We all have unproductive days.

Maybe an unexpected event throws your schedule for a loop.

Maybe youre not feeling well.

Whatever the reason, it can be tough to get back on track.

Heres how to get past the dip in productivity and back into gear.

Here are some simple ways to get back to your normal routine after a less-than-productive slump.

Get an Early Start

So your binge of unproductivity is over and youre now on the mend.

The first thing you might do is resolve to wake up earlier the following day.

Lets say you got jack done Monday.

When you get up that morning, dont dive straight into work, though.Indulge in something you love.

Get yourself in a productive mood by finding your productive mood anchor.

Weve found that it is usually something like coffee or green tea.

Of course, your anchor doesnt have to be a beverage.

Its simply a trigger that makes you feel back at home in your work-life routine.

For me, its watching the morning news.

I never do this on my days off.

You probably have a good idea of what your productive mood anchor is.

This can shift you into a more productive mode.

(You would use tactics like this if you had an urgent business call, right?

Well, getting to your most important work is an urgent business issue.)

Turn off your email and phone.

Find an unoccupied conference room or cubicle where no one can find you.

Weve talked aboutthe importance of focus, so this tip should make sense.

This will put you in a better frame of mind for getting back on track.

After recovering from your unproductive days, you might feel like jumping straight back into these tasks.

But plotting out a recovery schedule will have a bigger impact.

You may need to work a bit longer some days, but dont spread yourself too thin.

Its tempting to attempt to catch up on everything as quickly as possible.

Plus, you may feel like you failed, and that could put you back in an unproductive mood.

Rather than venture to rebuild everything in a day, spread your tasks out over time.

If you catch-up earlier than expected, great.

But this way, theres no pressure.

Start Your Plan Strategically

Also, put some thought into which tasks you want to start first.

Tech site Gigaomsuggests you start small.

Look at your task list and picking something that can be done in about 15-30 minutes.

When youre able to cross something off your list, youll feel a sense of accomplishment.

you could work from that momentum and move on to bigger tasks.

On the other hand, theres something to be said forslaying your most unpleasant task first.

Whichever method you choose, start strategically.

Organize your task list according to what will make you most productive.

This means blocking out distractions and optimizing your time.

Youll get a lot done, but you wont completely burn yourself out, either.

Youll have to get to them, of course, but the notifications can be distracting.

Consider shutting them off while youre working.

Used a tool likeCold Turkeyto block those sites.

Also, consider working in full-screen mode to keep your eye on the prize.