The most successful people have
specific routines and habits they follow daily. Do you?
Many of them have a morning routine to start
each day. It lets them think about their goals, what they want to accomplish,
and focus on the things that are most important.
Retirement can be tough. Learning and implementing
the habits and routines the top leaders do differently can mean the difference
in your own life and retirement.
What are a routines and habits?
Routines are activities or procedures that
are performed at regular intervals or specific times. A habit is a behavior
pattern acquired by frequent repetition. So,
by having a routine filled with good habits, you can boost your quality of life and possibly boost your income, too.
You may have already implemented the habit of
some type of time management process into your day to keep from wasting time.
That’s great. But what other ways can habits help you be successful?
Habits help you be successful by forcing you
to follow routines. They set you up to follow through on your goals. They give
you the discipline to take action and complete tasks and to focus. They create
a pattern of consistency.
But how do you get these good habits? And how do we know which habits matter the most? That’s
where this guide is going to help. In it, you’ll see what good habits
you should be cultivating and using in your daily life to boost your
satisfaction and possibly your bottom line. It will show you how to create consistency and other
habits that lead to little wins and how habits contribute to the big picture.
Advantages
of Good Habits
Everything we do or accomplish in life is the results of
our habits. What shape you are in is the results of your habits. How happy or
unhappy you are the result of your habits. Whether you lead a successful life or not is
a result of your habits.
What you do repeatedly affects your beliefs and your
personality. If you want to be successful, healthier, slimmer, happier, etc.,
having good habits is at the core.
You can set goals to reach, but if you don’t have the right
habits or set up the right routines, it’s unlikely you’ll reach those goals.
- Good habits allow you to reach your
goal. If for example, your goal is to lose 20 pounds, and you develop the
habit of exercising 30 minutes a day, it’s likely you’ll not only reach
your goal but exceed it because you’ve developed a habit you will continue
doing.
- A good habit is developed for life.
Once you start a habit and consciously do it daily, it becomes ingrained
in you for life.
- It’s easier to form a habit than it
is to accomplish a goal. Habits are repetitive behaviors we do daily while
a goal is something that we have to work toward.
- Forming good small habits is
recommended before trying to create complex habits.
Good Habits
For The Big Picture
Motivation is good to have when it comes to success. But
it’s not what will make you successful. Having good habits will. When your days
are filled with habits that help you on your journey towards the big picture
goal, you’ll eventually find success. When it comes to boosting sales and
succeeding at marketing, you want to develop good habits for the long run.
Here are 35 good habits successful people use:
- Wake up at the same time every day,
preferably before 6 am every day. Create a sleep routine to help you have
more energy to be able to work more during the day.
- Keep your to-do list small and
scaled down. Do the most important tasks first.
- Finish your to-do list daily. Do
what you set out to do in the beginning of the day.
- Read inspiring books like
autobiographies for 30 minutes before you begin your day.
- Make it a habit to define your
life by the happiness it brings you.
- Use time management tools to know
how much time you are spending on tasks.
- Use a journal for planning, scheduling,
and important things. Use a separate journal to write down your big
ideas, thoughts, goals and what you want your life to be. Retirement does not mean the end of your life or goals. Continue to think big and plan to do things.
- Use your time efficiently. Set up
time blocks of no more than 2-hour sessions and focus on each task solely
for that period.
- Plan for and take breaks throughout
the day. Walk around your home, jog in place, or do some form of
exercise to keep your mind working effectively.
- Spend an hour in the evenings
reading about to increase you education and strengthen your mind.
- Keep your body physically fit. Work
out with a daily regime for a strong body. Challenging your body and
clearing your mind prepares you for the challenges of business.
- Create a morning routine.
- Before
you go to sleep the night before, lay out your clothes, prepare your meals,
and make sure you know where all of your personal items are to make it easier to find them.
- Don’t
hit the snooze button. Wake up and get up with the first alarm. This mindset
trick makes your brain feel like you’re ahead of the game. A brighter
mindset leads to confidence and success.
- Exercise
and meditate in the morning.
- Sit
down and enjoy a healthy breakfast. You need something more than a cup of
coffee. Two eggs, a banana, and a slice of toast if you are in a hurry.
- Take
5 minutes to plan your day. Note what the most important things you need
to do that day are.
- Set aside time to prepare before
any activity that may require your input in a way that makes you uncomfortable. Most of us hesitate to speak publicly due to "stage fright" so that would be an example you would need to prepare for.
- Get enough sleep so you are well
rested and alert. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
(source: https://aasm.org/resources/factsheets/sleepdeprivation.pdf) the
optimal amount is between 7 and 9 hours each night. Anything less can
cause irritability, decreased motivation, anxiety, reduced energy,
fatigue, poor decision making, forgetfulness, and increase in errors.
- Be positive and surround yourself
with positive people. Unhappy people hold you back with their negativity
and envy. Happy people don’t tear you down.
- Listen, listen, and listen some
more. Listen to what your peers and family say. Listening
helps people feel like you care and build relationships. It also lets you
know what is and isn’t working with relationships.
- Get and stay organized. Make lists,
set daily goals. Keep your office organized and your computer desktop
organized. Get rid of clutter that distracts you from your tasks.
18. Keep some balance in all areas of
your life. Make time for relaxation, spending time with family and
friends, exercise, your emotional and spiritual needs and work.
- Be grateful. Write down what you
are grateful for each day.
- Connect with your friends first thing every day. Use any method that is comfortable for you to reach out and connect with them. Use the phone, mail a card, use social media; the method doesn't matter, just that you stay in contact.
- Plan your week on Sunday. Spend a
few minutes planning what you need and want to accomplish during the week.
Make sure the tasks align with your goals, as
well.
- Revisit your annual and monthly
goals often to make sure you are on track to where you want to be.
- Meditate. Begin each day with some
form of meditation. Focus on your breathing for 10 to 15 minutes to clear
your mind so you can begin your day on a positive note. Yoga, Tai Chi and
other forms of slow movement are also good for mindful thinking.
- Listen to podcasts to improve your
knowledge and build brain strength. These enable you to learn while you do
a routine such as exercising or cleaning the house. Choose uplifting or
encouraging podcasts. They can be found on a variety of topics from
personal help to business strategies.
- Do your most difficult task first,
when your mind is clear and your ability to focus is at its strongest
point. This strategy maximizes your efficiency and provides a feeling of
success for the rest of the day.
- Drink lots of water. Water hydrates us,
gets our muscles and body working. Lethargy and low energy are signs you
are dehydrated.
- Optimize your processes by setting up patterns that help you accomplish everything daily. Some call this "Habit Stacking", where you associate several habits together into blocks and you always do those same things together.
- Say “no” to tasks or obligations
that aren’t in line with your goals. Don’t agree to take on things you
don’t want to do.
- Use any hacks you know to make getting things done easier.
- Find tools to use to help you reach your goals and make your day successful.
- Be prepared to fail. No matter how
successful you are, you will fail at some point. Being prepared will help
you to learn from it.
- Measure and track everything you
do. This enables you to get a factual and mental picture of your progress.
In addition, you can see where you need to make adjustments.
- Set up a budget and spend wisely.
But, don’t be afraid to make purchases on things that will help you grow or make your life better. You should be able to enjoy this life you have right now, but don't go overboard.
- Spend time networking and building
your relationships with others. You can do this on social media, through email or at local gatherings.
35. Make a habit of asking questions to
identify what your friends and family actually wants and needs from you.
When working toward the big picture it’s important to
create and perform good habits that build a strong, healthy foundation for
an enjoyable retirement.
