How does the successful entrepreneur start their day? Is it by cracking open the business section of the newspaper? How about by chugging down a fresh pot of coffee? Do they start their day by working out at the gym? It’s no secret that successful people do things their way. However, there are certain habits they share that gives them a competitive advantage which can assist them when trying to overcome adversities. Here are habits to cultivate if you want to be a successful entrepreneur.
They Wake Up Early
Tim Cook, Richard Branson, Jack Dorsey, Jeff Immelt, and Ursula Burns all wake up very early. Every day is important, and they know that there’s not a moment to lose. Another advantage of getting up early is avoiding distraction. Getting up early means you can do lots of things before everybody has the chance to tell you what to do.
They Exercise
Richard Branson and Disney’s Bob Iger get up super early in the morning to workout. Exercising even for just 10 minutes releases GABA, a neurotransmitter that soothes your brain and helps control your impulses. It helps to improve behavior that can be measured by an emotional intelligence test.
They Take a Shower
Did you know that science has proven that you get the best ideas in the shower? This is because the warm water causes you to relax and helps to shut away from the distraction. The relaxed state releases dopamine which boosts creativity when the mind is at ease.
They Have Family Time
If Obama makes it a point to eat breakfast with his family every day, then we have no excuse. The most successful people know how important it is to spend time with their families, even if it’s just reading or eating breakfast together.
They Have A Passion Project
Successful entrepreneurs have a passion outside their work. This passion project helps them blow off steam, boost their creativity, and refine skills. Companies like Google encourage employees to have a passion project, which was how AdSense and Gmail were born.
They Are Grateful
According to studies, when you write down what you’re grateful for, it helps you to get centered and put your life in perspective. Entrepreneur and author Tim Ferris spends 5 minutes writing down things he is grateful for every morning. Doing this every day can help a person to get more things done and become happier and content.
They Read and Send Emails
In a study conducted by Robert Half Management Resources, many executives (50%) start their day by reading and sending emails compared to 30% of entry-level employees. Why? Reading and sending emails at the start of day allows executives to schedule their day first thing in the morning. Reading emails also allows you to prioritize work so that you can get through the important tasks first.
Successful entrepreneurs know that time is a very valuable commodity. Most of their time is composed of meetings, talking on the phone and making important decisions. Early morning is a time they can control. This is why many of them get up before the sun rises to squeeze every possible second of the day.
