Front-loading your day with the most important activities on your to-do list can have a huge impact on your small business and your effectiveness as a leader.
Here are six activities you can do at the start of your day to improve your life as a small business owner:
1. Scan your email quickly - but don't get sucked in.
Some productivity experts urge you to avoid checking your email first thing in the morning.
But, for many small business owners, that advice isn't realistic. So, how do you avoid getting sucked into your inbox for the best two or three hours of your day?
2. Get your blood pumping.
If you exercise in the morning, you're more likely to fit physical activity into your day. In fact, one study found that the tasks you do during the workday can zap your willpower, making you less motivated to get to the gym later in the day.
3. Fuel up your body.
Food gives your brain the energy you need to stay on task. Stick with foods that allow for a slow, steady stream of glucose to enter your body.
4. Follow Mark Twain's advice.
Every small business owner should heed Mark Twain's famous advice to eat a live frog first thing in the morning.
Checking a dreaded item off your to-do list gives you a lift and a feeling of accomplishment that carries you through the rest of the day. And, it prevents a dreaded to-do from taking up mental space, stressing you out all day and even keeping you up at night later.
5. Take some morning "me" time.
Many successful small business owners swear by morning rituals. Their theory: a morning ritual helps you win the day.
6. If you must meet, don't sit.
Meetings can be a drag and a big-time suck, but you need to touch base with your employees. So, consider quick stand-up meetings or walking meetings.
Get off on the right foot by incorporating these habits into your a.m. routine!
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