The content of this article is provided for informational purposes only. You should always obtain independent business, tax, financial, and legal advice before making any business decision.
Ever get the feeling that 24 hours in a day isn’t enough time to accomplish all that’s on your plate? From strategy and brainstorming to contracts and payroll, small business owners and entrepreneurs are tasked with a never-ending number of high-priority action items.
The good news is incorporating the right habits into your schedule can help increase productivity and achieve long-term success.
Work these daily success habits and personal growth strategies into your regimen, and you may be surprised at how much of an impact they can have on your operation’s overall performance.
Simple enough, right? Wrong. Try not to start your day in a rush. Instead of reaching straight for your phone or thinking about the vast to-do list you want to get done, focus on being thoughtful about how you spend the first few moments of your day.
Jumping straight out of bed and into action likely won't help you begin your morning in the right mindset — but starting off in a calm and organized way probably will. So, before you get out of bed every morning, take the first couple of minutes to ground yourself. Sit up, put your feet on the ground, and set the tone and intentions of your day.
Before you reach out for any type of device — and get bombarded by notifications, updates, tasks, newsfeeds, and noise — take the next 30 minutes of your day once you're out of bed to pause and reflect.
If this sounds like too much time, try breaking it down into 10-minute chunks: 10 minutes for reading, 10 minutes for thinking, praying, or meditating, 10 minutes for writing, a 10-minute workout, or a 10-minute ritual. Really it can be 10 minutes of anything — except, of course, for technology. While you are distraction free, consider and confirm your expectations for the day. This can change everything.
Play a game with yourself, and cue the habit you want to develop. For example, while you're brushing your teeth, use the time to think about your daily goals. If you have habits that you want to build, don't just rely on motivation or pure force — deliberately think about the way you can use a regular daily activity to cue that action. It's a great way to have fun while building a new habit that's important to you.
Most of us spend our days in meetings, at our desk, in transit, grabbing a quick bite, and maybe even binge-watching a few episodes of our favorite shows. So it's important — especially for those whose work involves a more sedentary lifestyle — to get up, move your feet, exercise, and get your blood flowing.
For example, have a walking meeting on your phone, invest in a stand-up desk, take the stairs, or go outside for lunch. Whatever you do, try to move your body as much as you can.
It's pretty amazing to think about how the food you're putting in your body can impact your overall performance. If you're feeling like you don't have the energy to do what is needed and your brain has a hard time staying focused and on purpose, you might want to consider changing your diet (make sure you talk to your health specialist beforehand).
It's incredible how our bodies yearn for good food — and unfortunately our minds generally don't function properly if we aren't fueling our bodies in the right way. So purposely and consciously put something good, healthy, whole, and nutritious in your body every single day to help give you the extra boost you need.
Take a moment and think of one person you are grateful for — someone who has done something nice for you recently, helped you out, or just someone you're happy to have in your corner. Find one positive thing and then fire off a quick email or text to say that you appreciate that gesture or admire that person.
Whatever the reason, you'll be amazed at the impact that sending positive notes or messages of thankfulness daily can have on your life.
A lot of us can feel like we have to get every single thing done, every single day, and always be in action mode. However, when you need to do significant creative work, deep strategic thinking, or even have a big decision to make, trying to get it done during a hectic day at work probably won't yield the best results.
Instead, block time on your calendar that’s dedicated to developing more complex ideas. In your daily routine, create a "parking lot" — a place to store all your lightbulb moments temporarily. Don't worry about the big picture until your next big-thinking day comes along.
Create some time in your life to have real conversations with the people you care about. We can get so busy doing so much stuff for so many people that we don't even realize how long it's been since we've really connected with loved ones. It often feels like we're just giving each other a periodic update of our lives. So talk to someone and have a real connection with them. Don't talk about work, or getting something done, or something related to your schedule — have a real conversation, human to human.
Now, this one sounds a little unconventional, but having a way of documenting the small moments of joy in your life, as you go about your day, is a great way to stay positive. Most of us need a way to remind ourselves of the good we experience, such as special time with loved ones, a proud business moment where you closed a huge deal, or a conversation that brought you joy.
By sending these moments to a dedicated email address for this purpose only, you will start populating a library. You now have a way of accessing the beautiful story of your life without the pressure of keeping a diary or journaling. On darker days, browse through your email, and remind yourself of all the inspiration and moments of joy you see daily.
Now, the importance of sleep is something most of us preach to our kids and probably even talk about with friends and colleagues, but if you're one of those people who comes alive at night — and sometimes stays up until one, two, or three o'clock in the morning when you'd rather be asleep — your bedtime routine may have something to do with it.
One of the easiest ways to tell your body to stop and go to sleep is to use timing and rituals. Set a time (preferably at least an hour before bed) to walk away from all of your devices. Establish a calming routine and diligently follow it every day to help signal to your mind and body that sleep is on its way. With a good night's sleep, you're more likely to get up and start the next day in the right way. Having a bedtime and being disciplined about ending the day well is the very beginning of being able to have a great next day.
Building and growing a successful business demands more than passion and hard work — it also requires the development and strengthening of helpful habits. While certain habits may sound good on paper, getting started and holding yourself accountable can be difficult.
Need some motivation? Check out these practical, actionable tips for creating daily habits for success:
Discover more skills you need for business success.
Staying on top of your tasks and achieving your growth goals can be challenging for business owners at any level.
To achieve positive results, consider following a micro-changes approach. In other words, make small improvements each day, which can result in gradual, more significant changes over time.
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