While it is common to declare a million new goals for the new year only to get burned out a month in, cultivating positive habits can help you achieve more in less time.
A habit is a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up. Habits over a period of time molds character and character births destiny. Our daily habit goes a long way to determining the extent to which we will succeed or fail in life. It is therefore important that healthy habits are cultivated in order to have a successful and effective life.
As we step into a new year and a new decade, here are some habits to cultivate towards achieving success in all endeavors.
1. Get up Early
Mornings are powerful. One of the core habits of successful people is that they get out of bed early. There’s a reason some of the most successful people in the world have committed morning routines that they never skip. It provides them a sense of confidence to plan things ahead so that they can easily accomplish their daily tasks. Getting up early grants you the ample time to meditate and plan the activities of the entire day while also involving in bodily exercise. Resist the temptation to snooze in the morning.
2. Meditate
Meditating calms the mind and boosts focus, allowing you to ease into your day. Meditation has many physical and mental benefits like it removes stress, controls anxiety, boosts self-awareness, etc. Through mindfulness, you are able to approach situations with much more clarity to better focus on what's really important and prioritize your time accordingly, both professionally and personally.When you meditate, you also increase your cognitive and creative thinking skills which make you highly efficient in your career.
Meditation is a powerful habit that trains your mind to relax by freeing it from negative or stressful thoughts. As we launch into the new year, make meditation one of your daily morning/evening routine.
3. Practice Journalling
The habit of reflective writing, even a short daily passage, can make you more productive. Use your journal to write what you want your life to be and track your achievements as you go. Getting things done on time is important to become successful, that’s why to be successful you should cultivate a habit of keeping your activities in a specific journal so that you can track your daily achievements.
“Journaling is one of the best methods of self-care therapy. When you're journaling consistently, you tend to ask questions about life, your direction, and your business." Says Dr. Stacia Pierce, author of 25 Habits of Successful Women.
4. Read
Avid readers have a wealth of knowledge and experiences. Schedule time out of your day to read. It can be in the morning while everyone else is sleeping, or maybe part of your nightly routine like mine. Find books you enjoy and learn something new every day. Cultivating a daily reading routine can boost your smartness and set you up for success. You can also read about your industry and beyond to get acquainted with daily happenings in your domain.
5. Create a 30-day Challenge
The reason I love creating a 30-day challenge is that it gives me something to strive towards during the duration. I can get myself stretched trying to beat a deadline. The challenge can range from anything — workout challenges, writing challenges, creative challenges. Dedicate yourself to 30 days of something that will put you out of your comfort zone. Stretch your limits and make the challenge something fun to look forward to. You can also tie it into any of your other annual goals by creating a monthly target for each.
6. Limit less-productive time on social media
Money isn’t the only important resource for wealthy people. Time is crucial too. They are used to spend their time wisely because they know that every day they have a specific amount of time that needs to be spent effectively for being successful.
While there is plenty of merit in a digital detox, you should delete time-sucking apps that are of no value to you. Also, learn to minimize the time generally spent on your apps daily. Social media can be beneficial if used right.
Don’t allow yourself to be taken over by the aimless scrolling on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc and be left wondering where the last two hours went.
7. Practice gratitude
Cultivate the habit of gratitude at each moment in your life. We all have those days where it feels like nothing is going right. It is better to deal with these feelings by practicing gratitude. Focus on the positive things and recognize the good in your day. Learn to say thanks to the good and the bad. This is key to mental health. A positive and grateful attitude unlocks opportunities for personal and professional growth. Make it a practice to write down three things you are grateful for in the day, three things that had made your day great and give thanks for them.
8. Maintain Positive Relationships
Successful people make a point to limit their exposure to toxic, negative people. The reason being that you are only as successful as those you frequently associate with. Successful people prefer to develop relationships among positive and motivated people so that they can have the company of the right people.Positive relationships provide you with much-needed support in tough times, and it is the best way to stay strong and optimistic.
With these habits in place, you are right on track to make the most out of the new year.
