woman-waking-up-turning-off-the-alarm-clock
Ten honest daily habits of a mildly successful person
Kate Toon, August
2015
Ah, successful people. Don’t you just hate them? With their thriving businesses, their private jets and their boundless productivity.
And the advice! The un-achievable, guilt-inducing advice that’s pumped out across the interwebs. Of course, we all desperately suck it up in the hope that we, mere mortals, can match their level of success.
Yes, I’ve read a fair few “89 things successful people do before breakfast” or “7 secrets from smug, successful, know-it-alls” type posts. But being a mildly successful person myself (hey, I’m no Richard Branson, but I’m doing okay), I thought I’d share some of my own top tips.
If you’ve ever said to yourself, “If only I meditated on my private island everyday I could get more email opt-ins”, this post is for you.
Tip 1: Get up an hour later
Conventional advice tells us that early risers are the gods of the business world. But I’ve tried it and it sucks. Give me an hour-longer lie-in any day. As a parent, I’d take 60 minutes of extra zzzs over pretty much anything. Sleep makes me happy, and a happy me gets more done than tired, irritable me.Tip 2: Eat food
Eating food is good. It boosts your productivity and memory, and stops your tummy rumbling during Skype calls. A hearty breakfast is a great way to start the day, followed by a healthy lunch and a wholesome supper. (And crisps. Lots of crisps.)
Tip 3: Drink fluids
Drink water and coffee regularly throughout the day to stay alive and alert. Often pains of hunger and feelings of total business desperation are just the early signs of dehydration. A hydrated brain is a clever brain.Tip 4: Make a ‘to do’ list
While there are plenty of ‘to do’ apps out there, for me nothing beats pen and paper. I suggest including a few easy wins at the top of your list (“Go to toilet”, “Turn on computer”, “Find pen”, etc.) so you can quickly tick them off and feel like you’re winning.Tip 5: Eat a frog
Mark Twain apparently said: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” While I’m sure amphibians offer an excellent source of protein, I’m guessing this is one of those metaphor thingies. So I recommend starting each day by doing the most hideous task first. Get it out of the way and you’ll feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Tip 6: Exercise
I walk my dog each day (to the coffee shop and back). I also work to loud music, and have perfected a rather good dance that I can do while remaining in my swivelly chair. It’s not pretty, but it keeps my bum cheeks pert – vital to a successful businessperson in my book.Tip 7: Don’t answer the phone
Answering the phone means having to talk to other humans, and some other humans talk too much. By not answering the phone you can avoid this and get on with your work. I set aside an hour a day to ring people, return messages and deal with phone stuff. After that, I switch it to silent.Tip 8: Prioritise
Although your ‘to do’ list may change your priorities, it shouldn’t. My priority list goes something like this:- Existing client work
- New client luring
- Financial admin – getting paid
- Marketing, self promotion and blog writing
- Faffing about on social media
