Whether you’re looking to start a new side hustle, need help getting through school season, want to become a morning person, or just want to implement positive changes in your life, the advice of this article will be invaluable in the future. . It’s easy enough to say, “I want to make positive changes in my life,” but implementing them — or even knowing where to start — is often where people start. But, using the tips below as a guide, you’ll end up with a plethora of self-improvement methods, and I know you will succeed!
1. Plan your day the night before.
Plan, plan and plan again. For many, the key to success and staying on course is knowing exactly what you need to do every moment of the day. Not only does it help hold you accountable, but it saves you the time and energy of having to sit down and figure out what to do next. I find Google Calendar essential to my daily routine, with the app quick and easy to refer to as I go about my day. Keep a prioritized to-do list and set aside specific time slots to complete each task, ensuring you never miss an important deadline or meeting. Taking just five minutes each night before bed to plan your day and update a to-do list is honestly a game-changer and will ensure you never miss a deadline again!
2. Set aside time just for you.
I firmly believe that you can never perform at your best if you are constantly rushing from place to place without ever taking a moment to breathe. Taking some time out each day to slow things down and just focus on yourself is the best way to ensure that you can perform optimally at other times of the day. The book “To Hell With the Hustle” is a great read for those who feel they often burn out from overwork – instead it advocates setting aside a specific time when you are fully focused on work, and a specific time to be completely disconnected and cut off from all things other than feeding your mind and soul and doing things to make you happy.
3. Create a workout routine.
Working out is not something that can only benefit your physical self, but more vitally, it can reap incredible mental benefits. Whether a workout routine comes in the form of running on a treadmill for twenty minutes, going to a spinning class, or walking around your neighborhood each morning, moving your body is the best way to stimulate a positive mindset and feeling capable of achieving all of your goals.
4. Write everything down.
As you can probably tell by now, I love a good plan and a good routine. Here, I encourage you to write all of your goals down on one list, then break down the steps to achieving each one on a separate list. The best way to stop procrastinating is to cut out excuses – and if you have a comprehensive step-by-step plan for achieving goals, the ability for you to come up with an excuse not to rush to check off a step becomes much weaker. . If you want to make things happen, you just have to go for it, but if you know the direction and the steps to take to reach your goal, the journey will suddenly seem much less complicated.
5. Start your day without your phone.
Most of us are glued to our phones these days. What is the first thing you do when you wake up and the last thing you do before going to bed? This is probably browsing your texts, social networks or the Internet. And I think it would be fair to say that we all know we shouldn’t – it’s just hard not to when your phone is sitting right next to your bed. But before you know it, you’ll have wasted an entire hour scrolling through Instagram and suddenly your day will feel a whole lot shorter and, as a result, you’ll feel less ready to work hard. So the solution here is simple – keep your phone down at night and focus on starting your day off right before you pick it up. Challenge yourself every day to stay away longer than the day before – I promise your productivity will explode!
6. Sleep when you need it.
Our bodies work best when we are rested. Why? Because sleep isn’t just about closing our eyes to relax, it’s how we heal, grow, and reset for the better. Hundred-hour work weeks and five-hour night’s sleep shouldn’t be an aspiration, because behind the numbers hides a simple fact: we should be working harder, not smarter. It’s impossible to do anything when we’re physically and mentally exhausted, so always listen to your body and keep sleep at the top of your priority list.
7. Know what you are working towards.
I like the big picture. Putting things into a bigger context and knowing the “end goal” is exactly what we need when our motivation has hit rock bottom. Ask yourself what you want your life to look like in a month, a year, or even 5 years from now, and write down your picture and why. Keep this note in a safe place and know that whenever you feel unmotivated or lost, you can refer to the note to remind yourself of why you are putting in the hours and working hard now. And remember, dreams only work if you do.
8. Don’t spread yourself too thin.
These days, it’s all too easy to become a “yes” person – to offer your help to anyone who asks, or to volunteer your time to do something you’re not really invested in. And don’t get me wrong – being a friend who knows they can be counted on to help you isn’t something to change about yourself. However, it’s all too easy to get scattered when you’re saying “yes” to everyone, and when that happens, it’s often the long-term “big dream” side projects you’ve been working on that will trump your success. . Instead, you need to look at your priorities and how much time you want to spend on the things in your life – start saying “no” to the things that don’t make you happy, and instead occupy the time with what you do. love.
Good habits build on good habits, and all of your big goals and dreams will become attainable sooner than you think. Work hard and you will be able to achieve everything you set out to achieve right now and more. I know you have this!
