If you’re intentional with your routine until it is second nature, you can be a high achieving entrepreneur too! Let’s discuss some basic habits that some of the most successful people rely on to dominate their day.
1. Beat the sunrise, early bird!
The early morning hours are a great time for focusing. The day is fresh and the streets are silent. CEO’s like Tim Cook from Apple or Howard Schultz of Starbucks are known to rise as early as 4:30am. You will feel like you really took the day by the horns and got something done! If you have a problem falling asleep at night, an early day will make sure your body is more welcoming to slumber.
Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be a sudden change in schedule. Do it gradually by setting your alarm just 20 minutes early for a week or two, then 20 more the following week. Eventually you will be waking up at your ideal time without much struggle.
2. Plan, plan and plan some more.
Review your day every evening. Analyze what worked and what didn’t. No matter how small the assignment is or how insignificant the chore, it all adds up. This will help you prepare for the following day. In addition, planning your tomorrow helps you make more efficient use of your time. This could take place anywhere and doesn’t even have to be written down. Visualize it! You don’t have to take it from us, either. Benjamin Franklin himself is known for asking himself this question every night, “What good have I done today?”
What good have you done today?
3. Let’s get physical.
Exercising isn’t just for weight loss. Your hormones find balance during physical activity and the brain releases “feel-good” chemicals that give you a positive outlook and an energy boost. By increasing your metabolism in the morning, it lasts throughout the day. Naturally, it makes you stronger and lowers the chances of heart disease and similar. But, the true gift is discipline. Finding the will to get out of bed early trains your willpower and gives you confidence.
“The discipline of tough physical training is obviously great for mental and physical strength, but over time, it also instills many more important lessons in a gradual and subtle progression.”
–Itay Rosenfeld, CEO of Voxbone
4. There’s no “I” in team!
Successful entrepreneurs might be great decision makers, but they need to understand group dynamics. It’s important to know how to organize and mobilize people seamlessly. Do not be scared to delegate. Make sure that you are working for quality, not quantity. There is no need to take credit for everything either. You will all bask in the glory, together. Learn the aspirations of your coworkers and help them achieve their dreams. It will be returned, two-fold. Never forget to get everyone involved, ask for advice and give it when you can.
5. Schedule your “me” time.
You don’t have to be an introverted hermit to love some “me” time. Having time to let information settle and “live in your own body” is just as important as any meeting. Therefore, plan it out in your day with the same level of importance. You can pursue a hobby, complete other items on this list or just sit in silence. Being busy does not equate to being successful. If you stay constantly busy throughout the day, your work will suffer. Many people experience burn out, trouble sleeping and lapses in judgement when they don’t take time to themselves. Also, when the mind is at rest, creativity tends to find a foothold. Some of the best ideas happen in solitude.
6. Find your motivation and soar!
When you’re feeling down and the world seems to be against you, what do you do? Everyone is different. A loud song on an iPod might work for some, and an inspirational YouTube video might work for others. It is important to have tools that help you move forward, even when you don’t need them. Other than music and videos, you can write down the reasons you do what you do. This will help renew some of that “newbie” motivation. Reading biographies of individuals who’ve overcome adversity is also great. All in all, take it one step at a time and move forward.
7. If you don’t want to do it, do it first!
We’ve all been there. There’s this one annoying task looming over our day that gets continuously pushed back. If you’ve ever stood in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles, you probably understand. The issue is that having something taking up space in your mind will affect everything else you do before it. Soon enough, we become cluttered with thoughts of the chores we promise to do “tomorrow,” from one day to the next. Worrying creates tension and hinders creativity. When planning your day, score every chore by difficulty level or by your amount of enthusiasm for it. Then do the worst ones first and free up your day and your mind for everything else.
8. Expand your brain, study and question things.
Successful people never stop learning because curiosity breeds innovation. Being informed makes you a more well-rounded person, capable of seeing things from new perspectives. No industry is set in stone, everything is always improving or changing. No matter what you do, continue researching and updating yourself. It is important to note that the smartest people in the room are the ones asking questions. There’s no shame in admitting you could use more information about something. What this really says is that no obstacle is beyond your abilities.
Reading is also a fantastic tool for aspiring entrepreneurs. Not only do you directly gain knowledge from whatever you read, it is a meditative activity that aligns your thoughts and helps you see things clearer.
9. Get out of your comfort zone.
Complacency and comfort are the enemies of innovation. We grow by superseding obstacles. Being an entrepreneur isn’t just about having the big idea, it’s about executing it. Anything new requires you to change your patterns and take risks. Take an inventory of the excuses that act as weights, hindering your ability to change and ask yourself, “would I accept this excuse from someone else?”
Afterwards, you may convince yourself that the pain is worth the positive results. Think of why these changes are worthwhile, not why they are difficult. As long as you move forward, you will succeed. Simply make changes slowly and don’t overwhelm yourself. Comfort is often times psychological. Utilize all these tips simultaneously and break your routine. After all, insanity is repeating the same things over again expecting different results.
10. Make time to give back.
We’re all surrounded by a bubble of those we care about. Be it your family, your colleagues or your neighborhood, adding value to their lives enriches your own. When a professional stops interacting with those they care about, they can burn out quicker without the support. A sure way to keep everyone connected and the karma flowing your way is to volunteer your time to do something for someone else. There are few things as motivational as hearing someone thank you, earnestly. Be it a phone call to check up on someone or buying a meal for a stranger going through a rough patch, nothing is too small. If you work with the less fortunate, it also makes you appreciate what you have.
It’s important to live deliberately and prioritize what you love. We only get one life to live, use it wisely. Please note that these are just a few of the many ways to grab life by the reigns and seize the day. To get there, keep growing and educating yourself.
Do you know of any other daily habits that have helped successful entrepreneurs get to where they are today? Comment below and share the wisdom!
