What are the routines or daily habits of successful people? This is one of the questions I tried to answer in my recent collaboration Rebecca Livermore, The Daily Entrepreneur.
This is a big question, and an important one, for anyone trying to achieve success. In today's post, fans of “The Daily Entrepreneur”, and those just wanting a few ideas on how to achieve more success in their lives, are in for a treat with another viewpoint on this topic, featuring the health and mindfulness rituals of success.
The way we care for ourselves mentally and physically has as much to do with success as any entrepreneurial routines. In this article we cover the body, mind and spirit of the entrepreneur.
The Misconception About Successful People
Many people think entrepreneurs are machines. We eat, drink, sleep and digest work 24/7. We believe we have to be ‘on' constantly and burn ourselves out in order to reach success.
We don't.
We are our own worst enemy when it comes to feeling guilty about how much work we needed to be doing in order to justify our days off.
Making sure we are not killing ourselves in the interim is the key to our success. An entrepreneur will have nothing left to give to our business or clients if we burn ourselves out!
So, what do successful entrepreneurs do?
They make sure they create and maintain daily health and well-being routines. Sticking to it has its many rewards. You have to simply prioritize the important aspects of your life to create a balance.
Not everything that works for you will work for someone else. You have to come to the determination of what works best for you. Only you know what your priorities are.
Don't make the mistake that so many others make. Don't try and model your priorities around someone else. You are like a finger print and are vastly different from others.
Before we proceed, if you want to build a success-focused morning routine, watch this video to learn about the 12 morning routine habits of the world's most successful people.
Daily Morning Routine Examples for Entrepreneurs
If you are a morning person then capitalize on that. Wake up and be ready to seize the day!
If you are lousy in the middle of the day then take a few hours off—take a nap or read for fun, meditate. Do whatever gets you back on track.
#1. Exercise in the Morning
Many people may not desire a daily exercise routine, much less a morning exercise habit, but it is very important. We have found, through polls and interviews, that most successful entrepreneurs have an exercise routine. Even if it is just walking.
Getting the blood flowing with some light daily exercise is the key to a healthy head that is clear and ready to work. Blood flow and lymph circulation are essential for a clear mind and healthy body.
We have to have a healthy mind in order to process the information we will be collecting all day. A home exercise routine is the perfect way to get this blood flowing.
#2. Eat Breakfast!
The fact that everyone says this is the most important mean of the day is no myth. It's essential. Your body has been resting and healing itself all night.
So, now it needs fuel other than coffee and stimulants to get started. If you don't eat well in the morning you'll experience fatigue crash by the early afternoon. This just kills productivity.
#3. Get Up Before the Family
Most successful female entrepreneurs will actually get up one hour prior to the family in order to get some time to themselves. There is a lot to be said for this.
The best rituals are the ones that will put you in the mood you need to be in for the day. If by chance you start off your day badly or negatively in any way, you will snowball that into your day for sure.
There is truth the the old adage of “waking up on the wrong side of the bed”. Start your day positively and with energy and your day will follow the same way, like falling dominoes.
Crazy Routines of Successful People
Winston Churchill, one of the former Prime Ministers of England had an unlikely routine. However it is a great example of tailoring what works for your success and it will certainly pull you out of your 9-5 grind.
Churchill would begin his day in bed until 11:00am. He woke at 7:30. He was brought his breakfast, made his secretaries take dictation and read his mail.
He stopped by his office space in the house for about an hour and then, ate lunch from 1:00 to 3:30 pm with colleagues and family. Discussed his day and made small talk over a 3-4 course meal.
He believed that quality time made him better at what he did. He worked until roughly 5pm and engaged in a nap for about an hour and a half. Then, he worked until dinner at 8pm. This is with the same family and his guests. He would then work for another hour or so before turning in again.
This is not a goal for everyone to strive for, but an example of how you can model many of the “normal” routines into any abnormal lifestyle. The important part is making these routines and rituals a part of your everyday life.
#4. Set Goals at the Start of Your Workday
First, give yourself a list of choices.
If you meditate and exercise then make it an either or choice. Give yourself plenty of flexibility so you don't feel in a forced rut.
If you are a night owl—then try to get the bulk of your work done at night. You can even work this around deadlines you have with clients if you work smart.
Choose the beginning of the week for prioritizing your schedule for rest of the week. Mondays can be for that.
If you are the type of person that likes weekends off—this is a great way to make it feel as if you have another off day to just reorganize your week!
This will give you the energy you need for what you need to do the rest of the week. You would be surprised at the psychological impact a Monday has.
There has been songs made about it like “Manic Monday” etc… so, you know that if you view Mondays as a hectic day—then it will be. If you are this type of person—make it a better Monday by using it as a lead in to the week and not a fully fledged business day.
You may just see that your week is a lot better and you are so much more productive. This way, the weekend can be yours. All yours.
#5. Creative Work May Be Best When Tired
When you're tired, sometimes you may fare better doing whatever creative work you have. Make sure you are putting off any strenuous administrative work at that time. Now, your body clock will tell you a lot of things. One, it will tell you when to sleep, eat and work.
You may or may not have the luxury to do everything according to your body clock. If you can though, listen to it as much as possible. Even if it's one to two times a day. You'll feel so much better and think so much clearer if you aren't working through hunger or fighting off tired.
#6. Watch Your Alarm Clock
Believe it or not—the way we wake up has a lot to do with the alarm clock sounds we wake up to. That incredibly harsh generic alarm clock sound can send waves of stress through our body's.
The best alarm clocks are those that mimic nature like chirping birds or water falls or pleasant classical or meditation music. (See one here)
#7. Winding Down from Work
Winding down from work takes a routine that works for you specifically. The best advice out there is to disengage from the work day. This means all electronic equipment being turned off. After a certain hour, no notifications are on and nothing gets checked.
Make sure that if you have family that may need to get to you that you have a certain ring tone for them as well as a text tone. This way, if you need to speak to them you can and ignore the rest.
It's important that we are closed off from the world at night. Sleep and total relaxation before bedtime is essential.
If you have some issues winding down from work, practicing mindfulness may help. Read this post, How to Practice Mindfulness to find out more about mindfulness and how to use it to help you achieve greater success and happiness.
#8. Write in a Journal
Yes write in a non business journal. Do the “Dear Diary” type of personal journaling and make it positive.
Write your gratitude for what you have accomplished and not only that—what you have taken for granted that you have in your life right now.
It doesn't matter how silly it looks or sounds. It doesn't matter how large or small it is. It can be about the weather was great today and I am so grateful.
My kid brought home a B on their report card and I am so grateful today. I have healthy senses to hear and see all the beauty around me on my walk today—I am so grateful for that! After you've done this for so long—maybe a matter of weeks—you'll see a change—a big change.
Being an entrepreneur or a successful business person is more about how you take care of yourself than it is about any business strategy. It's a general lifestyle because each thing will affect something else. You are made successful by being clear minded and focused on what you need to accomplish.
You can't be an innovator if you are battling sleep deprivation or malnutrition. If we have ill health of the body, mind or spirit we cannot be fruitful. It's interesting and comforting to know that from the least to the best entrepreneurs the advice is not that different at all.
If you like the idea of starting a journal. Here are some resources to help you learn more:
#9. Set Aside Time for Reading Nonfiction
Successful people are never too busy to read.
They make sure reading is a priority. They may read newspapers and blogs on the way to work. They often set aside time to read nonfiction in the evenings.
A big part of staying successful is staying informed and they need to do all this reading to keep informed on all latest information.
Most successful entrepreneurs have read the books on this entrepreneur book list, as well as many of the other choices from the complete 250 book list.
Be sure to check out these great books. See what you have read and what could still help you to grow your education.
If you need a break from reading, you can also watch the best movies entrepreneur of all time or this collection of movies about business.
Final Thoughts on the Routines of Successful People
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for success. Each entrepreneur carves their own path, guided by their unique vision, passion, and unwavering determination.
Success is not merely a destination but a lifelong commitment to personal growth and self-improvement. The key lies in finding the routines and practices that resonate with you, align with your goals, and bring out your full potential.
Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success, and never lose sight of your passion and purpose.
Finally, if you need help with building habits, then check out this nine-step blueprint that walks you through the entire process of creating lifelong habits.)
About the Author: Adnan is the founder of themarketingguy.net, a blog on business, entrepreneurship and marketing. He also has a book available on Amazon titled, The Success Story: Discover and Learn How Ultra Successful People Work and Achieve the Results they Want. Check out his blog and book to find out more.
Great post Steve. This is really helpful. I always enjoy reading/hearing about the daily routines of successful people such as yourself, and Tim Ferriss’s podcast guests.
I appreciate your study of productivity and time management. I’ve been studying and experimenting with both for years. Great Post!
These are really awesome tips you got here. I used to believe that morning routines aren’t as special as how they are presented especially in connection to successful people but looking closely, these routines have special purpose and benefits apart from being just routines. Exercise stimulates blood and energy, meditation gives clarity, and the rest goes on. Personally, I found that I am more in the mood and enthusiastic to get to work if I did exercise. Otherwise I feel sluggish and become unproductive.
Thank you for sharing!
A morning routine sets you up to have a good, productive day. With a morning routine in place you will feel much more invigorated and get more stuff done everyday. Loads of successful people have great morning routine in place which includes meditating, exercise and priming.
Thanks for the comment Noel!
I have just finished reading and utilizing the miracle morning and it’s been amazing for my motivation.
Mornings are the absolute best time for me to work on my business because I am more inspired and creative, plus my little ones aren’t running around causing ruckus 🙂
Steve,
I struggled with the workout issue for years until I finally sucked it up and got up real early to workout. It took several months for my body and brain to adjust, and I do need to go to bed a bit earlier then the past, but it is great to have my workouts completed and behind me before I start the day. I used to always have them hanging over me.. maybe I’ll make the lunch workout… maybe I’ll do it after work.. maybe I’ll do it when I get home..
Guess what.. wasn’t happening.. something always “came up” to get in the way.
Now, I start every day knowing my workout is completed (and I also make sure to have a nutritious breakfast as well)!
Regards,
Michael
Looking for printable notes for your Daily Entrepreneur book.
Also, I have enjoyed all the books that I have purchesed by you.
Nice guide lines
Thanks
I like the way you are giving very specific guide lines for a day of a successful person. I also totally agree on everything you are mentioning. I personally do the work out kind of at 11 am in the morning which i found is the best time for myself. I wrote an article on a few more habits/ routines of success people. Please check it out and give me some feedback.
Wow, you covered some great points in this post. Being a successful entrepreneur has 90% to do with taking care of yourself and I love how you stated that. I too believe that self wellness is the cornerstone to a more successful life. Thanks for sharing!
As an entrepreneur, it is important that you take good care of your body. Take enough rest and eat healthy foods. Having a healthy mind and body can lead you to business success.
Hey Adnan, thanks for writing this. The examples you used are great and one can easily relate. I, personally, practice meditation and journal my thoughts. It has helped me a lot to become better over a period of time. It has also helped me realize that there is always room for improvement. Really glad to come across this article.