We all know the saying “the early bird catches the worm”, but the most successful people over the years seem to rise early and make the most of their day by following a number of simple, but effective routines.
Begin the day with some gentle exercise
When you get up in the morning, you need to get your body kick-started for the day so a spot of gentle exercise can blow away the night cobwebs and get the blood racing around your body.
Some people might go for a 5 or 6 mile run while others might just do a set of gentle anaerobic exercises by the bed to banish the sleep from your body. In fact any form of stimulating exercise will begin the day better. If your physical state is refreshed and relaxed then your mental state will follow.
Eat breakfast
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day as it loads your body with the energy to keep you going all day and that is not a large cup of coffee and a quick bite of some sugary Danish pastry. No you should have some cereal with fruit or eggs with grilled bacon so you have a slow release of energy during the morning to enable you to work at full pace on your most important tasks.
Try and avoid heavy foods at this time as it will tend to slow you down later in the morning
Plan your day
Before charging head long into what might seem like a never ending mountain of work, take some time to look at the various jobs and decide the importance of each and which completion will take you furthest towards your ultimate goals.
Only then should you start the jobs allowing yourself enough time to complete each before starting the next one, but making sure that the one big job, usually the one that you really don’t want to do, is allocated the slot when you are at your best. By getting this job done, you will feel much better and be equipped to complete the rest of your tasks during the day.
Meditation
Many people are now taking some time out each morning to give themselves some spiritual awareness with a spot of meditation where they prepare themselves mentally for the day along with the more practical planning as mentioned above.
This ten or twenty minute slot can help you prepare yourself for the busy work schedule ahead by relaxing you and giving you a focus for the day
So by getting into this simple, but effective routing each and every day, even at weekends, you will find yourself becoming a more effective and more efficient worker.
So will you be changing your routine or are your current morning activities creating the right framework for you to be successful? Please let me know in the Comments box below!
4 replies to "Begin Your Day Like Other Successful People!"
Hi Dave,
Great advice here, getting yourself right first thing in the morning both physically and mentally is really important.
I have a bit of a challenge on the physical preparation, due to health issues, but I do try to plan my day.
I’m an advocate for making a ‘To Do’ list, either the night before or first thing in the morning, and allotting a time frame for each task, crossing off each one as they’re completed. It’s quite satisfying looking at the list at the end of the day and seeing the number of tasks that have been crossed off.
Of course, some days bring challenges that can hinder your progress but at least with a list you’ve got a starting point for the next day. By using the tasks not crossed off you can prioritise these first and then add to your ‘To Do’ list for the day ahead.
Here’s to your success
Gill
Hi Dave,
I love that you included meditation in your list!
This is something that is so often overlooked by many, or perhaps simply dismissed as being too “airy fairy” to be of any practical use.
Far from being too “out there” to be practical, I find that centering myself by meditating in the morning shifts my mindset for the rest of the day….and suddenly ‘issues’ that seemed insurmountable take on a new perspective and don’t seem so daunting.
Great advice here mate
Con
Hi Dave,
Really great advice here and indeed a good day begins with good preparation. I start the day with some simple stretching exercise and then drinking some water before having breakfast because I once read somewhere that a human body has certain times of the day where it uses to repair and maintain our body in good health.
In terms of planning and routines, having a monthly routine, a weekly routine and a daily routine is essential as it helps keep one motivated, you don’t burn out so easily and you keep making progress. It’s surprising how much you can get done, when you plan and have a good routine mapped out.
Kind Regards
Sky
Hi Dave,
thanks for these tips.
Preparing body and mind in the morninh helps a lot to be more effective during the day. “Mens sana in corpore sano”.
Cheers
Torsten