More often than not, success happens because of perseverance and consistency. Success is also random. So, how do you randomly succeed? Timing. Attitude. Habits. You can’t succeed if you’re only doing the necessary things part of the time. The things you need to do to succeed should be built in and automatic so when the time comes, you’re already there.
The specific habits you develop for your goals will be custom and special just for you. However, there are general habits you can form to ensure you’re on the great path to achieving your dreams. Here’s some ideas to get you started.
1. Wake up early.
This is not new news. Tim Cook (Apple CEO), The Rock, Gary Vaynerchuk, Oprah Winfrey are just a few well-known early risers. Make it a goal to wake up before 6 am. And, don’t just wake up. Get out of bed. Get dressed. Eat something. Drink water. Get your day started before 7 am. By sleeping in, you’re missing peak productivity hours.
2. Get your 3 top priorities done before 11 am.
It’s important to take inventory of your day, your goals, and necessary tasks. You can read more about that and how it helps you achieve your goals here. After taking inventory, pick the top 3 things that need to be accomplished. If nothing else happens today, what needs to?
Narrowing your priorities down to three creates a manageable action plan. Focus on completing one at a time before moving onto the next one. To prevent procrastination and dawdling, aim to complete all 3 before 11 am. You’ll feel much better checking those things off and you’ll feel on top of the world having them all completed before noon.
The things you need to do to succeed should be built in and automatic so when the time comes, you're already there. Click To Tweet3. Stay organized and decluttered.
A cluttered space is a cluttered mind. And, you’re not getting anything done with a cluttered mind. When creating your habits, you need a clear path to get them done, especially in the early days before they’re established as a routine. Anything standing in the way, metaphorically and literally, will make it less likely for you to succeed.
4. Keep regular eating times.
Food gives you energy. By keeping regular eating times, you’re taking care of your energy needs and your body so you can keep going. Stress chips away at our energy levels bit by bit throughout the day. To combat that, be sure to eat good food every 2-3 hours, whether it be a snack or a full meal. Make it a goal to switch off your phone and be present in that moment for 20 minutes to get a full mental reset.
5. Use an app to track productivity.
There’s so many great apps on the market these days. A Mac app I love is called Focus. It uses the Pomodoro method for productivity. It helps keep me on task, particularly when I’m doing the more tedious, less exciting things.
Another great feature is the latest iPhone update that allows you to see how much screen time you have daily and where the most of your screen time is spent. Check in with it daily. Aim to lower your screen time on apps that don’t progress you towards your goals. Really struggling? Delete the app that causing too many distractions.
6. Carve out 1-2 hours to do whatever you want.
By carving out 1-2 hours of just “me” time, you’re eliminating FOMO and the need to procrastinate. When you create a slot to decompress, you’re allowing yourself to go all in on your priorities for the day, knowing that you’ll get that great break later.
7. Walk while you talk and think.
Walking increases your blood flow everywhere in your body, including your brain. Feeling stuck? Blocked? Go for a walk. Think out loud into the recording option on your phone or take a notebook with you. Have a meeting that you’d rather be quick and efficient? Make it a walking meeting and watch how much freer the creativity and solutions flow. Movement and a change in environment are catalysts for great ideas and clarifying your life.
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This is a great post. I agree with all of them. I also feel most productive in the morning so I use that time to try and get as much work done as possible as I know post-lunch I am feeling drowsy and start staring at the clock. Definitely need to do more walking though…
Yes! As soon as lunch is over, I could go for a nap! If you still have more to get done in the afternoon, highly recommend doing the walk post-lunch to get your energy levels back up 🙂
These are great tips. I tend to do a good job getting my top priority done but after that I struggle. I’ve never used any productivity apps for time tracking so I think I’ll give that a shot. Thanks
No problem! Let me know which ones you find helpful! I love discovering new apps help make things run smoother 🙂
Beautiful post! Definitely walking & thinking is my favorite one!
Thank you! Same here!