Do you rise and shine with the best of them? Businessmen and women lead busy lives, and they need to hit the ground running when the rooster crows. Here are the morning routines of some of the most successful business people.
Steve Jobs
He’s no longer with us, but he certainly changed the world as we knew it. During one of his speeches to students at a commencement address at Stanford, Jobs said that he took a good long look in the mirror each morning and asked himself one question: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?”
What can we learn from this? Certainly that time is valuable, and not to be wasted. But also–and this might be more insightful–are you spending your time doing what you think is important, or what someone else wants you to do?
Anna Wintour
As the famous fashion diva and last word on fashion, Anna Wintour has a large responsibility to stay in shape. That’s probably how she finds the motivation to start her day at 5:45 a.m. with an hour-long game of tennis, her favorite sport.
The lesson here is that starting the day is a lot easier when you do something you enjoy.
Margaret Thatcher
The former Prime Minister of England probably had many more things on her plate each day than crumpets. To start the day fresh and informed, Ms. Thatcher wakes up every morning at 5 a.m., in time to listen to “Farming Today” on BBC radio.
Thatcher’s routine proves that staying attentive to life’s little details is every bit as important as staying on top of the big picture in business.
John Paul DeJoria
Billionaire businessman John Paul DeJoria, founder of Paul Mitchell hair care products, doesn’t tax himself when he awakens in the morning. Instead, he lies in bed for five minutes or so, to “just be.” Apparently, this is what he does no matter where he wakes up in the morning–a hotel, a friend’s house, or at home.
This is a good idea for many reasons. First, the stress of jolting awake is hard on the heart. Second, if you’re facing a busy day, this may be the only five minutes of peace you get before bedtime. Finally, waking is a perfect time to meditate or pull your thoughts together before you’re inundated with external stimuli.
Kevin O’Leary
Trust the most loved/hated shark to check the international stock markets the second his eyes pop open in the morning.
Keeping his finger on the pulse of his money seems to be working, so maybe you should follow his example by carefully monitoring your business’s cash flow.
These morning routines all make sense for a variety of reasons. Adopt one or more and see if they make your business more successful, too.
About the author
Kathleen S is a real estate expert with over 10 years of experience writing in the real estate industry. During the day, she works as a real estate assistant, specializing in high end and luxury homes. With over 25 years of experience in writing, Kathleen has honed her skills in a wide variety of writing mediums. Her work has appeared in such publications as Top Agent Magazine, Parents Magazine, Business.com, Forbes.com, Entrepreneur.com, Mashable.com, Realtor.com, SheKnows.com, and many more.
