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Successful people have one thing in common: where others see obstacles, they find new opportunities. Travis Bradbury talks about seven morning habits that set them apart from mere mortals.
1. Drink water with lemon
A glass of lemon water in the morning helps to awaken mental and physical energy and improves digestion. It is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and potassium. Squeeze the juice from half a lemon, add water. Drinking pure lemon juice is not recommended – it is dangerous for tooth enamel. Drink on an empty stomach to ensure complete absorption, and start breakfast no earlier than 15-30 minutes later.
2. Do exercises
Perhaps someone considers getting up early and exercising an unnecessary torment, but not Tim Cook and Richard Branson. Those who are successful tend to get out of bed before six in the morning and start moving right away. After just 10 minutes of physical activity, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is released, which calms the mind and promotes focus.
Studies by the Eastern Ontario Institute have shown that people who exercise at least twice a week for 10 or more weeks are better socially, professionally and physically. And a study from the University of Bristol has proven that daily exercise contributes to a surge of energy, a positive attitude and, as a result, greater efficiency.
3. Not immediately included in the work
If, just waking up, we dive into Facebook or mail, we quickly lose focus and spend our morning time on the problems and needs of other people. It is better to spend the first minutes of the day doing something pleasant: this will create a positive mood for the whole day. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz writes a motivational email to employees at the beginning of the day, and then dedicates time to family and exercise.
4. Eat a healthy breakfast
So we get advantages over those who go to work on an empty stomach: a stable blood sugar level, the absence of bouts of hunger during the day. Breakfast provides energy for several hours, improves short-term memory and the ability to concentrate on work.
5. Meditate
Many leaders practice mindfulness meditation, which increases productivity and promotes self-acceptance. It allows you to fight stress through the transformation of the mechanism of “fight or flight”, improves the ability to focus, awakens creativity and increases emotional intelligence.
6. Plan your day
If we carefully plan the day, the chances of achieving our goals increase many times over. It is better to do planning immediately after meditation, when the mind is calm and clear. A big fan of planning was, for example, Benjamin Franklin: he woke up at four in the morning and meticulously made a schedule for the day.
7. Saying “no”
This will protect your morning time. The main thing is not to try to replace it with phrases like: “I’m not sure” or “I don’t think I can.” Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that those who avoid the word “no” are more prone to stress, burnout, and even depression than others.
About the author: Travis Bradbury is the co-author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, translated into 23 languages, and co-founder of TalentSmart, a consultancy whose clients include three-quarters of the Fortune 500 companies.