midlife productivity tips
Nothing is more valuable than midlife productivity tips, especially if you struggle to get things done or you fall into bed each night more exhausted than the day before.
These are our best hacks and secrets for living a simple life that revolve around efficiency in how to manage your time. Get ready to get off the hamster wheel and back to loving your life once again.
Getting older doesn’t have to be a negative thing. In today’s world, midlife is no longer something people look down on. Women over the age of 40 are kicking butt on a daily basis and for good reason.
We are not only amazing but hard and productive workers!
If you are a midlife woman looking for productivity tips, you are in the right place. There is something for everyone in this guide. Tips that cover all the areas both inside and outside of your home. Try one or all and get back on track, checking things off your list like you did in your 20s.
What is the trick to productivity?
If you were to ask me what my top productivity tip is, I would have to say planning. Without a plan, you will be wasting time doing things that are not important to your overall goal. This is true whether you are a retired empty nester, a homesteader, or a midlife business owner. Having a game plan for every day will keep you on task and more efficient with your time.
midlife productivity tips
As we get older, our energy levels tend to wane. Add to that the fact that our backs get sore in minutes, and our focus is anything but, well, focused, and you have a struggle for sure. These tips are ones I use every day, and the good news is they help to keep me on track no matter how tired or sore my body is.
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Have a Morning Routine
Each morning, I have a list of five things I do before I go into my office. Each task plays an important role, and as I complete each one, my head and my body get ready for business. It’s like a mental countdown that helps me wake up and clear the cobwebs out of my head.
Let’s break down each task on my list so you can see how it helps to start a day off on a more positive note.
#1. Wake up to quiet
Each day, I get up before my husband does so I can enjoy the quiet and stillness of the morning. Not having to talk to anyone at the start of the day helps me wake up at a comfortable pace. This may take me anywhere from 5 minutes to 20, so having that much time to myself is one of the main reasons I am able to get focused more quickly.
Action Task: Write down a time each morning that you feel is quiet so you can wake up at your own pace.
#2. Wake up your body
I am not a fan of exercising; in fact, I avoid it whenever possible. However, I am a fan of stretching, and I find it very beneficial for how my mornings start. I have a self-created routine of stretches that begin at the top with my head and neck and finish with my ankles and feet. This routine takes just 10 minutes, but it is a game-changer in my daily outlook.
Action Task: Write down a handful of stretches you can do each morning.
#3. Reflection
Each morning I spend time looking back at the previous day. So many times having a busy life can mask all the other things that are happening around us. Simple things that can bring moments of joy to an otherwise stressful day. To help me be more aware of those moments, I like to make a short list each morning of 2-3 things from the day before.
I write these moments in my Gratitude Journal, which has prompts that help to make things easier.
Action Task: Each morning, list out 2-3 things that made you smile the day before.
Just a few tasks can make a huge impact on how you start our your days going forward.
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Create a Better To-do list
If there was a secret to being productive in midlife, this is it: creating a to-do list that isn’t just a list of random tasks written down but a tool that you rely on to stay on track.
Over the years I learned a few tips that have helped with my own list making and these are the same ones I continue to use today.
#1. Do a Brain Dump
If you struggle to focus, it may be because you have too much stuff stored away in your head. A brain dump can help. In a brain dump, you write down all the things in your head onto a piece of paper.
This can take some time, so I find it is best to leave your list out on the counter so you can add to it throughout the day. By giving tasks a voice on paper you remove them from your thoughts and with it about 10 pounds of unneeded stress.
Action Task: Use a piece of paper to start listing out every to-do task you can think of. Be sure to write everything down no matter how big or how small it is.
#2. Prioritize
You will want to identify the top, medium, and daily tasks on your brain dump so you are sure to only focus on things that are important right now.
First are the top priority tasks. Go down the list one item at a time, and with a yellow highlighter, mark the things that need to be done first.
Next are the mid-priority tasks. Take a pink highlighter to mark any tasks that are next in line.
Finally, are the routine tasks. Take a blue highlighter to mark any tasks that need to be done routinely.
Action Task: Use a yellow highlighter to mark each task on your list that needs attention first.
#3. Write your plan for the Week
Now that you have identified your tasks, you can set up your weekly plan. Start with your top priority tasks and write each one on the day you plan to complete them. Once done, you can add any mid-priority items. Be sure to set up your days, so they work with any appointments or commitments you have.
Action Task: Write a plan of important tasks for the next seven days.
#4. Routine Tasks List
The last thing you will need to do is set up a routine task list that you will use each week from now on. This list is the magic behind a productive day, as it allows you to put routine things like cleaning, paying bills, or getting groceries on auto-pilot so your mental attention can go to the important things listed out in step #3.
Here are few ideas to get you started:
- Cleaning – Do a room a day instead of the entire house on the weekend. This will take 10 minutes or so a day instead of hours on a Saturday.
- Laundry – Do a load a day instead of all the clothes in one.
- Meal prep – Make a menu for the entire week instead of stressing for an idea every day at 5pm.
- Mail – Put all mail in a basket and open it on bill-paying day.
- Animal care – Feed and water any animals or livestock at the same time each day.
- Garden care – Water your garden at the same time each day.
- Weeding – Spend 10 minutes a day weeding your flower and vegetable garden.
Action Task: Make a list of daily tasks for each day and an animal/garden care routine for the same time each day.
Finish up with an evening routine
Have a list of things you do each evening before heading off to bed will do a few things. An evening routine can be just as valuable as a morning routine.
First, it will help you wake up to a more organized home. Second, it will jump-start your morning routine in a positive way. Third, it will help your mind and body wind down for a better night’s sleep.
#1. Room Resets
Room resets are a great way to neaten your space before heading off to bed. A room reset is putting a room back to neat and organized and takes just a few minutes to complete. You can read more about a room reset here and get a free checklist that you can print out.
Action Task: Choose 2-3 rooms that you want to reset before you end the day.
#2. Kitchen Prep
Take time to set things up for a better morning routine. Pre-make your coffee, set the table for breakfast, lay out your morning supplements. Just a few minutes of prep can completely alter your mood for the day ahead.
Action Task: Make a list of 3-4 things you can do for a more relaxed morning.
#3. Self Care
Be sure to set aside enough time to do any self-care. Remove your makeup, apply lotions, brush and floss your teeth, and do a bit of reading. This step is meant to quiet your mind and signal to your body that the day is over, and it is time for rest.
Action Task: Write up a few self care tasks you can do each evening before heading off to bed.
Bonus Midlife Productivity Tips
Now that you have a plan, an actionable plan for getting more done each day let’s look at a few bonus tips.
Tip #1. Declutter
The older we get the more stuff we have but the less we need. Decluttering is something you will want to do every day. Set a goal to remove five items from your home. Look for things you no longer need or use, extra things that you haven’t touched in months.
If you remove five things a day, you will have 150 items to donate every month and 1, 825 items at the end of the year!
Action Task: Every day, look for things you can toss or donate, freeing up space in your home.
Tip #2. Simplify Your errands
Running errands more than one day a week can be a huge time suck. Having a day each week that is your designated errand day is a great way to not only save time but money as well.
Start a list at the start of each week for any errands you need to run. On that same list, write down what you need to purchase at each store. This is your errand plan and will help you stay on track and get all your errands run more quickly.
Action Task: Choose a day for running errands each week being sure to have a plan and a list.
Tip #3. Day of rest and planning
Sundays are my favorite days. They are my reward for a well-lived week. This is the day we rest, relax, and enjoy a bit of downtime. Sunday is also when I write up my to-do list and plan for the week ahead.
I start with a brain dump and use my markers to prioritize tasks before mapping things out. This routine helps me and my husband to know what we have going on for the next seven days.
Action Task: Take time to catch your breath. Once done you can focus on setting up a new list for the week.
Making the most of each day is easier with these midlife productivity tips. From time-saving strategies to routines that will transform your mental health, use them to create a more simple life where you are getting more done in less time.
