1.Make your bed
Someone once told me the best thing you can do for yourself is to make your bed every morning. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably thinking:
What does a made bed have to do with a better life?
Here’s what: Even the universe was unkind to you all day long–you got a flat tire, you spilled hot coffee on your shirt, your computer crashed and you lost a whole mess of files–you get to come home to a bed that is made. A bed that you made. Not only are your neatly tucked sheets visual proof of your accomplished task, they’re tangible results that will help nurture you for a better tomorrow.
2. Find someone to help you through life
No one can make it on their own.
We all need somebody to lean on.
Find that somebody, and be good to them. Whether it is your mother, brother, neighbor, teammate, friend, spouse, or dog–don’t be reluctant to utilize your support system. They’ll give you strength, resilience, and reassurance; everyone could use more of that.
3. Don’t forget to give
All successful innovators are connected by one common purpose: service. When you’re building your empire, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the things you need to help make that happen, however, it’s a fatal mistake. As a rule, “How can I help you?” should always precede, “Can you…”
Help whenever you can. Be a good person, then be a good businessperson.
4. Spend time with the ones you love
Arianna Huffington is working hard to shatter the commonly shared delusion that most entrepreneurs have accepted as truth: burnout is a side effect of success. This could not be further from the truth. If you’re not taking care of yourself–getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising and nurturing the relationships that you value in your life–you’re in for an unforgiving crash.
At the end of the day, the size of your business, the cash in your wallet, or the recognition from Fortune 500 doesn’t matter. What does matter: the relationships that helped to get you there. Take care of those, and you’ll in turn take care of yourself and your success.
5. Make lists
We’ve all heard of Entrepreneur ADD, many of us have seen it, and some of us have it. To combat this common quirk, make lists! Lists help you get organized. They decrease stress, increase productivity, facilitate planning, and force you to prioritize, which are all crucial skills to surviving the wild west of business.
6. Set specific times to check your emails. Stick to them.
Do you know how many hours a day you waste reading, skimming, organizing, responding to, and flagging emails? Too many. Every time you click your mailbox icon, you interrupt your workflow and risk losing your train of thought. Stop doing that. You’re digging your own grave.
Set aside a couple times a day to check your email, and stick to it. You’ll make more of your time, and have less stressful interruptions throughout your day. Believe me, if it’s a dire situation that needs your immediate attention, they’ll call.
7. Do something nice for someone else
Every. Single. Day.
Kindness is like the common cold; it spreads quickly and its effects linger for far longer that you’d expect. One good deed creates a huge ripple effect of happiness, which starts with you.
Have you ever noticed that after you hold the door for someone else, you feel a sense of pride? You might think I was raised right or I’m a good person. The best part is: you’re right! It doesn’t take much to make someone’s day, but if you’re unsure of exactly how to go about it, here are some ways you can spread kindness like confetti–just throw that stuff everywhere.
Nice Things You Can (And Should) Do
- Hold the door for someone else
- Give up your seat on the bus or subway
- Smile at a stranger (bonus points if you say good morning to a stranger)
- Write someone a note
- Pay it forward; whether it’s with a compliment or a coffee
- Go the extra mile for someone else
We all need a little help lighting that fire under our you-know-whats sometimes. So let’s do it together. #LetsPropel
