Some of the world’s most successful people, from Margaret Thatcher to the CEO of Disney, were or are early birds. In a recent Forbes article, Jennifer Cohen points out that it’s not just when they get up in the morning that really matters; it’s what they do while most of us are still snoozing.
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Unsurprisingly, many of the things they do, Cohen says, are related to health.
1. Exercise.
“I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again. Most people that work out daily, work out in the morning,” Cohen says. “Whether it’s a morning yoga session or a trip to the gym, exercising before work gives you a boost of energy for the day and that deserved sense of accomplishment. Anyone can tackle a pile of paperwork after 200 ab reps! Morning workouts also eliminate the possibility of flaking out on your cardio after a long day at work.”
2. Eat a nutritious breakfast.
Breakfast may or may not be the most important meal of the day, but it’s pretty hard to get stuff done if you’re starving. If you’re going to get up, work out, and get a head start on your day, make sure you’re not doing it on an empty stomach.
3. Reduce stress by doing the hard stuff first.
You know that item on your to-do list that you never seem to get to, because it seems like it’ll be too much of a pain to complete? Cohen advises you to do that first. It’ll keep you from procrastinating, but better yet, “your day will get progressively easier, not the other way around.”
Who wouldn’t be more successful with that kind of momentum?
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Absolutely right. I always treat my first 3 hours of the day like pure gold. What you do during the first 3 hours sets your day in the right tone.