Success and good habits are typically linked; this is particularly true for business owners. This is due to the fact that high performers, like entrepreneurs, value being deliberate with each task and utilising each day to its fullest.
“How did you become so successful?” is a question that is regularly posed to entrepreneurs. Many individuals would advise you to focus on small improvements in your business on a daily basis because they could have a big impact. The same is true when it comes to forming habits; little, dependable routines can greatly improve your life.
It is not always simple to pick up new behaviours, and habit formation requires constant repetition of a behaviour. Even though certain routines may take a person a few weeks to develop, research indicates that it may take some routines as long as 66 days to become habitual. 1 Making deliberate, daily habits is one way to get ready for and handle unexpected business challenges, which can be intimidating for entrepreneurs.
About 150 business owners from a variety of industries were asked to offer their opinions on the routines that have contributed to their success both professionally and personally. Continue reading or see our infographic to learn more about the top ten daily habits of successful entrepreneurs.
1. They read
Due to the hectic nature of being an entrepreneur, setting aside some time to read a book may be the last thing on your to-do list. However, if Warren Buffet can commit 80 percent of his daily time to reading, then so can you, too! According to him, reading allows knowledge to amass over time, much like compound interest does.
Reading novels is also a superb technique to improve your imagination while also learning about the industry in which your firm operates. Furthermore, reading before bed enables you to decompress after a hard day at work and can assist you in falling asleep more easily afterward.
CorporateFilming CEO Trevor Rappleye makes a commitment to being prepared each morning. He stated, “I’m going to tell you something,”
“As soon as I get out of bed in the morning, I read for 30 minutes.” As a result, I am able to begin each day with a sense of renewed energy. The worst thing an entrepreneur can do is open their inbox immediately away. Do not do that, please!
2. They follow a strict daily schedule.
Developing and adhering to a daily routine will assist you in being more productive throughout the day. What is the reason for this? The establishment of daily expectations and the repetition of duties through routines will aid in the preparation of your brain and body for what lies ahead, resulting in improved overall performance. Routines have also been proved to have a positive impact on critical aspects of your health, such as stress levels and sleep quality. 4
In order to be a successful entrepreneur, Maulik Patel, the founder and CEO of Click Matix, believes in the importance of routines and feels that following them is the cornerstone of being one.
“I’ve never been more productive than I have been since I established a regimen.” I perform the same activities every morning and evening. I get out of bed, wash my face and brush my teeth, meditate, do bodyweight exercises, and eat my morning meal. Every evening, I have a different regimen that includes journaling, personal hygiene, and preparations for the following day. This helps me maintain a level of consistency. The most successful entrepreneurs have daily, weekly, and monthly routines, which are based on the principles of remaining balanced, productive, and joyful. You’ll find that entrepreneurship is difficult, and that consistent routine will become the foundation around which you build your life.”
3. They listen to music that is encouraging.
We all have that one song that never fails to put a smile on our faces. Consider the possibility of beginning each day with one of your favourite, uplifting cartoons. Try it out and see how it goes! Music has been shown to increase productivity while also making repetitive jobs feel less overwhelming. 5 Research has also shown that listening to music can help to relieve stress by lowering the quantity of the stress hormone cortisol in the body, which is produced by the brain. 6
Michelle Devani, founder of lovedevani, believes that setting a positive tone in the morning is essential to make the most of every day. “It all starts with setting a great tone in the morning,” she says.
In my capacity as a company founder with several responsibilities and commitments, I make every effort to maximise each and every workday. My everyday routines, particularly my morning routine, assist me in accomplishing this goal. My attitude is lifted by cheerful music first thing in the morning, which helps me maintain a happy outlook throughout the day.”
4. They make plans for tomorrow and today.
Entrepreneurs who are successful are constantly prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. The greater your level of preparation, the more relaxed, confident, and productive you will be. As opposed to going through your day first thing in the morning, effective entrepreneurs plan for the day after tomorrow today.
By making it a nightly habit of planning out your day’s to-do list as well as your goals, timetable, meals, and even what to wear, you’ll be more prepared to start your mornings with a game plan and ready to take on the world.
The Dog Adventure is owned and operated by Peter Schoeman. He explained that for successful entrepreneurs, planning ahead and ensuring that they are prepared for whatever comes ahead is a key ritual to follow.
“The daily habit that has assisted me in increasing my productivity is to plan for tomorrow, TODAY. ” As part of my nightly routine, I compile a list of the chores I need to complete the next day and arrange how various appointments, meetings, and other events will be coordinated. This allows me to pack my belongings, thaw my meal prep, and generally get ready for tomorrow while I’m up and alert in the morning. So I don’t have to be concerned if I wake up feeling dizzy and fatigued since I’m used to it. Make an effort to do this this evening; you’ll discover that it takes far less time than you anticipated, that it provides you with some insight into tomorrow that you didn’t have before, and that it assists you in catching things you would have missed.”
5. They engage in meditation
Successful business owners and entrepreneurs know how important it is to think quickly and make important decisions on the spot. By practising mindfulness through meditation, you can help yourself become more focused and clear, which will improve your ability to make decisions. Studies have demonstrated that even brief mindfulness training sessions significantly enhance participants’ executive functioning, memory, and visual-spatial processing. 7
Entrepreneurs who are successful frequently use meditation, including Darryl Higgins, the founder of Athlete Desk, who is an advocate of the practise. He recommends meditation as a method to help people unwind and maintain their attention on the activity at hand.
As an entrepreneur, I must multitask and manage my business to keep it running properly. “For this reason, I meditate each morning before I start my day. I can complete my chores more effectively since it keeps my mind calm and focused.
For entrepreneurs who lead fast-paced lives and depend on peak performance, meditation has also been proved to improve sleep and energy levels. If you’re a novice, this basic guide can help you get started with your meditation practise.
See Also : 7 Tips to Become an Entrepreneur
6. They begin their day with physical activity.
We are all aware that exercise is good for your physical health, but starting your day with movement can also help you to be more creative, remember things better, and have better general cognitive abilities. Numerous studies have found that those who exercise have larger brain regions that affect thinking and memory than persons who do not exercise. 8
Many entrepreneurs have included this into their morning routines to help them feel more motivated, positive, and prepared to face the challenges of the day ahead. In the event that your schedule does not permit a morning excursion to the gym, consider combining your morning coffee with a 15-minute stroll or introducing desk workouts into your job.
Andrea Heuston is the founder and CEO of Artitudes Design, and she makes it a point to get some exercise in every day. This not only allows her to maintain her physical and mental health, but it also allows her to get her creative juices flowing.
“When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is work out – normally, that means going on a walk outside or using a treadmill for at least an hour. That time is sacred to me, and it is critical to my emotional and physical well-being — and my family and team are fully aware of this. In fact, my executive assistant knows not to schedule any meetings in the early morning hours unless it is an emergency or a client issue. It’s a highly productive time for me since it not only gets me started off on the right foot and invigorated for the day ahead, but it also allows me to acquire some of my best ideas while walking.
7. They keep up with the times.
When it comes to running a business, there are a variety of elements that can have an impact on its growth and performance. Keeping up with industry trends and daily news will help you stay on top of everything that is going on in the market and across the world. Because of this, you will have the ability to make better and more educated decisions on behalf of your own company.
Heather Mason, the founder and CEO of Caspian Agency, starts her day by keeping up on the latest and most important news stories in the world.
“I begin each morning by reading the trade periodicals that are specific to my profession. You must keep up with the latest developments in your industry, and doing so first thing in the morning helps to get the creative juices flowing for the rest of the day. To gain a sense of what’s going on in the world more broadly, I check social media sites such as Twitter, the New York Times, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal. It’s critical to grasp the market factors that influence our industries and to gain a second-level perspective on them.”
8. They schedule time to disengage from technology.
The typical person uses their smartphone to access the internet for at least three and a half hours each day.
9 Business owners are more likely to spend more time in front of a computer. Unfortunately, studies have shown that your risk of developing depression in the future increases the more time you spend online or on social networking platforms. 10
If you want to reconnect with your thoughts and the world around you, it could be a good idea to unplug from your phone or laptop for a few hours each day. It has been demonstrated that spending time alone, away from technology, with your own thoughts can foster creativity and improve your ability to handle obstacles in daily life.
Even the busiest companies are required to take a break from the daily commotion. Still doubting our credibility? Malte Scholz, the CEO and co-founder of Airfocus, has promised to take an hour off from his workstation each day.
“Business owners underestimate how easy it is to become overwhelmed, and if they are too worn out, they are more prone to make errors that could put the company as a whole in jeopardy. I’ve established a pattern that enables me to swiftly rewind and free my mind of any work-related thoughts and worries in order to avoid such situations. I like to spend an hour during the day entirely unplugged from the internet. I must spend a lot of time in front of a computer in my line of work, and I frequently feel worn out at the end of the day. Disconnecting from the internet and spending time with my family and friends is one of my favourite methods to relax. I try to turn off practically every device I own, save for one phone number reserved for a select group of my closest pals.
9. They keep a journal.
A gratitude journal is an excellent tool for cultivating thankfulness, reducing stress, and improving one’s mental health. It can be incredibly advantageous for entrepreneurs to put their thoughts on paper in order to aid in decision-making and creative thinking. Additionally, you can put pen to paper to write down goals, brainstorm ideas, or to-do lists to aid in your motivational efforts.
Furthermore, writing can assist you in unwinding feelings that have been triggered by tension during the day as well as allowing you to temporarily disconnect from your environment. Entrepreneurs who have achieved great success understand the importance of writing because it helps them focus on the broad picture rather than on short-term tensions or inconveniences.
Valentina Lopez, co-founder of HappinessWithout, attributes her productivity and everyday business success to the practise of journaling on a regular basis.
“Being an entrepreneur has taught me to concentrate more on what is important, such as my personal and professional goals, and I’ve discovered that social media can be a significant distraction from these. As a result, instead of mindlessly scrolling through the internet, I turn to journaling. In order to keep track of everything that’s on my mind, I spend 15-30 minutes per day writing and listing anything that comes to mind — ideas, ambitions, future objectives, bad habits I’d like to change, and everything in between.
This habit has assisted me in becoming more intellectually and emotionally aware of myself and my environment, which has enabled me to better manage my own business and team. In fact, when I journal first thing in the morning, I am able to complete more things than when I read my social media feeds first thing. “Journaling allows me to take deep breaths while writing and has shown to be quite beneficial in increasing my productivity.”
10. They take their time to do things.
Last but not least, successful businesspeople learn how to effectively manage their time during the course of the day. Entrepreneurs who are efficient with their time and productive in their work are distinguishable from those who are stressed and overworked. Your ability to accomplish long-term goals is significantly impacted by how you manage your time and carry out daily and weekly tasks.
High-performing entrepreneurs acquire the daily practise of prioritising big or more challenging work first, and attending to the smaller details later.
Jay Bregman, CEO of Thimble, advises people to develop the practise of pacing themselves. The development of this straightforward habit will help you accomplish your goals while staying composed throughout the process, even when everything around you seems to be falling apart (enter COVID-19 pandemic).
“Move cautiously. There are 168 daylight hours in a week. Utilize them as intelligently as you can. This does not mean you have to complete everything. It just means doing the right things with uncompromising accuracy.
