The best ways to get the most out of your work week

It's a snooze alarm kind of week, huh? Each and every one of us is guilty of having days where we just don't want to do much of anything. Wouldn't it be perfect to find a routine that made you excited to get stuff done and improves your quality of life? We've got you covered. Just be sure to stay awake for this one!

1: Be bougie with your coffee, and enjoy the process of making it yourself.

Consider it an enjoyable part of your morning ritual, as opposed to just another time-consuming task (if you have a Keurig for this very reason, I still highly recommend switching it up and getting one of these Keurig accessories). Grind up the coffee in whatever works for you – coffee grinder, Ninja blender, food processor, etc. We use the Ninja in our house because you can grind up a week's worth of coffee and seal it up. This way, all you have to do in the morning is scoop the coffee into your coffee-maker. Let's not forget about how much dough you'll be saving by avoiding Starbucks drive-thru trips.

One Village Coffee is my number one pick. They're co-owned with farmers that the founding family met amidst their travels. Not to mention they're the first coffee roasters to be B Corp certified (businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose). You can order coffee online or sign up for their subscription and they'll roast it then ship it to you! This isn't sponsored, though I wish it was.

Pro-tip: Go for an extra fine grind, make the switch from coffee maker to espresso maker, and make iced lattes in the morning. Thank me later.

Techie-tip: Download Source on iOS– the app for coffee lovers and coffee-shop-goers. Find local coffee shops near you, learn about new roasters, save your visits, and log the Wi-Fi passwords for future reference!

2: Eat breakfast, even if you're not hungry.

It's shocking how much eating breakfast affects our decisions with food for the rest of the day, or how much energy that fueling up early brings. Starting off the day with a not-too-heavy, not-too-light breakfast prevents long-term weight gain, improves cognitive function and memory, and (let's be real) improves your mood in the mornings. Improved cognitive function results in better performance at work. You know the saying..."a breakfast a day means a promotion's on the way?" Me neither, but it has a nice ring to it.

Speaking of work, it can be tricky to keep up with daily nutrition when you have a busy schedule. It can be even trickier when you don't know what to have or how to make it. Epicurious, available on iOS, is a perfect solution. There are tons of options and new recipes to put to the test (plenty of breakfast options too). Everything on the app is fairly affordable to cook. For our Android users, the Tasty app works just as well.  

Pro-tip: Next time you're at the store, grab a bulk box of protein bars and a big bag of your favorite fruit. Quick and simple, but enough to start your engine!

3: Find a peaceful place in your home and stretch/do yoga.

Have you ever seen a cat or dog stretch for a bit after waking from a deep slumber? Humans could learn a thing or two from our furry friends. Taking even as little as five minutes a day to stretch in the morning does wonders. It releases tension in your muscles and joints, prevents lethargy, and increases mobility. When you feel better, you do better.

For those who have the extra time in their day, stepping it up from stretching to yoga can do wonders for energy, confidence, and focus – all crucial factors in ensuring a productive work week! There's an app that can help even the newest yogis achieve a more centered lifestyle: Yoga for Beginners (available on iOS and Android). It's all in the name, and it's free.

Pro-tip: Check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. She's got 8.7 million subscribers for a reason!

4: Make your weekly to-do list on Friday instead of Monday.

Understandably, when the work week is coming to an end most of us are thinking about what we're going to do on our days off. Trust me when I say this is easier than you might think, and worth it. Take 30 minutes out of your Friday afternoon to think of and create a to-do list for the following week.

Hold yourself accountable by downloading a to-do app. Productive (available on iOS and Android) is a personal favorite. There are a number of different categories of preset "habits" to add to your list, and there is an option to create your own tasks. You can decide what days and times to get reminders, and how frequently the reminders occur. It's perfect for those times when life gets in the way and important things slip our minds. A perk to this is that by the time Monday rolls around, you won't feel so overwhelmed about the week ahead. This leaves more energy to use towards your goals and workflow.

Pro-tip: Be sure to limit the amount of tasks you set for yourself per day to prevent burn-out. As Jordin Sparks sang in 2008, "One step at a time. There's no need to rush."

5: Get ahead of the game and meal prep!

Talk about saving time (and money)! Remember how easy it was as a kid to grab your lunch off the counter and head to school? It's possible to have that same worry-free morning as an adult. Often times if we forego the time in the mornings to pack a lunch, we end up ordering food, stopping at a convenience store, or heading to a drive-thru restaurant on our lunch breaks. This leaves more time for the important things.

Prepare a small variety of foods that you enjoy in bulk and portion properly before stashing the meals in the fridge. That "I don't know what to eat" dilemma won't be an issue anymore, because past-you has decided so that future-you doesn't have to! It's the equivalent of leaving a full water bottle on your bedside table before bed after a night of drinking. These glass meal prepping containers are perfect because they snap shut and come with their own cutlery.

Pro-tip: Whenever ordering in, rinse and save any leak-proof takeout containers for future use. The best things in life are free!

These simple tips can be life-changing if executed regularly. Waking up will be more enjoyable, your stress levels will decrease, and you'll feel more satisfied with the work you get done. The additional health benefits are just the cherry on top. In the wise words of Rihanna, "Work, work, work, work, work, work." Can you tell I've been streaming my 2000's Pop playlist?

What tricks do you swear by to get the most out of your work week? Let us know!