15 Bedtime Rituals for Insanely Productive Days - Backed by Science (Part 3)

September 24, 2021

• 12. Clean Up Your Work Area Before Bed

Clutter breeds chaos and stress. While you might not think a few extra things on your desk will wreck your productivity, science disagrees. There are many studies that connect messy work areas to reduced productivity. INC reports that the average person loses an hour a day looking for missing information.

Also, your co-workers might have some thoughts about your piled-up desk. According to a survey conducted by staffing firm Adecco, out of 1,000 interviewees, 57% judged a colleague based on the cleanliness and organization of their desk. Studies point to organized desks increasing productivity.

To stay on track the next day, organize your workspace before bed to have everything ready for the next day.

• 13. Time Block Your Day

If you’ve researched productivity methods in the past few years, you’ve probably heard of time blocking. This method involves setting aside or “blocking off” certain parts of your day to focus on specific tasks.

Time blocking might sound like micromanaging yourself, but this method of breaking up tasks and time is proven to improve productivity and decrease procrastination. Meanwhile, multitasking is proven to cause errors, decreased productivity, and increased distraction.

If you are planning a productive day, make yourself a schedule the day before so you will be ready to go the next morning.

• 14. Focus On Getting Quality Sleep

Most of us don’t think about the quality of our sleep but instead focus on quantity. However, science says we should focus on quality rather than quantity. Most of us need about 7-8 hours of sleep for optimal daily functioning. While you might be getting those recommended hours, what about the quality of those hours?

Studies show sleep quality is more important than quantity. Sleep quality is correlated with lifestyle factors like stress, light exposure before bed, and mealtime. Monitoring sleep quality with smartphone apps and devices like the FitBit or Apple watch can give you valuable insight into factors that impact your sleep quality.

To maximize your sleep quality, use a smart device or take notes about your activities before bed and how you feel in the morning. This way, you will know what helps or doesn't help you sleep.

• 15. Wind Down

Winding down before bedtime is an important part of the day that is often overlooked. Getting yourself in the right headspace for sleep is just as important as getting actual sleep. Activities like using aromatherapy, taking a warm bath or shower, and avoiding blue light before bed are all proven to help you wind down and get to sleep.
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