You’re busy with minimal time on your hands. Whilst Thatcher may have had just a dash of sleep and we read about the pillars of business who work on a diet of coffee and adrenaline, in the real world you need actionable ways to get motivated. Our tips are the things you need to get doing before the day really begins.

Here are the best tips.

Write a morning to-do list

It could be in Trello, paper, or on your iPhone app. The key is to write it in the morning, straight when you wake up. This gives you clarity and doesn’t rely on the idea that ‘tomorrow it will happen’. Will you really be carving out time today to call the bank or run through your expenses? Write it today and you can be sure that the only things on it are things you know are possible and achievable.

Go straight for the quick wins

You know that work emails left untended grow wild and unkempt. As soon as you wake up it should be key to get yesterday’s emails under control, if you are a very heavy email user, or if you are better, that you then import the ‘must haves’ onto your to-do list. If it hasn’t made the cut, label it and schedule it for another time. The labels prevent you re-reading the same things again and again and give you a sense of control.

Start with in-house admin

Need a report or someone to call a client? Make sure you fire off all your requests before the working day begins, so at 10/11am, you should have all the tools at hand for a great day.

Do the worst task first

We all know this, but who does it? Attack the worst project first, or chip some off it as soon as you start the day. Having to pay a huge bill, disciplinaries and so on. Do it as soon as possible and you’ll be set up to continue your day without the cold hands of dread on your neck.

Check up on competitors

Check your website and scan your competitors’ sites first thing – look for any promotions, glitches or need to know news. You will also need to scan your industry app and check or set up Google alerts for your brand name or sector. Take a look at trending topics on Twitter, and scan the news, both national and sector specific. You’ll go into the day well informed and never have to say ‘No…Haven’t seen that yet”.

Finally – enjoy a tea or hot drink – you’re ready for the day!

What are your tips for organisation and motivation?