“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”
Zig Ziglar
Quick question! What does your daily routine look like? Do you start your day at dawn or hit the snooze button ten times before you finally rush to work? What if we told you there is a daily routine to be successful?
It is futile to ask if you want success in life because, of course, you do! But how do you get out of the rut and finally achieve your goals? The answer: Change your daily routine!
Psychologists say that habits have a significant impact on our mental functioning. Nearly half of our actions are driven by habits and routines. So why not follow the pattern of successful people?
This blog will share the daily routine to be successful, how to stick with your routine, what habits to adopt/avoid, and much more! Before we move on, did you know? There is a difference between habits, routines, and rituals!
- A habit is an automatic action – it is programmed subconsciously. For instance, checking your phone when you wake up.
- A routine is a collection of habits. How you spend your whole day is your daily routine.
- A ritual is similar to a habit but with a change in intentions. Habits become rituals if you think you need them to succeed in life.
What Is the Daily Routine of a Successful Person?
Following a specific routine seems draining, but no structure in life is even more detrimental! If you don’t have a direction in life, you will feel frustrated sooner or later.
However, daily practice of some habits can positively change your life. You can become more productive, motivated, and determined toward your life goals, ultimately leading to success.
We have studied the routines of highly successful individuals in their respective fields. They all have everyday habits that make them stand out from the crowd!
Among these, we have selected five essential habits to include in your routine:
Wake Up Early and Ditch the Alarm
Remember: “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”. Nearly every successful person has a habit of waking up early. Waking up before everyone else gives you time to prepare ahead.
Even a cup of coffee will seem much better when you don’t finish it hurriedly on your way to work. Early rising also gives you ample time to spend with your thoughts. Give yourself positive self-statements to enhance your functioning.
Also, you should ditch the snooze button on your alarm. Try to wake up without it. Sure, it will be challenging initially, but consistency is key.
Take these people as an example:
- Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square, rises at 5:30 am.
- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, always wakes up at 4:30 am.
- Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, is out of bed at 5:45 am.
Arianna Huffington, the co-founder of Huffington Post, says: “I don’t believe in the snooze button. On days when I do have to use my alarm, I always set it for the last possible moment I have to get up”.
Skip Checking Your Notifications
We know it is the most tempting thing in the morning! However, most successful people skip this step until an appropriate time. When you hold your phone first thing in the morning, you lose control of your daily routine.
Your mind starts revolving around the content you consume, thus, losing track of meaningful activities. Psychologists also recommend switching off your phone at night and not looking at it first thing in the morning.
Prioritize Your Tasks
A famous saying by Mark Twain: “Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day”.
There can be some tasks that are just too hard or boring to accomplish. Mostly, we leave such tasks for later. But they keep bothering us throughout the day, making us procrastinate even more!
Our productivity is highest in the morning, so it’s better to deal with difficult tasks immediately! It could be anything from tackling a stubborn stakeholder to pitching for new clients. Whatever task your mind wants to avoid the most, do it first!
Practice a Hobby
You might think that successful people have a mantra of “work, work, work”! However, this is not the case. Most successful individuals recoil and disengage from their work through a hobby.
A hobby re-energizes your mind and helps you become more focused. In psychology, this is referred to as the state of flow. Research indicates that being immersed in an activity a person enjoys enhances happiness, creativity, and motivation.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described flow psychology: “Even without success, creative persons find joy in a job well done. Learning for its own sake is rewarding”.
Try to Learn Something New Everyday
Another great habit of successful people is to never stop learning! Trust us, the day you stop learning is when your growth ceases.
It does not have to be something big. You can start small and make it a routine. Try and observe others around you. Maybe you could practice your hand at a new skill, get the latest information about your topic of interest, research work-related tasks, or even play a new game!
How Do You Create a Daily Routine to be Successful?
Sticking to routines can be challenging! It takes time to break away from previous habits and formulate new ones. You can hit roadblocks along the way. But, this doesn’t mean you should give up.
According to research, a habit takes more than two months to settle. So, how can you create a daily routine to be successful?
Here are the key steps to follow:
Layout Your Plan
The first step is to plan what to do and when. Set up goals and lay out a proper plan to achieve them. Make sure your plan is appropriate for your routine. Copying someone’s plan is not always a good choice.
This YouTube video will explain how to devise systems for your routine:
Set Small Goals
We often lose motivation because we set our goals too high too soon. You will likely fail and lose motivation if the goal is too hard to achieve. Therefore, setting small goals at the start is essential. Afterward, you can gradually increase the difficulty.
Give It a Trial Run
A routine is not set in stone. After you have planned everything, give it a try. See what works for you and what does not. You can make some tweaks and changes wherever you like.
Evaluate Your Progress
It is crucial to evaluate your progress as you move along. A successful routine does not set in if you are clueless about your performance. Set aside a time each day to track the day’s activities. Look for weak areas and focus your energy on improving them.
Be Consistent
As we mentioned earlier, this is not an overnight task! You need to be consistent to achieve a successful daily routine. You can become lazy and get de-tracked along the way, but the important thing is to get up and keep trying!
Reward Yourself
Rewards create intrinsic motivation. Our mind is programmed to follow the tasks that yield a reward. For instance, you can take yourself to a fancy dinner if you follow the routine for an entire week.
Why Should You Include Journaling in Your Daily Routine?
Technological advancements have changed the working pattern, but many successful individuals still prefer to keep a journal. From great historical names to contemporary artists, accomplished people have always promoted journaling.
Tim Ferriss, a famous author and entrepreneur, has documented his morning journaling to depict how he clears his head before starting his day.
Julia Cameron has rightly described the process of journaling as, “Once we get those muddy, maddening, confusing thoughts [nebulous worries, jitters, and preoccupations] on the page, we face our day with clearer eyes.”
These are only a few examples. We can list many more, but what’s the catch? Why should you include journaling in your daily routine to be successful?
Here is why!
To Process Hard Times and Difficult Emotions
Mental health professionals have indicated that writing helps to process our negative experiences and emotions. You have to see a fair share of ups and downs in life to get to the top. Journaling helps you deal with those hard days when nothing seems to work.
See our article on how journaling helps in stress relief!
To Manage Tasks
There is only limited time in a day to get everything done adequately. Therefore, journaling helps you manage your tasks. You can prepare a to-do list, prioritize your goals and write down every detail in a tangible form before you forget.
To Practice Gratitude
When it comes to success, it’s all rooted in the mindset! Psychologists explain that a gratitude journal makes you look toward the brighter side of life. Writing about things you are thankful for forms a better perspective, putting you on the road to success.
For more information, read our guide on Journaling for Success!
What Is the Best Morning Daily Routine to Be Successful?
How you decide to spend your mornings is up to you. We don’t expect you to follow everything to the T. However, certain habits are proven to make your mornings more fruitful and productive:
- Rising early (as discussed above).
- Going for a jog or exercise.
- Having a healthy breakfast.
- Maintaining your morning journal.
- Practicing meditation or mindfulness.
- Making a to-do list.
- Drinking plenty of water.
- Tackling your high-priority tasks early in the day.
What Is the Best Evening Daily Routine to Be Successful?
As morning rituals make you more ready and energized for the day, your evening routine should help you disengage. The best evening routines make you relax and prepare for the day ahead. Here are some evening activities you can add to your routine:
- Have a healthy dinner.
- Do some light stretches.
- Reflect on your day.
- Practice gratitude journaling.
- Read something new (even if it is just a single page).
- Spend quality time with friends and family.
- Power off your digital devices before going to bed.
Habits To Avoid
We all have some bad habits that we try to overcome, but some practices particularly hinder our success. If you have any of the habits listed below, you should immediately take action and eliminate them.
- Maintaining negative thought patterns (it all starts with a thought!).
- Getting easily distracted by technology.
- Expecting perfection and not being able to handle failures.
- Having an “I know everything” attitude (Learning never stops!).
- Not prioritizing physical and mental health.
- Multitasking (research suggests that it is detrimental in the long run).
Tip: If you want to change any of these habits, check out this book, “The Power of Habit.”
Final Thoughts
Does daily routine play a critical role in being successful? Yes, it does! However, including all these habits at once probably won’t work for everyone. You have to try them gradually and see what fits.
For instance, try a habit for a week and evaluate your progress by journaling. Ask yourself if you enjoyed the habit or not. Why not?
Ultimately, everyone can form their own daily routine to be Successful!
