7 Simple Productive Habits to Include in Your Daily Routine

My name is Aki and I'm a minimalist living in Japan. I’m going to share with you seven insanely productive habits that make my life more efficient. These productive habits seem to work in my life and they might be habits you can easily incorporate into yours.
1. Wake up early
One of the habits of productive people is to wake up early. My mind is refreshed in the morning and I can work creatively. I try to get up at 5 a.m. most days. That way I can start my day’s tasks earlier.
Here’s my routine:
5 o’clock I wake up, clean my room, go for a walk or run outside, drink a smoothie, then make matcha.
At 6 o’clock, I work out, shower, stretch, create a to-do list in my journal, check email, and check cryptocurrency.
At 7 o’clock, I respond to YouTube comments, and then at 7:30, I begin my usual work. Usually, in the morning I’m doing creative work such as thinking about scripts and editing videos.
Personally, I’m able to do more work in the day if I wake up early than if I wake up late.
2. Drink matcha
The habit of making matcha improves my health. It also improves my work efficiency. Matcha contains as much caffeine as coffee, it helps me wake up. It also contains a lot of L-theanine, which has a relaxing effect. Matcha has polyphenol, which helps improve my focus. Studies show drinking matcha helps increase concentration and work speed.
3. Learn minimalism
Minimalists have few possessions. It’s one of the best productive and fundamental habits for living efficiently. The fewer things you have, the more time you can save.
For example, if you have fewer things, you’ll always know the location of each item instead of losing track of where you placed something. It will never take a lot of time to search for something you need.
If you have fewer possessions, you won’t be stressed out trying to find them or choose which one to use. This allows you to always move swiftly and efficiently like a ninja.
4. Create a to-do list
I make a to-do list every morning. A to-do list is a method used in daily life. I like a small notepad with detachable paper so your to-do list can go with me wherever I go. I also enjoy the feeling of crossing things off my list. It’s kind of like a game.
5. Keep a secret journal
My secret journal is divided into two parts. The lower part is my English diary. The important part is the top of the page. I write H, G, and L. That means today’s highlight, what I am grateful for, and what I want to let go of.
I will write what I want to achieve today and that will turn into my highlight of the day when I get it done. Getting the highlight done improves my motivation and productivity.
6. Practice typing
I practice typing English and Japanese every morning. I realized that the faster I typed, the more efficient I’d become. I spend a lot of time typing, for example, my scripts are in Japanese and in English.
I realized if I doubled the speed of my typing, I’d finish my task twice as fast. I use an app, called e-typing, for typing practice. My typing is now faster and my work efficiency has dramatically improved.
7. Use the Pomodoro Method
I use this method when working or studying. Basically, I do 25 minutes of work and five minutes of break time. By setting 25 minutes on a timer, you can concentrate more on your work or studies compared to not setting a timer.
Why 25 minutes? It’s considered the best span of time to stay focused and efficient. I’ve used this method for many years.
Productive habits
Let me know if you plan to use any of these habits in your life. Or, do you have simple beneficial habits that bring efficiency to your life? I want to know what your productive work habits are, too! Please leave me comments below.
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I try to get outside and walk our property for a bit, each evening. I check the garden, scratch and love on the outdoor/shop cats, KJ and Porter, and breathe... I listen to crickets chirping and frogs singing their courting songs, and remember why I moved to the country... All of your tips are sound practices, to be sure!!! I just wanted to mention that a connection with nature surely helps this Chicago city-transplant!!! :) Thanks much for the post, and for the awareness - PS speaking of awareness, I also practice meditation (sometimes guided, sometimes via video: Ohm Ma Ni Pad Me Hum... Avelokiteshvara... #love), and mindfulness... Anything to keep the blood pressure low and the productivity high, right??? ~Chrissie
Yes