Three Habits to Make You More Effective

Did you ever wonder what makes some people more effective than others? Two people can work equally long with differing results. What secrets do effective people have?

There’s been a lot written about this. Books on habits. Articles on the routines of successful people. In all of these tomes, there’s some crossover. Those are the habits I want to focus on.

Habit One: Get Out of Bed—Early

Time management. Why does getting up early make a difference? Why not stay up late and do the same things? In most cases, our minds are fresher in the morning. According to Forbes.com, research has shown “not only are early risers more optimistic and conscientious, they also anticipate problems and minimize them more efficiently.”

If you rise even an hour earlier, you’ll give yourself the time to not only gain a jumpstart on your tasks, but organize your day in a way that makes you more efficient. You can use that time any way you want, but here are some useful ideas:

Eat a healthy breakfast:

Giving yourself a healthy meal help you focus on the tasks in front of you instead of watching the clock for when you can finally grab some lunch.

Exercise:

People who exercise regularly have more energy to get things done. They’re also more confident, giving them an edge on effectiveness with their peers and management.

Tidy your house:

Taking the time to clean up after yourself makes everything run more smoothly. You also won’t have to face a sink full of dirty dishes when you return home.

Organize your schedule for the day:

Taking just ten minutes to prioritize will save you from forgetting anything important and enable you to get more done in the day.

Habit Two: Get Rid of the Tasks You Hate

We all have something in our daily routine we don’t enjoy doing. It’s suspended above us like the sword of Damocles. Instead of living in dread, weighing yourself down with distraction and dread, rip the sword down.

If you do the task you hate first, it’s done. Did you hear that? Done. It won’t be in the back of your mind throughout your day. You will be free to do the tasks you enjoy without any distraction from guilt.

Habit Three: Read

Fiction or non-fiction—it doesn’t matter. What is important is that you read something. Almost all succesful businessmen and innovators read regularly. Make reading a daily habit&mdahs; even if you only start off reading fifteen minutes a day. It changes you. Reading fiction helps you understand human nature better. You’ll see your co-workers and clients in a different light that you did before you read regularly.

Non-fiction increases your knowledge. Both are useful.

Elon Musk (businessman, engineer, and investory), gave a list of booksthat have inspired his journey.

Once you get in the habit of reading, go a bit further and write down the thoughts and ideas you’ve gleaned from your reading. That habit will change you and make you a deeper thinker without you even realizing it.