7 Effective Habits to Develop
The new year is fast approaching, and we're all looking to
the future. Some of us are hitting the gym to develop healthy habits early.
Others are contemplating the next steps in their careers.
Just as a few tweaks in your exercise regime might do
wonders for your body, so will a few tweaks to your daily habits do wonders for
your professional life. Whether you're starting your own business or angling
for the next promotion, here are 7 habits to develop that will power you into
even greater success in 2017.
1. Do the hard stuff early. Before you even settle down at
your desk, do one of the really hard things on your to-do list. Write that
unpleasant email or make that difficult phone call in the morning before the
day gets started. Work on that project in the early hours. You'll find you'll
become way more efficient if you don't walk around all day with a big cloud
hanging over your head of what you "need to do."
2. Take care of your body. Not all of us can have the
rock-hard body of The Rock. Still, exercise is an extremely important habit to
develop, for both your physical and mental health. Many successful
entrepreneurs, despite lamenting how little time they have during the day,
still find time to hit the gym or run a few laps around the track. Working out
helps you burn off emotional energy—as well as that morning donut—and refocuses
your brain.
3. Get sleep! Getting a great night's sleep does wonders for
your next day. Entrepreneurs tend to sleep very little, and they don't always
sleep well, but that's not to say it's unimportant. Try to get 7 hours of sleep
a night. Light a candle, get into your fuzzy PJs, and try to find a routine
that will make you snooze.
4. Be grateful. When the going gets tough, don't get mad—get
grateful. It seems hokey, but exercising gratitude everyday will make you
infinitely more successful. Some career coaches suggest making a list of things
you're grateful for, such as the freedom to start your own business or the
support of your family. Others recommend simply taking a moment to recognize
how lucky you are. As Wall Street veteran and Ellevest CEO Sallie Krawchecksaid
on an episode of the Radiate podcast, "my worst day is better than most of
the world's best day." Acknowledging that fact on a regular basis will
improve your life immeasurably.
5. Work really hard...and then break for some fun. If you
want to be a success, you have to work 24/7, right? Wrong. Sure, there are days
when you'll be working incredibly hard, but let's stop with the myth that only
entrepreneurs who work all the time will succeed. If anything, they'll fail.
Even the hardest-working people in the world know how to break for fun. Being
able to turn your work off to recharge your batteries is critical to your
success.
6. Forgive yourself. You screwed up a pitch? So what. You
got into a fight with a coworker? That happens. The only thing that's
guaranteed in the next year is that you will make plenty of mistakes. Forgive
yourself, and mean it. Then, move on.
7. Do things for others while expecting nothing in return.
It's amazing how much helping someone—it doesn't matter who or what, or how big
or small—will improve your outlook on life. Helping someone is empowering.
Helping someone without expecting a return is freeing. Don't keep score. The
universe works in mysterious ways—you'll get your rewards soon enough.
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