The One Thing That Will Make You More Productive All Day

Breakfast (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I like to take my time in the mornings. I like to wake up early and slowly get ready. Having a relaxed start makes my whole day feel more serene. An important part of my morning ritual is breakfast. I always leave it until last, in case I’m running late and then I can just eat breakfast at work.

Now normally I read the news on my iPad while I eat. However, I often find myself getting sidetracked and taking longer than I planned.  You know, checking Facebook, emailing an interesting story I’d just read to a friend, checking Twitter, paying a bill that I just remembered about, etc.  So instead I decided to try something a little different.

I just ate. Nothing else.

I know that sounds a little ridiculous, but I have this obsession with always trying to multitask, even though I know it doesn’t work.  So just eating was quite strange for me. Honestly it was a welcome change, and I think you should do it to!

Here’s why I loved simplifying my breakfast:

1. It gave me time to think – In the ten minutes it took me to eat, I managed to come up with five different ideas for this blog. The ideas had been bouncing around in my head for a few days. But now that I finally had the chance to sit and think about them, everything was much clearer. Just by giving myself a little time I came up with the solutions I had been searching for.
2. I got to focus on my breakfast – While some yogurt and berries isn’t exactly exciting, taking the time to eat gave me the chance to really enjoy my meal.
3. I wasn’t in a rush – When I read the news in the morning I get so absorbed I often lose track of the time. I’d go from having time to spare to being five minutes late. This way I leisurely eat my food and still leave my apartment on time.

This all may seem a little simple, but you’d be surprised by how changing one small thing can really brighten up your whole day.

What’s your simplest productivity hack?