Are you a morning person? I can hear the groans across the Internet of those who say they do not embrace the morning hours. Let’s just change the headline a bit for those of you who don’t embrace the morning to be, “Success habits to perform before you start your workday.” Less limiting?
Some of these habits I perform before I close my office door at night, others I perform in the morning before jumping into client work. Here are my success habits:
Have a plan for the day. If you don’t plan it’s easy to have the day pass and you have not accomplished what you’d set out to do that day. Write down what your to-dos are and keep them in sight. Cross them off once they’re complete.
Get out and exercise. I try to walk or rock climb or swim every morning before I begin my workday. It’s important as an entrepreneur to get exercise and stay healthy both physically and mentally. Plan daily to get exercise — whatever kind suits you best.
Address family issues. If you have children that need your attention before they head off to school, take care of them and what they need. Remember, you need to embrace what’s important and that is family as much as your business.
Touch your email only once. If you read an email, then act on it. Don’t flag it or file it and come back to it later. Address it and move on.
Take a moment to meditate. Throughout the day, step away from the computer and go to a quiet place to simply relax and rejuvenate your mind. That time away — even if it’s only five minutes — will help energize you to get back to your to-do list.
Do you keep to yourself at networking events? Do you find it difficult to “toot your own horn” and share your accomplishments with peers? If you said yes to either, you need to work on ways to boost your business confidence. Walking into a meeting with a confident swagger and a firm handshake will not only make you appear confident but could instill confidence in a potential client and make them want to work with you!
How can you boost your confidence? Here are some tips:
Know what your area of expertise is and own it. Success isn’t just because you’re in the right place at the right time (yes, for some it might be, but for most it’s hard work that elevates us).
You don’t have to be perfect. If you offer a deliverable to a client and he asks for a tweak or two that doesn’t mean he didn’t like what your proffered, it just meant he wanted a tweak.
It’s all right to be afraid. We all get nervous on occasion and that’s fine. That’s normal. The most confident of people do something that scares them every week. Why? Because they challenge themselves. They aren’t complacent. Embrace the fear and conquer it.
If you find that you’re not confident on a product or service that you’re offering, take a step back and figure out why. Do you need more information or training? Reach out and get it. There is no reason you can’t take an online course to bump up your skills.
Make certain the goals you set are achievable. Yes, it’s good to push yourself, but if you’re pushing beyond a limit of what you can ever hope to achieve or accomplish, scale them back. Don’t coast, but set goals you can meet.
What holds you back from being the most confident business person you can be?
This isn’t your typical, “how to succeed in business” piece. You can read those anywhere, right? I want to offer you advice that might stop you from making a big mistake (or five) when you’re launching your start up.
Here are the five ways you can make your start up fail:
If you don’t have a business plan or a roadmap in place you will wander aimlessly. Take your time and put a business plan in place. At least know what you want to charge and what you need to charge to make your business viable. Know what you will say yes to and what you will say no to. It is easy in the beginning phases to say yes to every client even if they aren’t a good fit.
You can’t always be perfect. Many who strive for perfection before they launch an idea or a project are still on the launch pad while the competition has passed them by. Get it done. Tweak it later.
Hiring the first person you interview. Have a job description and make certain the people you’re hiring are suited for the tasks you need completed.
Being so rigid in your business plan that you can’t bend and sway with the market and with what your clients are telling you they want.
Not having a savings to fall back on. You don’t want to sink every dollar of your nest egg into your start up because that will leave you operating from a feeling of desperation and that might mean you’re always operating in “frantic, I need to take every client that comes along” mode.
Be focused. Work with a coach or a mentor if you’re struggling to get the start up on the right track, give us a call!
Do you ever wish you had more than 168 hours in a week? There are times that all entrepreneurs feel that way. I know I do on occasion. I know, though, that I have to not only work within the 168 hours allotted weekly,but I need to make time for friends, family and a life. How do I get it all done?
Here are my productivity tips for entrepreneurs who want to “have it all:”
Set goals. Write a to-do list for your daily goals as well as your weekly, monthly and annual goals. You may find it easier to break all of your goals down — especially the weekly, monthly and annual ones into manageable chunks.
Don’t let yourself get distracted by email interruptions. Turn off alerts and don’t check your social media when you have a project that you’re working on. Multi-tasking can kill productivity.
Take care of yourself and value your time. Don’t let friends, family or colleagues draw you away from the task at hand. Tell them, firmly, but nicely, “I’d love to do XYZ as soon a I finish this project. Can you give me a couple of hours?” Chances are they will appreciate your honesty and respect your dedication.
Rituals matter. Have a morning ritual that gets you ready for the workday ahead and set a ritual for the end of the day. These two rituals will get you in the correct frame of mind for the day ahead.
Take a break. You can only focus for so long on a project. Give yourself permission to get up every hour and talk a brief walk. Do some jumping jacks. Take the dog for a walk or grab a snack. Getting up and moving around will refresh you and make getting back to the task at hand much easier.
Where do you do your work? Do you work at a fully appointed, plush desk with a leather upholstered chair? Do you toil away at the kitchen table? Is your car your office? Do you feel that where ever you and your laptop are, that is your office? I’ve found that in business your workspace matters. While you don’t need to have a lush office space with a personal assistant answering the phone for you, you do need to have a space to call your own, a space that says, “I am working right now” when you’re in it.
How can you set up your workspace for success? Here are some items to consider:
Where ever you call your workspace it should make you feel like a professional — yes, even if you’re working at the corner of the kitchen table while the family is at work. Claim that space, make it your own and be professional!
No matter what space you call your office, you should have a comfortable chair and a keyboard, mouse and computer that allow you to work effectively and efficiently. Your health matters and because of that you should have an office space that enhances your health. A rickety outdoor poolside chair is not conducive to a healthy or productive workday. Even if you don’t have an office outside of the home, that doesn’t mean the space where you work isn’t set up for success and that you have the tools you need.
Where do you meet potential clients? Is there a co-office space in your area of the country that you could rent out on occasion when you need to meet clients? You don’t want to have clients coming to your home, wading through your children’s toys and dealing with your pets. Remember, first impressions count. Even if you can’t find a co-office space, many business professionals are accustomed to “coffee shop meetings” and you can tell a potential client that is where you prefer to meet and they likely won’t blink an eye.
In addition to having a space to call your own, I believe you should dress for success — even if you’re working in your living room. I feel that dressing professionally will help you project that aura when you’re on the phone with a client.
Share with me what your workspace is like and how it works for you.
