Productivity is king in the office, but sometimes distractions and other issues slow down the pace of work. So what can you do to limit these factors?

Whether you call yourself a morning person or not, more efficient mornings can be catalytic for your daily productivity and performance. The only question is: do you know how to make the most of your mornings at the office?

5 tips for greater morning productivity

In an economic sense, productivity is a measure of output in relation to input. Scientists often discuss productivity in terms of the ability of a one-acre farm to produce a specific crop yield, or the ability of an automobile factory to produce a certain number of vehicles over a certain period of time. But then there is productivity in our personal lives.

Your own daily productivity can be defined in different ways. But ultimately, it's about getting the results you want with less time and effort on the input side. And as a business person, one of the best ways to achieve this is to optimize your morning at the office.

Here are some timely suggestions:

Eliminate all non-essential actions

Spend the next week keeping a log of every single action you take from the moment you open your eyes in the morning until you sit at your desk.

It could look like this:

• Switch off the alarm clock
• Scrolling in social media on your cell phone
• Getting out of bed
• Breakfast
• Showers
• Brush your teeth
• Walk the dog
• Watch the news
• Browse your favorite websites
• Get in the car
• Starbucks Drive-thru
• Arrive at the office
• Small talk with colleagues
• Sitting at your desk

If you do this over the course of a week, you'll notice that your behavior doesn't change too much. There might be some slight variations, but it's basically the same pattern.

Now think about how you can eliminate as many points of friction as possible from your routine. For example, could you cut out social media time? Could you make coffee at home instead of taking a five-minute detour to wait in line at the Starbucks drive-thru? Those two things alone could lead to an extra 30 minutes of productive time at the office.

Reduce distractions

Distractions kill productivity. They are like snipers on the roof. As soon as they see any sign of productivity, they take aim and pull the trigger. Ask yourself: What are my biggest distractions and how can I eliminate them? Popular distractions include social media, texting, video games, news websites and email. And while none of these are evil, they steal focus. You should at least put them off until later in the day.

Set measurable goals and action points

It's difficult to have a productive morning if you don't understand exactly what it means to be productive. Make sure you set measurable goals, create actionable to-do lists and establish clear benchmarks for what efficiency looks like. However, don't get so carried away with the end result that you miss out on true productivity. "There's a big difference between exercise and performance; while to-do lists guarantee that you'll feel successful in accomplishing tasks, they don't ensure that you're getting closer to your ultimate goals," notes TonyRobbins.com. "There are many ways to increase your productivity; the most important thing is to choose the ones that are right for you and your ultimate goals." In other words, set goals that are actually productivity-oriented. This will align your behavior with the results you are striving for.

Try stimulation of the vagus nerve

Sometimes you just need to tune out distractions and focus on the task at hand. There are many ways to tune out interruptions, but make sure you're signaling your mind to be productive at the same time. Vagus nerve stimulation is an option for both. Gentle stimulation of the vagus nerve promotes balance and relaxation while increasing focus and performance.

Optimize your workplace

Make sure your office workspace is conducive to productivity. This means eliminating clutter, optimizing the ergonomics of your desk, reducing distractions and using "away" settings in apps and devices to suppress notifications during working hours.

Make productivity a priority

Never take productivity for granted. The world is full of distractions and your willpower is finite. If you "wing it", you will spend more time, energy and effort and achieve less positive results.

Make productivity a priority - especially during the morning hours when your mind is fresh and the worries of the day are not yet fully unleashed. This will change the way you work, function and feel. It will also improve measurable outcomes, such as income, job status and the recognition that comes with advancement in your career.

Hans Kexel