7 Incredibly Simple but Effective Habits to Develop in 2017
by Betty Liu, Founder/CEO at Radiate, Inc. Published on December 27, 2016 on LinkedIn
The new year is here, and we’re all looking to the future. Some of us are hitting the gym to develop healthy habits early. Others are contemplating the next steps in their careers.
Just as a few tweaks in your exercise regime might do wonders for your body, so will a few tweaks to your daily habits do wonders for your professional life. Whether you’re starting your own business or angling for the next promotion, here are seven habits to develop that will power you into even greater success in 2017.
1. Do the hard stuff early. Before you even settle down at your desk, do one of the really hard things on your to-do list. Write that unpleasant email or make that difficult phone call in the morning before the day gets started. Work on that project in the early hours. You’ll find you’ll become way more efficient if you don’t walk around all day with a big cloud hanging over your head of what you “need to do.”
2. Take care of your body. Not all of us can have the rock-hard body of The Rock. Still, exercise is an extremely important habit to develop, for both your physical and mental health. Many successful entrepreneurs, despite lamenting how little time they have during the day, still find time to hit the gym or run a few laps around the track. Working out helps you burn off emotional energy — as well as that morning doughnut — and refocuses your brain.
3. Get sleep! Getting a great night’s sleep does wonders for your next day. Entrepreneurs tend to sleep very little, and they don’t always sleep well, but that’s not to say it’s unimportant. Try to get seven hours of sleep a night. Light a candle, get into your fuzzy PJs, and try to find a routine that will make you snooze.
4. Be grateful. When the going gets tough, don’t get mad — get grateful. It seems hokey, but exercising gratitude everyday will make you infinitely more successful. Some career coaches suggest making a list of things you’re grateful for, such as the freedom to start your own business or the support of your family. Others recommend simply taking a moment to recognize how lucky you are. As Wall Street veteran and Ellevest CEO Sallie Krawcheck said on an episode of the Radiate podcast, “My worst day is better than most of the world’s best day.” Acknowledging that fact on a regular basis will improve your life immeasurably.
5. Work really hard… and then break for some fun. If you want to be a success, you have to work 24/7, right? Wrong. Sure, there are days when you’ll be working incredibly hard, but let’s stop with the myth that only entrepreneurs who work all the time will succeed. If anything, they’ll fail. Even the hardest-working people in the world know how to break for fun. Being able to turn your work off to recharge your batteries is critical to your success.
6. Forgive yourself. You screwed up a pitch? So what. You got into a fight with a coworker? That happens. The only thing that’s guaranteed in the next year is that you will make plenty of mistakes. Forgive yourself, and mean it. Then, move on.
7. Do things for others while expecting nothing in return. It’s amazing how much helping someone — it doesn’t matter who or what, or how big or small — will improve your outlook on life. Helping someone is empowering. Helping someone without expecting a return is freeing. Don’t keep score. The universe works in mysterious ways — you’ll get your rewards soon enough.
Facebook Live Q&A with Sallie Krawcheck:
