7 Back Of House Routines For A Productive Workday

How Is Your Back Of House Support? 

If you’re familiar with the running of a hotel or restaurant, you’ll know there’s a front of house and a back of house.

The back of house keeps operations functioning smoothly behind the scenes so that front of house is supported in their key roles.

I apply the same analogy to ourselves and how we operate.

Our ‘front of house self’ handles our daily work tasks.

Our ‘back of house self’ keeps routines in place that keep us organised, balanced and functioning so we can be productive and timely in our key work.

Are you giving yourself proper back of house support?

Here are 7 routines to help: 

1. Get adequate sleep on a regular basis. When we’re well-rested and restored, we have more energy to tackle the day ahead.
2. Set a nightly alarm to trigger ‘wind-down time’ so you get to bed at a consistent hour.
3. Get regular exercise. Regular exercise not only elevates our mood but also improves sleep quality, productivity and mental alertness.
4. Take time each night to ready yourself for tomorrow. Prepare what you can the night before e.g. lay out clothes, workout gear, prep rucksacks and handbags, make lunch, etc. You’ll minimise the morning mayhem and feel an improved sense of control as the day gets started.
5. Spend a few quiet minutes at the beginning of the day reviewing your goals and the day’s top priorities. You’ll save time in execution and reset your focus on essential tasks.
6. Schedule regular breaks to recharge the brain and avoid mental fatigue.
7. Perform a daily tidy of your home and workspace, putting things away for next use. Manoeuvring through the day is easier and less stressful when our environments are ordered and clutter-free.

Your turn. 

Identify one small action you can put in place each day to improve your back of house support.

Use an example from above if one resonates with you, or create your own.

Remember, keep it simple. 

Just commit to one single improvement for now.

Start today. Repeat tomorrow. Keep it going.  

What will you do differently behind the scenes to improve your workday performance and productivity?