by Luke Doyle

Being happy at work and being productive at work tend to go hand in hand. If we feel like we are achieving things every day rather than just enduring the daily grind, it’s great for our self esteem and that in turn helps us to be even more productive.

Some of the most successful people in the world help themselves to boost productivity through daily rituals, including Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey. And they have science on their side, as a Harvard study has shown that rituals can help us take on challenging tasks at work.

Meanwhile, a survey by PwC revealed that 83 percent of workers believe their wellbeing influences their productivity. One of the causes of poor job performance according to a National Institute of Mental Health is anxiety, something that daily rituals can help to ease.

So here are nine rituals you can try out to see which of them boost your working performance. And you can even print out this productivity infographic as a reminder!

Daily Productivity Booster #1: A cold shower

Starting the day with a blast of cold water might not sound like many people’s idea of happiness, but science begs to differ. The water increases your blood circulation and boosts your mood by releasing endorphins, all of which helps to make you more productive in your day. 

Daily Productivity Booster #2: Leave the emails

It’s a ritual in itself, but not a helpful one. You get into work, fire up your computer and while you enjoy your first hot drink of the day, you scroll through your emails.

But rather than setting you up for a successful day, this just immediately introduces distractions. Instead, focus on completing an important piece of work and THEN check your emails.

Daily Productivity Booster #3: Go on airplane mode

Another constant source of distractions at crucial times is your mobile phone. Even if you are only being distracted by work related calls and messages rather than personal ones, these can still be a problem ahead of a big deadline.

So why not switch your phone and other electronic devices onto airplane mode to block out any distractions until you are finished?

Daily Productivity Booster #4: Practice mindfulness

Research has shown a link between workers who practice mindfulness and those who are successful in the workplace.

Make some time in your day to do some breathing or counting exercises to help focus your mind and prepare you for the challenges that lie ahead.

Daily Productivity Booster #5: Write it down

When you have a big presentation coming up and need to memorize the key details, writing things down in a journal is an excellent way to get the left-hand side of your brain fired up and working properly.

Daily Productivity Booster #6: Have a break

Contrary to what you might think, productivity doesn’t mean sitting chained to your desk or workstation all day.

Frequent breaks help to keep the mind focused on the tasks at hand and can also be a tool for ensuring that you don’t let jobs drag on longer than they should. Try taking a 5 minute break after 25 minutes.

Daily Productivity Booster #7: Meditate

What do you do when you have a lunch break? If you spend it at your desk, still working while you eat, you could be doing something that will be more helpful, like meditating.

It has been shown in studies to ease psychological stress and make you a better multitasker, so why not find somewhere quiet and train your brain to be more productive?

Daily Productivity Booster #8: Get physical

Doing a 5 minute workout during the working day might sound like a way to tire yourself out more than anything, but it’s actually really beneficial for both your mind and body. Exercise stimulates the development of mitochondria within your cells, which gives you more mental and physical energy, and five minutes’ worth of squats and push-ups won’t leave you too sweaty…

Daily Productivity Booster #9: Center yourself

And finally we have one of the simplest ones to do during the working day. Simply take a quick break to come back to your body by grounding your feet, flexing your fingers and toes and opening and closing your eyes. This ritual will help you stay calm if you then encounter stressful situations in the rest of your day.

If you want to find out more about these rituals and get some practical tips for trying them out, have a look at this infographic from Pound Place. Which of them will you be trying first?