What is it that you’re after in life?
However you choose to define success, whatever it is that you hope to accomplish, keep in mind that success isn’t something that happens overnight. Success happens every day, when you take small steps, grow and improve on daily basis.
Whatever it is that you’re after, start now.
MORNING RITUAL
Having a healthy morning ritual is something that I talk about a lot in these types of posts, but that’s because it’s something that has made a HUGE difference for me and how I handle stress and my day-to-day tasks. Every morning, as I get up early, I drink my green tea, I write in my gratitude journal, I set my intentions for the day and I tell myself that “today is going to be an amazing day.” This means that I [almost] always go to work with a smile on my face, I always feel upbeat and am ready to take on the day. I’ll be honest and say that mornings weren’t always my favorite time of day and when I started doing things like practicing gratitude daily, writing a journal- it felt a bit silly- now I can’t imagine my life without those things. Create a morning ritual for yourself that will help you feel positive and inspired, every day.
ESTABLISH A ROUTINE
I couldn’t live without a routine and scheduling my time. I prioritize certain aspects of my life and love creating a balance- this helps me get things done in a stress-free environment. Not every one person is the same, so my routine might be a lot different from yours, but the point is that creating it is very important. I get asked all the time how do I manage to work full-time and blog as often as I do, and the key is establishing a routine. By coming up with a routine, you’re setting yourself up for success- you work on your goals during the same time each day and as you get used to your routine, you will accomplish your goals faster. You won’t have to “find” time- as you create your routine, that time will be there.
MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS
You might think you’re good at multitasking, but chances are you’re probably not. Researchers at Stanford University found that those of us who regularly use several streams of electronic information cannot control our memory, pay attention or switch from one job to another as well as those who work on one task at a time. You might think that you’re getting a lot more done by multitasking, but chances are you’re not as efficient as when focusing only on one thing. I also noticed that when trying to multitask at work (especially in an office environment) I waste time doing things like proofreading, double-checking my work and confirming that I actually did what I was supposed to- like writing a an appeal while also helping out a co-worker and talking to a client on the phone- when doing three things at once, I cannot give any of them 100% of attention.
SET DAILY GOALS
It doesn’t have to be anything big, just small, daily goals. Your goals might involve health, home, self-improvement or they can also be work-related- small goals facilitate progress. Setting big, ambitious goals is great, but focusing on accomplishing those small, daily goals will keep you from feeling overwhelmed or disappointed when experiencing a setback. Break down your “big” goals into smaller ones and take baby steps. Ask yourself, “what can I do today, that will bring me closer to my goals?”
RISE EARLY
If you want to develop a productive routine for your day, you need to make the best of your mornings. Getting an early start to your day means that you are setting up your intentions for the day to come; you won’t be in a rush and you won’t feel stressed, knowing that you are on time and on schedule. You will have more time to plan out your day, organize yourself and check your to-do list.
KEEP A JOURNAL
To keep track of your progress, document your success- however small or it big it might be, write down your goals, quotes that inspire you, things that you’re grateful for. When you’re after something you want, it doesn’t always come to you overnight and success is usually a result of hard, consistent work. There will be days when you will feel discouraged and this is why keeping a journal is so important- writing down things that you’re grateful for is an instant mood booster. It’s easy to think “I will be happy when I get a better job” or “I will be happy when I finally start a family”, “I will be happy when my business finally takes off”- someone who lives with this kind of attitude, will never truly be happy because there will always be another “I will be happy when…” Keeping a journal will help you stay present and appreciate your life NOW.
As I say time and time again, success, or being successful means different things to different people. For some of you, it might be finishing school, for others it might be starting a family, getting promoted to a better position at work, getting healthy and fit, or staring your own business. Whatever it is that you’re after, remember to stay determined and never give up.
Don’t concern yourself with what everyone else is doing; surround yourself with positive people and keep going- no matter what.