Most of us have a similar morning routine— we brush our teeth, have a cup of coffee, get dressed and head out to the office. Or do we? Is there something that the ultra-successful entrepreneurs do in the morning that is vastly different from the rest of us? Do successful people have a specific morning routine that has helped them realize their goals? Read on to find out if a “success morning routine” is valid or is just a hoax.
Earlier Wake Up Times
Benjamin Spall of New York Times interviewed 300 successful people over a span of 5 years to see what they do in the morning that sets them apart from everyone else. He was not able to find a “secret formula” that led to prosperity with absolute certainty, but did did discover certain practices that successful people tended to focus on in the mornings.
The author found that the majority of the people set their alarms every morning depending on where and when they have to be. A common practice for the rest of us is to wake up as late as possible to get to work on time, but the ultra-successful have a different understanding of when they need to start their day.
He found that the average wake up time for those that he interviewed was 6:27AM, but most of the people experimented with the time that would work best for them. Give yourself a month and try waking up an hour and a half, an hour and 30 minutes before your usual time to see if you can give yourself extra time in the morning to start your day better. Perhaps, if you’re not rushing and are more prepared for your day, you will also be more successful.
Start the Day Off with a Preferred Activity
Although you may not be a morning person and hate the rush at the start of the day, successful people reinvented their mornings to better suit their needs, according to Spall. They tend to give themselves enough time to start the day with an activity that they enjoy—this can involve meditation, exercise or simply quietly reading a book.
If you begin the day was something that you enjoy, you will likely be in a better mood and better prepared to tackle the challenges of the rest of the day as well.
Have a Family Breakfast
Forbes magazine reports that the ultra-successful make time to have daily breakfast together with their loved ones. Doing so helps them distress and start the day surrounded by people that they love.
Plus, sitting down for breakfast tends to lead to healthier diet choices rather than grabbing a muffin or a breakfast sandwich on the way to work. And, nobody needs to be told about the importance of a healthy breakfast at the beginning of the day.
Create a To-Do List
It may come as no surprise that successful people know how to set and achieve their goals. A common practice for them is to create a to-do list first thing in the morning when they get to the office. This helps them to prioritize the most important tasks, and dedicate enough time to them to make sure that they are completed by deadline.
Although there’s no blueprint for an AM routine which will help you get ahead, giving yourself more time in the morning to do something that you enjoy with others that you love and setting daily goals will definitely help you become happier and more productive, which is the ultimate definition of success.
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