Think you’re too busy to do what it takes to become successful? You’re not alone. Busy is the new status quo.
But you know what else the new status quo is? Being successful. That’s why we dug into the daily routines of some of today’s most prominent individuals—from J . K. Rowling to Barack Obama uncovered their “secrets” for fitting success habits into a frenetic schedule.
That’s right—you can do this! Here, take our word for it: Successful people are just like you (well, maybe a little better at delegation and more adept at giving orders). They don’t have time to waste either. Yet they’ve got the same number of hours in their day as you. Think again. Successful people make time for these eight daily activities — and so can you.
- Exercise: In a study published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, researchers found that people who exercised for 30 minutes a day, four to five times per week, were more successful than those who didn’t exercise. According to the study’s authors, “Working out fosters self-control and discipline.”
- Eat a healthy breakfast: Have you ever met someone who says, “I’m not successful because I eat breakfast every morning”? Didn’t think so. Eating a healthy breakfast can give your brain a huge boost for the day and set you up for success in all other areas of life.
- Meditate: As strange as it may sound — especially if you don’t consider yourself religious or spiritual — a study at Azusa Pacific University found that meditation “increased sense of self-control.”
- Sleep: According to Scott Weems, the author of The Secrets of Sleeping Through the Night, getting enough sleep results in better mental clarity and creativity, increased productivity, higher energy levels, and an overall feeling of good health.
- Spend money on others: According to a study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research, “spending more time and energy on close relationships was strongly associated with greater happiness.” The people who scored high in happiness measures spent money on other people instead of themselves.
- Be helpful: In their book, Great Myths of Intimate Relationships: Dating, Sex, and Marriage, authors Dave D. Liu and Ziang Yang found that people who are helpful to others “are likely to be more successful in their own social relationships.”
- Travel: The U. S. Travel Association reports that travel boosts self-esteem as well as increases a person’s optimism about the future and can even make them more physically fit.
- Exercise willpower: A study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found that those who acted against their impulses — such as consuming an unhealthy snack, watching too much television, or spending money on unnecessary purchases — were happier than those who followed through with them. Resisting temptation also boosted feelings of self-control.
- Spend time with loved ones: “Successful people are taking time to nurture love,” says Johann Klein, Ph.D., a psychotherapist at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Want to be successful yourself? Then don’t neglect those you care about most — your relationships will reap great rewards for the rest of your life.
Successful people don’t have time to waste either. Yet they’ve got the same number of hours in their day as you. Think again. Successful people make time for these daily activities, and so can you!
These are exercises, healthy breakfast, meditation, sleep, spending money on others (instead of themselves), being helpful with other’s needs, traveling the world, and exercising willpower, just from a few examples we listed above. Now that you know how successful individuals spend their days, it is your turn to take action today! What will be one thing that you commit yourself to do every day?
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