There’s a lot of work that goes into running a successful business – every single day.
As a Business Coach and owner of several businesses, I know this firsthand. However, while many people assume that it’s simply a combination of perseverance, a willingness to work hard and a belief in what you’re doing that gets you over the line, it’s actually your habits that are the foundation of your success.
In fact, most noteworthy business leaders attribute their achievements to just a few key habits they’ve developed over the years that have helped them use their time more wisely, keep their head in the game and grow their business.
In this article, I’ll discuss the importance of great work habits and share the top 5 habits I believe will help you achieve the most success in your business, and for yourself.
How do simple habits define your success?
For better or for worse, we are all defined by our habits.
How we sleep, when we eat, what we do to start and end the day. It all matters.
Developing strong, healthy habits allow you to perform at a higher level, which is great news for business owners looking to get the most out of every day. On the other hand, our bad habits can have a huge negative impact on our ability to succeed.
That’s why, no matter the size of your business or how many years you’ve been active, it’s important to build good, consistent working habits to ensure you give yourself the best chance for success.
The importance of great habits for you and your business
I see so many of today’s entrepreneurs face the same dilemma: they have huge business goals and ideas, yet struggle to get these ideas off the ground.
The thing is, it’s usually nothing to do with their goals or their ideas. It comes down to themselves being their biggest hurdle.
To them, my advice is always this: you need to develop a set of productive working habits that will help you work smarter, not harder. These habits are the tools, frameworks and routines that you can use to get the most leverage out of your time.
By developing these habits, you can grow your business and reach your goals faster without burning yourself out. Start by trying these five below.
The top 5 habits that you need to see real business success
- Have a plan
Most business owners underestimate what they can get done in the long term and overestimate what they can get done in the short term.
My suggestion: build a 90-day plan (short-term) AND a 12-month plan (longer-term), and look at them every single day. They don’t need to be elaborate, so try to keep them to a single page for simplicity. Now, use these plans as your guiding light as you move forward towards your business goals. Also, keep refreshing and updating them along the way.
- Build a daily routine
Small, positive actions done daily help to give you the boost you need to reach your goals.
For instance, don’t wake up and check your emails, as that means you’re at the mercy of others. Instead, take the time each morning to meditate or exercise as it can provide you with the energy you need to start the day on your terms.
Likewise, planning your next day the night before helps give you a clear picture of what’s ahead and can relieve any stress or anxiety before going to bed.
- Prioritise based on your return on investment
One of the most important things I tell my clients is that they must learn to prioritise and choose their tasks wisely.
Effective time management is about determining what work needs to be done first, based on the size of the return on your time invested. Make a list, determine what gives you the most value, and delegate the rest.
For more, read my blog, Can you manage your time better?
- Learn when to say no
Continuing from above, as a business owner, your to-do list is seemingly endless.
Therefore, you need to learn to protect your time by saying no to the people and opportunities that will not get you closer to your end goals. Delegate or ditch the rest. Be ruthless!
- Redefine your open-door policy
While an open-door policy is great in theory, it typically leads to regular interruptions and encourages a lack of employee initiative, leaving you struggling to concentrate and constantly falling behind.
Instead, protect your precious time by only making yourself available at certain times of the day, through certain channels. In other words, you have an “open-door” during allotted times of the day or the week only.
By implementing these healthy work habits, you can supercharge your business and boost your productivity levels every day, setting you up for success.
Do you need help building great working habits for your business?
Identifying which tools, frameworks and routines will work best for you and your business can be a daunting yet rewarding experience. By doing so, you can increase your productivity and accelerate your success.
As a Business Coach and Mentor, I work with business owners like you to help you achieve your business goals.
I can guide you in assessing your time, optimising your tasks and determining the ways you can structure your day to get the greatest return.
Simply schedule an initial discovery call today with me.
Stephen O’Sullivan
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