Are you in a slump and feel like a complete loser right now? Okay, well I’ve got good news for you…WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE. You’re not alone. Right now it may seem like everyone around you is skating by, making all the right moves while you’re at a standstill completely overwhelmed. Although you may be overcome with intimidation and self-doubt, keep pressing on! If you don’t know where to begin, just start by implementing these 10 simple habits of successful people to get you started on the right foot. (They’re actually easier than you might think because they coincide with each other!)
1.) Evaluate Your Life
Regularly taking time to evaluate your life will give you a quick reality check that’ll have your rearranging and getting your priorities straight in no time.
Once a day, take a good look at every aspect of your life and how you’re currently prioritizing each one…
Good and bad habits, time management, health, relationships, goals, your career…EVERYTHING.
Too often, many of us just strive to make it through the day without even realizing we’ve got our priorities completely backwards. We just want to work, work, work, and end up missing the small, sweet moments in everyday life. Or, we’re living for the weekend because we feel as if this job is as good as it’s going to get and the weekend is the only time we get to have fun. Or, maybe your weekends are filled with chores and fixing things, so you constantly dismiss quality time with friends.
Always striving, rushing, wishing.
Wouldn’t you hate to get to the end of your life and realize you had it all wrong? Or have to go through a heartbreaking valley for your perspective to shift? We’ve all heard of people thriving AFTER they’ve had a near-death experience. Let’s not let that be us! We can evaluate our lives and start prioritizing what’s most important in life, today! All it takes is being intentional.
2.) Write Down Your Goals
What do you want to accomplish today, this week, this month, this year?! During your self-evaluation, you hopefully came up with a few goals for yourself. It could be as simple as drinking more water, spending more time with family, or starting your own business. Heck, it could be all three plus some!
No matter how many, be sure to write down each goal along with actionable steps to help you get there. You know what they say:
A goal without a plan is just a dream…and dreams don’t get you results.
It may take several “mini goals” to help you reach a bigger goal, so write those mini goals down as well so you can mark them off and stay motivated.
3.) Work on Breaking Bad Habits
See how all of this is working together? You may have ambitious goals, but what else can you add to your goal list? Well, how about all the bad habits you intend on breaking! What are all those little things that end up giving you negative, or no, results?
No doubt, it can be TOUGH switching up your routine or getting out of your comfort zone, even if you know it’s what’s best for you, but think long term.
Sure, mushing on the couch watching Netflix until 11:00 pm is fun, but how is that habit helping you? Those sugary sodas and juice might be satisfying in the moment, but what is that constant intake doing to your body?
We all need a little indulgence, but our bad habits frequently begin to take over without us even realizing it’s happened. Start obliterating those bad habits by steadily replacing them with better options, or try matching your guilty pleasure with something uplifting and healthy.
For example, however long you spent binging The Office, spend that same amount of time listening to an uplifting podcast, reading, or folding that laundry that’s been sitting there for a week.😉 And when you start to reach for that third soda of the day, pour a glass of water instead.
Changing up might feel weird at first, but just remember that eliminating bad, or meh, habits is doing yourself and favor and you’ll be better off in the long run.
4.) Manage Time
Speaking of breaking bad habits, if we start managing our time, it’ll be a lot harder for those bad habits, like scrolling for hours, to suck us in.
Managing time CAN initially be difficult to conquer for some people (ahem, me), but once you’ve conquered it, your life will be a lot less stressful. When starting out, think of these questions:
- Where do I need improvement?
- Do I procrastinate?
- Do I prioritize?
- What are my current time-wasters?
Establishing a routine is one of the best ways to keep you on track and motivated from day-to-day. But if you struggle with creating a routine, take a look at this article on time-blocking, which involves simple steps to achieve goals and stay on track.
Along with your goals, write down everything you do throughout the day to hold yourself accountable. When you look back over your day/week, will you be embarrassed or proud of how you spent your time? Man. Talk about motivation to stay productive! 😂
Just remember, time is precious and you can never get more of it, so spend it wisely.
5.) Prioritize Your Health
You’ve got one body, treat it well!
Exercise– Take some time to get your body moving every day. Just 30 minutes of exercise a day is fantastic, especially if you live a sedentary lifestyle. Scroll through Pinterest or YouTube for some beginner exercises or simply walk!
Get Outdoors– If possible, try to exercise outdoors, or at least just get outside sometime during the day. Time outside, even in the winter, has tons of great benefits including fighting off depression! And not only is the vitamin D from sunshine a mood booster, being outdoors improves your immune system, enhances creativity, and increases gratitude (along with providing a plethora of others great benefits)!
Get Plenty of Sleep– A good night’s sleep is vital for our health! Schedule your days so that you are able to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. No excuses! If you find yourself having trouble getting that amount of sleep, check out this post on methods to help you out.
Water Intake– Don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Our bodies are made up of about 60% water, so staying adequately hydrated plays a major role in the way your body functions. Instead of reaching for a sugar-filled beverage to quench your thirst, reach for a tall glass of H2o instead! Mmmm.
In short:
- Exercise
- Get Outside
- Get enough sleep *7-8 hours*
- Drink plenty of water *at least 8 glasses a day*
6.) Positive Self-Talk
Look, I don’t care what anyone says—I believe we all talk to ourselves, and our words have power. Just look at Proverbs 15:4:
Speak life over yourself! Make it a point to be self-aware and positive. When you hear yourself begin to speak negatively, instantly replace what you just said with something positive and uplifting. I can say from experience that this habit has significantly made a difference in my life! Want to learn more? Check out this post on how to improve your self-talk.
7.) Gratitude
This coincides with #6. What better way to start out the day or stop a pity-party in its tracks than making a list of everything you’re grateful for? No matter what, there’s ALWAYS something(s) to be grateful for. A sunny day, a vehicle, a friend, breath in your lungs etc.!
During your daily self-evaluation, don’t forget to ponder on all of the things you have to be thankful for!
8.) Surround Yourself with Like-Minded Achievers
Attitudes are undoubtedly contagious. Are you currently around negative, self-pitied people with no goals or ambitions? Run before those Eeyore attitudes rub off on you! Make it a priority to socialize with people that support your goals and encourage you. This counts for social media, too. Follow accounts that motivate you and lift your spirit, ESPECIALLY if you don’t have any cheerleaders of your own!
If you’re stuck working alongside, or frequently caught up in, groups of Debbie Downers, find other ways to socialize and network with people that have some oomph! It’s important to do so because nine times out of 10, you’ll begin to develop some of those salty attitudes and outlooks before you even realize it’s happened. Combat that negativity by finding friends that inspire, encourage, and motivate.
9.) Take Responsibility
One key factor successful people have is the ability to take responsibilities for their actions.
If you messed up, forgot, lost track of time WHATEVER… fess up. Admit you were wrong, late, etc. and APOLOGIZE. Sincerely apologize. No one is perfect and we all know it, so when you mess up, as hard as it may be, say, “I’m sorry.”
10.) Discipline
Honestly, none of these habits will help you be successful if you aren’t disciplined and consistent. Sporadically ‘doing good things’ won’t create a habit and will lead you nowhere fast. Sure, they’ll make you feel better in the moment, but you won’t get the results you were initially after.
The best way to stay disciplined is to write down and regularly evaluate your goals and actions because when you have them staring you in the face, you’ll find the motivation to continue on and become successful! It’s possible to be your own accountability partner.
Closing
these habits go hand-in-hand with one another, which will make them easier to stick with. I encourage you to start practicing these habits today! Of course, it takes consistency and DISCIPLINE, but once you get in the habit of doing them, you’ll notice your life changing in the best way! Think about how successful you’ll be! I’m already so proud lol #Noregrets
What do you think?