5 Habits That’ll Ensure You’ll End Every Day Feeling Successful
Keep a Gratitude Journal: Gratitude journals have grown wildly popular commit to writing down one thing you’re grateful for every day, expressing gratitude every morning before work gets me in the right mind-set and helps me prepare for the day’s challenges.
Reduce Context Switching: This is when you jump between various, unrelated tasks. You’re heads down on a project but get interrupted by an urgent message. A few minutes later, a conversation between co-workers distracts you, and, after you finally refocus, you remember an email you should have responded to earlier in the day.
You probably can’t eliminate context switching altogether, but being mindful of the productivity damage it causes will allow you to create rules to avoid distraction (more on that in a second).
Create “If/When-Then” Plans
Example:
- If/when I need to work without interruption, then I leave my desk and find a quiet spot.
- If/when it’s time to eat lunch, then I order a salad.
- If/when I get a calendar invite for Thursday (when my company has a no-meeting policy), then I move the meeting to a different day.
Research suggests that people who use “if/when-then” planning are between two and three times more likely to achieve their goals.
Exercise—Even if Only for a Few Minutes
You know you should exercise—the benefits are significant.
- One option is the 7-Minute Workout. It’s an intense workout you can do almost anywhere and is proven to deliver results.
- Taking a short break to go on a walk is a great way to reduce stress.
Have a Shutdown Ritual: A “shutdown ritual” in which you take the time to close out the day’s business and prepare for tomorrow .Research found that the simple act of writing down the things you need to take care of the next day can settle your brain and help you relax.
These are guidelines, and, ultimately, you’ve got to create your own standard of excellence and measure progress accordingly. Because real, lasting success comes by aligning your actions with what’s most important to you.
Extract from www.themuse.com
