Success Habits You Can Begin Tomorrow Morning
When you think of ‘virtue,’ what comes to mind? If you are like many people, you may think of honesty, courage, justice, or patience. But it is easy to overlook one virtue or characteristic that stands behind all the others as the cornerstone of success: self-management.
Self-management is the ability to not only take action where needed but also to restrain oneself when appropriate. Managing one’s self takes focus, will power and a vision of what your ideal life looks like. It is consistent rather than random, it is focused rather than scattered, and it is quantifiable rather than indeterminate.
It should come as no surprise, then, that many of the most successful people are excellent at self-management, and they get a daily head start on it each morning. The early morning hours seem to be key in the ability to direct one’s day, which in turn directs one’s life. It’s those daily, morning habits that set the tenor of success and productivity.
So let’s take a look at 4 success habits that will turn you into a master of self-management:
1. Exercise. You knew this one was coming, didn’t you? The facts speak for themselves. Most people who are consistent with exercise do it in the morning. Exercise helps you think more clearly, lifts depression and literally sets a trajectory of success and accomplishment for the rest of the day. Self-management becomes easier as you begin your day with exercise.
2. Prioritize. Each morning, it is important to prioritize your day, and this requires the ability to decide among many possible courses of action. Getting this wrong can have serious consequences, because you may find at the end of the day that you have spent time and energy on tasks and projects that are the least important. The part of your brain responsible for decision making is your pre-frontal cortex, and this area is well rested after a good night’s sleep. Take advantage of this and set aside a few minutes each morning to plan your day’s activities.
3. Front load your day. Successful people know that the first several hours of each day are critical for getting things done. Front load your day by getting the most important and most difficult tasks out of the way first. Not only will this ensure that those tasks get your brain’s most focused attention and creativity, but you will find your other tasks much easier if you get the tough things out of the way early. Your confidence will increase and you will be able to attack other goals with greater determination.
4. Decide what NOT to do: Managing yourself means practicing restraint, and we can all attest to the difficulty of saying no to those time-robbing activities that we get lost in. Texting, looking at Facebook, surfing the Internet, watching television, shopping—each of us has our own besetting time wasters. We could take back hours each week simply by restricting these activities. Try this: each morning, make decisions about what you are not going to do or are going to do within specific time limits.
Ready to boost your success? Think through these habits and then set your alarm clock for a fresh start tomorrow morning!
