of eating a nutritious home-cooked meal, rather than relying on unhealthy takeout or frozen meals.
5. Relax
Productivity doesn’t only mean go, go, go. You need balance in your life in order to be truly successful, and in your home, that means having a place to kick back and relax.
Maybe that means a luxurious masterbath with an oversized soaking tub or a quiet reading nook in a gorgeous bay window area. It could also be a professional-grade kitchen or a game room filled with vintage pinball machines and a built-in wet bar.
Whatever speaks to you and helps you find your sense of peace, it’s worthy of being included in your renovation plans.
6. Make Bedtime
A shared habit among successful people is to go to bed an hour early, and it makes sense, since your sleep plays such an important role in both mental clarity and physical health—including your metabolism!
But this doesn’t mean that scrolling your phone for an hour or binging on Netflix in bed counts.
In fact, another important part of this going to bed early business means cutting off all screens completely. In fact, studies have shown that excessive technology use can impair your sleep rhythms and increase stress!
This is especially true at night, when your body needs to wind down in order to maintain a balanced circadian rhythm,
With a splash of creativity and a lot of thoughtfulness, you can redesign your home to make each day more productive—and enjoyable—than the last.
About the Author:
Courtni Wisenbaker-Scheel is a mother of two, and lover of all things Danish modern. She enjoys writing professionally for the replacement window cost experts Modernize, with the goal of empowering homeowners with the expert guidance and educational tools they need to take on big home projects with confidence.