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I’ve always been intrigued by the small, everyday habits that are shared by so many successful and creative people. What are the secret rituals and healthy practices that make up their lives – and why? These habits are what help them achieve their success. I complied a list of 10 Morning Habits of Successful Women.
Wake up early:
Most of the successful women I know wake up early in order to allow plenty of time to workout, eat breakfast, get the kids ready if they have them, and plan for the day ahead — all without feeling overly rushed. I’ve found that waking up an hour and a half before I have to be somewhere usually means that I’ll be able to check off the important things on my list and stay calm.
Be mindful:
I try to set aside time in the morning for a mindfulness practice. Sometimes I get the chance to and others time I don’t. However, I don’t beat myself up when I can’t. There is a nice app to help with mindfulness called Headspace. You can do a quick 10-minute meditation session to help calm and focus yourself. This may be the difference of a morning feeling centered or feeling frazzled.
Make the bed:
Successful women swear by making the bed every single morning, no matter how busy. It’s a little task that gives you an instant sense of accomplishment and helps you feel like you can take on whatever the day throws at you. I love to have my bed made!! Besides it looking extra neat, it just makes me feel good. Plus, starting with that one good habit creates a domino effect; the “feel good” vibes from tackling it will motivate you not to skip out on other positive tasks.
Visualize your perfect day:
Just thinking about the people and situations you’ll encounter during the day ahead – and planning how you want to respond to them – can transform your actions from reactive to proactive. Your thoughts definitely set the tone of your attitude and you can control by keeping your mind full of positive thoughts and creating boundaries to guard your peace.
Conquer the most important item on your to-do list first:
Often, the morning is the time when we can think most clearly, making it the perfect time to tackle that one important to-do list item before nothing else can get in the way. So, aim to finish that one big task before breakfast, and you’ll feel so accomplished before most people have even started their day! A trick that I do is to make my to-do list the night before, so when I wake up it is ready and waiting for me to begin tackling things on my list. If something is important, I always circle it or put a star next to it.
Eat an energy-packed breakfast:
Usually this means a good mix of protein, fat, and healthy carbs. I like to add a nice smoothie to my breakfast! Make me feel extra healthy during the day lol
Workout – before any excuses can get in the way:
Not only does a morning workout get your blood pumping and release mood-boosting endorphins; conquering it first thing ensures that your daily workout will actually happen. This can be a quick 20-30 minute warm up in your living room if you can’t make it to the gym.
Connect with someone you love:
Whether it’s a breakfast date with your partner or a tickle session with your kids, connecting with someone you love first thing will set your priorities and remind you of what’s really important. Even if the morning is really busy, try to sit down for a few minutes over breakfast and talk about what’s going on in each others lives.
Be a super scheduler:
True Life: I am a super scheduler! LOL It’s no secret that most successful people live by their calendars to stay organized and make sure that high priority items are nonnegotiable. As you’re visualizing the day ahead, go ahead and put everything that you intend to accomplish on the calendar, prioritizing the things that are most important to you. This way your mind is freed from all those scheduling details to focus on more creative tasks. Don’t forget to schedule in breaks and a little “me time,” or else those are bound to get neglected once the busyness of the day sets in.
Nail your get-ready-quick routine:
Boss babes are usually too busy to spend an hour primping in front of the mirror, so most of them have a tried-and-true makeup and hair routine that they can knock out super quick. I’ve mastered doing my makeup in about 20 minutes, which saves a lot of time.
What are some morning habits you swear by?