How Successful People Spend Their Down Time
When you’re just starting out on your climb to the top, it can feel like success evades you at every turn. Lesser entrepreneurs have crumbled under the pressure to succeed, or have gotten so caught up in their quest that they set a dangerous precedent for themselves, their business, and their team. We’ll let you in on a little secret: you shouldn’t have to kill yourself to make it big.
The truth is that successful people do know something you don’t: they know how to structure their lives to create an optimum work-life balance, and they’ve perfected the delicate art of productive downtime. When you’re trying to get a business off the ground, it might seem like the concept of “downtime” is some sort of cosmic joke–but it doesn’t need to be that way. By adopting these 3 habits of successful people, you too can make the most of your precious free time.
3 Things Successful People Do (That You Can, Too)
1: Successful people schedule their down time
Do you ever find yourself hyper-focused on a task and look up from your screen to realize that it’s 8 pm and you’ve been working for 12 hours? You’re not alone. According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many Americans frequently work more than 10 hours of overtime every week. But it doesn’t have to be that way!
Successful people manage their time well both in the office and in life. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of taking time for yourself, start by scheduling small breaks throughout the day. Indulge in some self-care or binge watch the latest season of Stranger Things on Netflix. Work will still be there in the morning, but your sanity may not.
2: Successful people reflect on their performance
It’s easy to get caught up in the grind and forget to take time to evaluate your performance. Whether you’re your own boss or managing a large team, taking time to reflect is crucial to success. This is a great opportunity to congratulate yourself for all of the hard work you’re putting in to your venture, and to think critically about next steps for yourself and your business. If you don’t trust yourself to give an honest self-assessment, we recommend that you start with these three action steps from Success Magazine.
Want to take a leaf out of someone else’s book? Check out these 4 lessons from successful entrepreneurs.
3: Successful people have an energizing morning routine
The way you spend the morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. Many CEOs recommend creating morning rituals that maximize energy, productivity, and creativity to power them through the rest of their day. Business Insider profiled 12 highly influential people about their morning routines and while the content of their individual rituals varied from person to person, the one thing that they had in common was a consistent start to their morning.
Don’t be afraid to steal routines from the successful people around you until you craft something that works for you. Start by making time for yourself. We love to start our days by meditating, making a nutritious breakfast, and doing some light reading while we sip our coffee. If you need something inspiring to help you kickstart your day, why not subscribe to our blog – we update at least once a week, and we have a back catalog of killer tips, tricks, and inspiration for the budding entrepreneur.
