7 Things to do on the First Day of a New Job ...

Waking up late is personally my arch enemy, so one of the most important things to do on the first day of your new job is to get up early! Waking up late is never a good idea for any workday, but waking up late your first day makes things so crazy and stressful. Set your alarm at least 30-45 minutes early than usual. You’ll need the extra time for a few of the following tips, and if you have to, be sure to set two or even three alarms, to make sure you don’t oversleep.

Exercise is a great way to prepare your body for the day ahead, especially on the day of a new job. Exercising helps relieve stress, gives you time to sort out your thoughts and can help increase your focus and productivity. Moving your body first thing in the morning will fuel your day, improve your mood, and help you adapt to stress easier. It also makes you feel so confident, which is important on your first day at a new job.

You wouldn’t fill your car's gas tank with a bag of sugar, or leave it empty, so don’t treat your body that way either. Filling up on a breakfast that has a good bit of protein, complex carbs and some healthy fat is a great way to start your day off on the right foot. Great choices include plain yogurt with berries and nuts or seeds, a green smoothie or protein smoothie, eggs with veggies and/or fruit, or oatmeal with nuts, seeds and berries. There are many good breakfast options out there, so be sure to eat before you leave your house, preferably after you exercise, so you can restore your glycogen levels, which will balance your blood sugar and give you energy you need for your day.

My favorite thing to do the morning of a new job is to take about 5-10 minutes to write out some thoughts for the day over my aforementioned healthy breakfast. This really helps me focus on what I want to accomplish for the day, or helps me think of some things I might want to ask my boss on the first day. It can also be a great time to journal, or write out things you’d like to keep in mind during the day as well. This quiet time relieves your stress, and helps you focus. It is precious to achieving a calm state and I find it so helpful that I like to do this daily over coffee most mornings anyway.

The first day of a new job, it can be easy to be so excited or stressed that we leave the house without our phone, purse or packed lunch. Remember to gather all the belongings that you’ll need either the night before, or the morning of your first day. Put everything by the door, or at least a note with everything you need, so you can be sure you don’t forget anything. This organization tool also helps relieve a little mental stress as well.

I’m notorious about not saving enough time to get dressed on my first day at a new job. You’re probably going to be pickier than normal about your appearance the first day at a new job, or perhaps, your hair just isn’t doing what you wish it would on this super important day. Either way, give yourself at least 10 minutes extra to get dressed. This way, if you have a wardrobe malfunction, such as finding yourself with a missing button or broken zipper, you’ll have a few minutes to spare to fix the issue or find an alternative.

Finally, the first day at your new job, be sure to leave your house early. Even if you’re familiar with traffic on the route you’ll be taking, you could still run into a delay, so plan ahead for this possibility. If you’re not familiar with the area you’ll be traveling to your new job, then you’ll definitely want to give yourself at least 20 minutes extra to arrive. If you get there early, you can sit in the car for 10 minutes, or if you're walking, you can wait outside or inside... but arriving late is the worst thing you could do your first day. Do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn’t happen.

Oh, and I almost forgot! The first day of your new job, you should be excited and so proud of yourself! You worked hard for this and you deserve to see if this new job is a good fit for you. Be confident, inquisitive and curious about the new role you’ll be taking on, and don’t forget to follow these tips! Do you have any tips for a first day at a new job?