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Five Ways To Start Your Business Day Right

Gillian Reagan

2 Comments

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February 9, 2010

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Business Forecasting 2012

Our special feature on forecasting sheds light on how to choose the right model, offers advice from Jack Stack and more.

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“Great tips! I like to roll step 1 and step 5 ...”

Jill Fehrenbacher

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We take mornings for granted. They are a new beginning-- a gift given to us each day; yet we grumble and moan as we roll out of bed and stumble through our daily routines. That kind of foggy, blase attitude can negatively influence the rest of the day.

A frustrated, cranky or indifferent attitude can plague everyone around you. Your team needs to feel inspired and invigorated, so make sure you feel the same way! Just a few small tweaks to your morning routine can set you in the right direction towards success.

Consider these five ways to start the day:

1) Exercise. Even a 20-minute walk or climb some stairs on the way to work can jumpstart your morning. Getting active motivates you to keep moving throughout the day, and those extra endorphins will kick away a bad mood, too.

2) Do someone a favor. Choose an easy task that will help your team. Whether it's going out of your way to help deal with another person's problem, buying someone coffee, or running an errand that wasn't your responsibility, you will inspire everyone around you. You'll not only feel good about lending a hand, but you'll also prompt people to pay it forward.

3) Say thank you. You probably want to hear it more often too, right? So say it to someone who deserves it. Remind them that they are needed and appreciated; they'll work harder knowing that the work is worth it and not going unnoticed.

4) Write down your top five tasks of the day. We so often tend to bog ourselves down with tiny tasks, frustrations, and distractions. Stop. Think. Write. Your mind is clearest during the first few hours of the day. Take advantage of that clarity and set a definitive plan without getting overwhelmed. And if you don't get one of the tasks done, add it to tomorrow's list. As we said before, each day is a new beginning and another chance to get things right.

5) Take five minutes of peace. That's right--no TV, no computer, no mobile phone, no music, no coworkers. Find a quiet room to sit and meditate. Block out the noise and listen to yourself. You might be surprised by what you hear.

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What do you think?

Join the conversation ( 2 )

Jill Fehrenbacher 2 years 0 months and 1 days ago

Great tips! I like to roll step 1 and step 5 into one morning ritual. I've found that take the time to exercise also gives me an opportunity to some peace. I put on some of my favorite music and focus on clearing my mind while running. It's done wonders for my morning energy and focus!
DIANNE SCHOLZ 2 years 0 months and 2 days ago

Great pep talk. I already have the 5 in my every day plan.