28 Best Daily Routines for Success You Can Apply Right Now!
Quick question: Do you have what it takes to be successful in work and life? Do you follow the best daily routines for success?
I love what Gretchen Rubin once said — What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while. We all must have dreamed of being great at something. Some of us want to be best-selling authors, others aspire to become great doctors, et cetera. And often, our dreams can feel so big that it makes us wonder if we even have what it takes to make them a reality.
But like James Clear, I am a firm believer that great success begins with the small things we do consistently every day. In his breakthrough book, Atomic Habits, Clear writes: Success is the product of daily habits–not once-in-a-lifetime transformations. While our habits can’t seem to make a significant difference in a short time, they would change something in the long run. The value they produce over the months and years can be enormous.
The same goes for routines because highly successful people practice fundamental yet transformative daily habits. However, let's be honest, sticking to your routines can be very challenging. Especially when it involves waking up at 5 a.m every single day. Moreover, one must put in several efforts to complete each small task. That’s why you need to build your best daily routines for success.
But great things never come from comfort zones. Here are some advantages of building and sticking to your routines.
The Advantages of Building Your Best Daily Routines for Success
Before we get to the part where we will be learning about the advantages of building a daily routine, you might want to know the definition of the routine itself. The Cambridge Dictionary defines routine as a usual or fixed way of doing things. Others define routine as a sequence of actions that we repeatedly do.
Either way, every routine is powerful since it can shape who we are today and the kind of future we will have. Whether it’s a good routine or a bad routine. Just like what Aristotle once said — We are what we repeatedly do. That’s why you need to choose your best daily routines for success to follow and discard the bad ones.
A routine can be as simple as eating pizza while watching binge-worthy TV dramas. Or waking up at 5:00 AM and doing some exercise every morning. Some routines can create winners, while some don’t.
Bill Gates, one of the most successful people in the world, spends one hour each day learning something new. He is even known to read 50 books a year. My question is, how do you make use of the amount of hours you have in a day? Have you allocated a portion of your time to learning something new every day? If not, you might want to consider doing it now.
Help Achieve More With Limited Resources
What kind of routine we practice reflects our choice regarding how we will run the day. A good routine can make the most of limited resources: time – the most limited resource of all, willpower, self-discipline, and optimism. We all only get 24 hours in a day, but how we use those 24 hours is entirely up to us.
Remember, Richard Branson and other successful people realize the importance of time, they use their 24 hours wisely. So if you want to achieve more or earn more money with a limited amount of time, make sure to make every second count. Build the best daily routines for success. And with self-discipline, try to stick to that routine, so you can find yourself in the position you want to be.
Help Accomplish Big Things Easier
Each of us is the creator of our routines or habits. According to Charles Duhigg in The Power of Habit, routines and habits can put our brains on autopilot where we only need a little willpower or not at all to do it. Here is an easy example for you.
Each morning when I wake up, my brain immediately knows that it is time for me to wash my face. I name this process a ‘cue’. After that, I go to the toilet and wash my face. This is the part of my morning where I ‘execute my routine’. As a result, I can feel myself waking up and ready to start the day.
In his book, Duhigg writes: ‘reap the rewards of the routine’. Because of the reward, I decided to do it again the next morning.
Washing my face every morning looks like a simple routine, but doing it with consistency helps me stay focused, and enables me to put my productivity on automation. It’s one of my best daily routines for success.
Now imagine how other more powerful tasks can energize your day and make accomplishing big things as easy as washing your face. This is just one example of the power of routines. The small repeated actions can make a big difference, and they work every time.
How to Form Your Best Daily Routines for Success?
Forming new routines and habits is certainly not easy for many. But how exactly can we create them? Try to look at these steps.
First, you will need to know what should be in your routine. Start by figuring out the things that matter most to you and prioritize them. Your best daily routines for success should consist of those things. For example, if you think that doing yoga can put you in a good mood, you can make it one of your morning habits.
Second, try to set some small goals. For example, if your overall goal is to eat healthier meals, you can start by choosing not to eat junk food for 7 days in a row. To do this, you will need to stay consistent. Which, by the way, is the hardest part of forming routines and habits.
Third, you should just start doing them.
Fourth, reward yourself with something nice! For example, if your goal is to do daily yoga as your morning exercise, buying yourself a new yoga mat or something yoga-related every now and then might keep you from falling out of your routine.
Early Morning Habits and Best Daily Routines for Success
In his book, Tools of Titans, Tim Ferris writes: If you win the morning, you win the day. But what does it mean? What you do in the morning can set the tone for your entire day and set you up for success. Like whether you will have an unproductive day or a productive day. Therefore, you should make sure that your morning routines are the most effective and beneficial for you.
The many successful people you know have great morning routines. These best daily routines for success they practice in the morning prepare them for whatever comes their way for the rest of the day. However, we can’t just copy and paste their morning routines. Instead, we should find what really works for us, so we can be a winner of our own day and of our own life.
But looking at a list of ways to embark on your day like a winner definitely won't hurt. Here are the morning routines of successful people.
01. Wake up early
What time a person wakes up has a lot to do with their overall success. A study from Harvard Business Review shows that people who wake up earlier have a greater chance of success than those who set their alarm at 5:00 but decide to click the snooze button and then go back to sleep. This is because while the rest of the world is asleep at 5 a.m, those exceptional people are executing their morning rituals to prepare the day for success.
In addition, research also shows that people who wake up earlier are actually happier. This is because they have the time to do the things that can keep them in a good mood for the rest of the day, like doing self-care routines.
02. Make Your Bed
Admiral William H. McRaven once said - If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. Make this good habit your first completed task of the day, and it will give you a small sense of pride. Which will encourage you to do other, bigger tasks.
Because if you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right. And if you have a lousy day, you will come home to a bed that you made. A made bed, according to McRaven, can make you believe that tomorrow will be better. Add to your daily routine, and you can be your best self.
03. Do a short digital detox
A survey in 2018 finds that nearly one out of four people grab their phones less than a minute after waking up every morning. Instead of giving themselves enough time to stretch, they choose to open their Instagram and see what is happening around them. It could even determine the kind of feeling that they will have throughout the day.
This probably happens because turning off the alarm on our smartphones is the first thing most of us do in the morning. Which led to another activity that also uses smartphones, like scrolling through Instagram. To help you avoid this unhealthy morning routine, you might have to consider getting yourself an old-fashioned alarm clock to wake you up. And try to wait at least 30 minutes after you wake up before checking your smartphone.
04. Start your day with calming music and morning pages
What is the simple way to set the tone for the day and help you feel better? Start with a calming tune.
Music has a unique way of controlling our emotions. For example, listening to slow music can help you calm your body and mind. It can also help you reduce anxiety from the thought of failing to get through the day. Therefore, listening to calming music should be considered a great way to begin your day. Not to mention the fact that it can put you in a good mood and that you can complete every task without feeling exhausted.
You can improve the effectiveness of the music by adding the morning pages. It's the practice of unloading thoughts and worries from your mind by writing them on paper. You'll start the day with a clean slate.
05. Recite positive affirmations
In the beginning, was the word. So, the best way to start the day is with empowering words. Positive affirmations are statements that can help brighten your outlook on the world when you say them to yourself regularly. They usually begin with the word “I am” or “I will”.
But first, try to visualize the things you wish to happen in the future. For example, you can start your day by saying: “I want to do great things today.” Then, replace the word “I want” with “I will” so it will sound like this: “I will do great things today.” Third, say that to yourself regularly, and you will begin to believe that you can do it.
Once you have that belief, you will eventually start to act on it. The process of becoming something reminds me of Walt Disney’s famous quote — First, think. Second, dream. Third, believe. And finally, dare.
06. Have a morning workout routine
Exercises are good for your body, but exercising in the morning is particularly useful. Other than the fact that it can strengthen your physics, a regular workout can also help you maximize your cognitive function and reduce stress levels.
The morning is the best time to wake your muscles up. You can do it by doing some stretching, cardio, or both. Come up with your morning exercise routine. Moreover, getting out of bed to do something that requires focus and willpower builds a winning mindset.
07. Do meditation
A great way to avoid the effects that workday stress could give us is by doing meditation. Do you know that stress can make human muscles sore through increased physical tension? Meditation eases the pain that comes with it.
Compared to other relaxation techniques like listening to music or drinking tea, meditation is known to reduce anxiety significantly better. Even 10 to 15 minutes of meditation in the morning can affect your day in many positive ways. Nothing like mindfulness in the morning to help you step out for a while from a world that is always busy.
08. Take a cold shower
This one routine might sound a little extreme for some, but taking a cold shower in the morning helps you wake up and kick-starts your body. Take the American life coach Tony Robbins as an example. The man is known to plunge into 57-degree F water every morning. He considers it an integral part of his morning routine to maximize productivity.
09. Eat a healthy breakfast
What you eat directly affects the structure and function of your brain and mood. But, just like an expensive car, your brain can only function well when it gets premium fuel. For breakfast, try to avoid eating high-sugar and high-fat meals. Oatmeal, smoothie, fruit, or yogurt can be a good option for breakfast. And you can think of other high-quality foods. One that contains lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to nourish your brain.
10. Drink water
Here’s a list of things that drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning can do for you :
Reduce daily calorie intake.
Improve mental performance.
Improve your skin health and look.
Jump-start your metabolism.
But don't stop there. You have to make sure that you stay hydrated throughout your days! So always keep a bottle of water next to you. Drinking a lot of water is one of the top habits of highly successful people. It's a lot better than coffee or sugary drinks.
Best Daily Routines for Success At Work
Modern people spend most of their daily lives at work. But living one working day after another will get you nowhere. If you want to be successful, you need to learn how to get the most out of your job. You need to find ways to be much more productive, efficient, and effective by developing habits that will allow you to perform well, even under pressure.
Here are some best daily routines for success that will improve your productivity and get the most important things out of your time every day.
11. Have a to-do list
Michelle Obama, one of the most successful women in the world, believes in the power of meticulously planning out the things that she needs to get done each day. For her, doing is just as important as planning.
Creating a to-do list can help you boost your productivity at work and give you the time to do fun activities without feeling guilty. It can also help you see every small or big goal you scored in a day. The list helps you keep track of the things you need to accomplish.
12. Start by choosing three goals to prioritize today
Your to-do list would be more powerful if, the first time in the morning before you start working, you pick the three most important things that you want to accomplish or need to get done.
It's important to stay focused on specific tasks and not be distracted by unimportant ones.
Learn to know your priorities for the day. And if other things come up before you have the chance to finish them, know that it is okay for you to say “no.” You only have 24 hours in a day. So instead of dealing with distractions, you need to focus on getting ahead. You can also consider delegating those tasks to someone available.
13. Choose your companion well
When it comes to choosing a companion, there is nothing that I can think of more than what Oprah Winfrey once said in one of her speeches — People who want the best for you want you to be your best.
What she’s trying to say is that you should surround yourself with people who want to see you grow and achieve your goals. Like co-workers who won’t let you give up on a hard task, so you can go home with a sense of pride. These people are genuinely excited to see you thrive.
14. Block out “fake meetings” in your calendar
Try your best to avoid time-wasting and unproductive meetings. And when it’s time for you to host a meeting, make sure to run an effective one. An effective meeting values everybody’s time and input.
15. Pencil in time to relax
You can always find time for yourself to relax. But first, you have to apply The Pomodoro Technique to your working process by following these steps :
Choose a task you'd like to get done.
Set the Pomodoro for 25 minutes and make a small oath to yourself: I will spend 25 minutes on this task and I will not interrupt myself.
Immerse yourself in the task for the next 25 minutes.
When the Pomodoro rings, put a checkmark on a piece of paper.
Take a short, 5-minute break. Meditate, read one inspiring article, grab a cup of coffee, go for a short walk or do something else relaxing.
Once you’ve completed four pomodoros, you can take a longer break. Reward yourself with a 20 to 30 minutes break.
Do more, stress less, and have fun with time management!
16. Move your body throughout the day
No matter how busy you are, don’t forget to take a break here and there. You can try to borrow the Pomodoro’s five-minutes break. In those 5 minutes, some stretching and a brisk walk can make you come back more productive.
If you can’t find time to be away from work, you can walk while you are in your phone meeting. In addition to helping you become more productive, moving your body can also reduce the stress you feel during working hours.