It is no secret that successful entrepreneurs establish a daily routine and stick to it. In fact, without the external structure common in most corporate work environments, your own daily routine it’s crucial. The thing is, no two people are created equally, and the same 8-4 or 9-5 schedule that works for most others, may not work for you. It is possible that you find yourself putting in 60-70 hour weeks, checking emails in the middle of the night, or before the sun comes up (guilty!). The reality is, this is a normal part of entrepreneurship.
Below are three tips intended to guide you in establishing your own daily routine:
1. Determine your peak productivity times.
Our culture tends to run on a schedule that was influenced by the industrial age. That is, 9am-5pm. During the industrial age we had shift rotations on assembly lines. We needed to be ‘at work’ during our assigned shift schedule to relieve our co-workers and keep the assembly line going. Later we created a school system that simulated this industrial age rotation. Our society has geared us toward ‘business hours’ whether they are relevant to our work or not. During today’s ‘creative age’ the internet and other resources enable us to work when and from where makes the most sense for us. Determine when the most productive time of day for you is and be sure to schedule your work day around that. It can be early morning, early evening, perhaps it’s the middle of the night. Everyone is different and hopefully, as an entrepreneur you have the freedom to work when you work best!
2. Do the hard stuff first.
If you need to, make a list. List out the top 3 things that you would like to accomplish today. Do those things first. Think of it as a ‘work now and play later’ scenario. When you get through the things that ‘have to be done’ then you can reward yourself wit the fun stuff after!
3. Schedule downtime.
Being productive and efficient is all about balance. If you dont treat yourself with ‘me-time’ (or ‘you-time’ depending on the context) you will feel deprived and also sluggish. Your work will suffer. It will take you more time to complete a task when you are drained. So, schedule in some time to recharge your batteries, whatever that may be for you: Eating a snack, reading a book, taking a nap, a bath, going for a walk/run, meditating… these pleasure activities are important for rejuvenating your mind and body so that you can dive back in feeling refreshed and rested.
Happy hustling. You were meant for this!