Rise and Shine! Morning time just became your new best friend. Love it or hate it, maximing the morning hours before work may be the key to a successful and healthy lifestyle.
That’s right, early rising is a common trait found in many successful people. Margaret Thatcher was up every day at 5 a.m.; Robert Iger, the CEO of Disney wakes at 4:30am just to name a few.
“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” – Ben Franklin
I know some of you will be saying ‘I’m a night owl and do my best work at night’. If so great, BUT before you switch off, just hear me out.
According to Inc. Magazine, morning people have been found to be more proactive and more productive. Plus the health benefits for those with a life before work go on and on.
Let’s explore 5 of the things successful people do before 8 am.
1. Exercise.
It’s a fact. Most people that work out daily, work out in the morning. Whether it’s a morning yoga session or trip to the gym, there is nothing better to set your day up ‘right’ than this… not to mention the boost of energy it provides for the day.
Morning workouts also eliminate the possibility of flaking out on your cardio after a long day at work. Even if you aren’t bright eyed and bushy tailed at the thought of a 5 am jog, try waking up 15 minutes early for a quick bedside set of pushups or stretching. It’ll help wake up your body, and prep you for your day.
2. Map Out Your Day.
Maximise your potential by mapping out your schedule for the day, as well as your goals and to dos. The morning is a perfect time for this as it’s often one of the only quiet times a person gets throughout the day.
3. Crisp Decision Making for those Challenging Tasks.
It makes sense that the early hours foster uninterrupted problem solving with a clear and focused mind. Hit that dreaded task early and save yourself the stress of thinking about it all day long. No better time to eliminate the difficult tasks early while you have no interruptions.
4. Eat a Healthy Breakfast.
Didn’t your parents teach you ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’? We say it to our kids all the time.
Breakfast is exactly that – break fast. Having not eaten for at least the past 6-8 hours this first meal of the day is an important one to fuel your mind and your body. Can’t run on empty!
5. Visualisation.
Often overlooked, your mental health is just, if not MORE important, than your physical health.
The early hours of the morning is the perfect time to spend inside your mind meditating or visualising. Take a moment to visualise the day ahead of you, focusing on the successes you will have. Tell yourself ‘I’m going to have a great day today’ with a smile on your face. Even just a minute of visualisation and positive thinking can help improve your mood and outlook on your work load for the day.
So, are you a night owl or an early riser? If you are a night owl, do you think you could switch to maximise your energy of a fresh and focused mind in the morning hours? I dare you to give it a go… It takes 21 days to form a new habit. Let me know how you go. Perhaps the result will be SUPER SUCCESSFUL!
What’s next?
- Join our Kick-Ass Tradies Facebook Group, for access to trade business specific conversations, tips and resources, plus a like-minded community of tradies.
- Book a 15-minute Game Plan Call with Andy, owner of Dr. DRiP plumbing and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, to clarify your priorities and get clear action steps.
