Being successful is something for which I believe everyone strives. I see being successful a lot like being happy. I firmly believe being happy is a choice! How successful you are and how you measure success are both choices you can make every day. Like you know what, this morning I tally up as a successful morning. I only snoozed once and I made my bed before I left. So as I walked out the door on time I felt good!
One of my favorite quotes is “you get what you work for not what you wish for.” Now I have set out to find what “successful” people believe they need to be successful in life. Obviously, EVERYONE has a different opinion, a different groove, and measures their success with a different ruler. But, after a lot of reading and analyzing my personal life, the nine tips below are what I think are truly important!
1. Make a schedule
I believe I am the queen of schedules…I don’t always follow them, but hey! At least I’m making the effort.
2. Let every item have a place
This is a very true statement for my workspace, and my workspace only. I like to keep everything where it is easy to find so I can stay on top of things. My home life is where I let my messy side run free.
3. Keep a handy running to-do list
I could work on this… I for sure have a running to-do list, but the only problem is I have at least 20 at a time. I have recently started using my iPad to keep ONE solid to-do list. I use my Goodnotes App to keep organized (post on this coming soon).
4. Prep for your day the night before
I love the idea of this. I say idea because it’s not really realistic in my career. Yes, I do have tasks that I do regularly, but seeing how a lot of my job is reactive and not proactive, planning for my day isn’t something I had ever thought about. I am still going to give this one a try, and see how maybe other parts of my life I can plan for and help me feel more in control and that will rub off on my work self as well!
5. Keep a clean desk space
This comes back to Number 2. I cannot focus on my task at hand if I don’t have a clean workspace. I just keep looking around trying to figure out if this piece of paper is out because I should be doing something with it, or if I forgot to file it. Then I just waste more of my time either being distracted or trying to figure out something I knew very well yesterday and should have just put away.
6. Don’t procrastinate
This is a hard one for me, but it’s one I read about constantly. For me, I work better under pressure and up against a deadline. I absolutely hate having any kind of downtime at work because I don’t feel the pressure to get things done.
7. Surround yourself with women you aspire to be like
This is pretty easy for me because I have incredible women all around! One of those women being my mom! She is such a hard worker, and I for sure believe I got my drive from her!
8. Block out distractions
I am THE WORST at this. I always keep distractions up and make it so easy to distract myself from even the easiest task! Going to try and continue to work hard at accomplishing this one!
9. Set a morning routine
Hmmm, as I said earlier I only snoozed once this morning… What to say about a morning routine. I don’t have one unless you count the order in which I brush my teeth and put makeup on. I have read many, many articles about how being successful always starts with your morning routine. I’m for sure a morning person and you would think this would be easy for me, but boy do I love me the snooze button. I have started a blog post that hopefully will come out next Saturday on a morning routine I am going to attempt. I will let you know the steps I found most important and if I was even successful. HA, there is that word successful again.
This is my list that I now have on a post-it at my desk. I look at it all day every day. I choose to attempt to execute these nine simple goals to achieve my very own success, not just at work, but with my day and in my life. What things do you believe help you with success?