The holiday decorations may still be lingering around the house but January is here, and that means a brand new year is here! Are you feeling energized and ready to conquer the world? Don’t worry – me either!
Typically, even though the New Year brings with it feelings of excitement and fresh starts, often times it also brings about that feeling of exhaustion! After all, the last few months of the year you were probably killing it with extra sales, marketing efforts, and spending time with family and friends for the holidays. It can be a lot!
At the start of the year, I want you to feel like you’re kicking things off right and building momentum from the get-go! Believe it or not, it’s the little tweaks to your day that can make the most impact in your business. So, get ready to take notes and add a few more New Year’s resolutions to your list with these three daily habits to adopt into your work day!
#1 That thing you want to put off – do it first
You know your strengths especially when it comes to your business. There are things to do every day that don’t make you think twice because you are naturally good at them and enjoy the task. There are, however, the things that we seem to always put off until the end. Typically, these are the ones that either play to our weaknesses or we just don’t enjoy doing. This is one of the most difficult habits to integrate into your day, but it also has the biggest impact! Move that dreaded task to the very start of your day and get it over with first! It will be out of the way, and that feeling that weighs you down and hinders the rest of your productivity will be gone. You’ll be so glad you did this as you work through the rest of the day.
#2 Spend some time unplugged- on purpose
Can you believe there was a time where people were business owners without things like smartphones, iPads or laptops? I know! Most of the day you probably have your phone within arm’s reach, and you are not alone. While these devices are magical little inventions that allow us to create content, perform sales, engage customers and so many other wonderful things, they can also be a distraction. Taking some intentional time every day to unplug and leave your devices alone and out of reach will give you some much needed personal time away from work. Even when used for your personal life, it’s healthy to unplug and take a walk, have a great conversation with a friend or enjoy some “you” time reading a book. In the end, you’ll be more productive because of breaks like this.
#3 Don’t just set goals, pick your big three
If I’ve learned anything about all of the to-do lists I create, it’s that there’s no way to really ever get it all done! Why? Because they are never ending! Projects and tasks of small business owners continue to evolve and add up throughout the week, making it pretty difficult to feel accomplished some days. Do yourself a favor and spend a little time at the start of every day picking your top three goals! Sure there are tons of things to get done, but choose three things that absolutely must be completed before the end of the day. This will help you to have more focus while you work and end each day feeling more on top of your game knowing you checked off your three most important tasks.
Remember, it takes 21 days to develop a habit! Start by adding one of these changes to your day and see how it feels. As it gets easier, add one more in and keep going from there. Have fun seeing what changes you notice in your productivity and your mindset as you work!
