Mornings can be your greatest advantage for a productive day. They can also be your biggest suck time, setting you up for a day of yawning and distracting.
Related: 10 Morning Routines of Extremely Successful Entrepreneurs
We asked the experts – nine members of the Young Entrepreneur Council – what mistakes we should avoid when starting our days. Here's what they said.
1. Set multiple alarms.
Everyone has that friend who sets alarms for 6:40, 6:50, 7, and 7:15 (just in case). Then they repeat the first two, wake up for the third, and the fourth goes off for five minutes while in the shower. Exasperating! If you have trouble waking up to alarms, try different apps. Successful people manage their sleep so they wake up to their alarm the first time and are ready to tackle the day.
– Matt Murphy , Kids in the Game LLC
2. Turn on the TV.
Successful people never get distracted by the TV or decide to watch just one to show. Instead, they dive straight into the tasks they want to tackle for the day.
– Peter Daisyme , Due
3. Take part in small decisions.
Successful people don't waste time making small decisions, like what to eat for breakfast or wear every morning. Steve Jobs popularized this with his black turtleneck, and former President Obama would wear one of two suit colors every day. Having fewer small decisions to make makes it easier to focus on the big decisions.
– Brian David Crane , Caller Smart Inc.
Related: What I learned from wearing the same outfit for 2 weeks
4. Make it fly.
The most successful people I know don't stop there. They have a schedule they stick to. It doesn't have to be a minute-by-minute route, but there is some sort of ritual they follow to start their day.
– Leila Lewis , Be Inspired PR
5. Stay in your PJs.
As someone who leads a remote team, I've found that one of the most important things successful remote employees don't do is stay in their PJs all day. . There's something to be said for changing into work clothes, even when working from home. This helps you get back into the right frame of mind and lets your brain know it's time to work.
– Jared Brown , Hubstaff Talent
6. Skip breakfast.
Having a belly full of healthy food is essential to fuel your mind and body for the rest of the day. Too often people skip breakfast and overeat at lunch leading to a total afternoon crash. Start the day with protein and healthy fruits and vegetables, and your energy levels will stay much more consistent when you're ready to work.
– Ross Beyeler , Spark of Growth
Related: Recipe:Blueberry Blast Smoothie
7. Go straight to work.
Successful and overworked are not the same thing. Being successful doesn't mean working more than 80 hours a week. It means putting in 100 percent when you're at work. In the morning, take some time for yourself before checking your email. Have breakfast with the family or work out to clear your mind and start your day fresh.
– Stan Garber , RFP Scout
8. Complaining about going to work.
Successful people can't wait to get started in the morning. No matter what time it is or how difficult the journey, success starts with a positive outlook on your day. If you dread getting out of bed and getting into it, you're not setting a good standard for the rest of your day. Successful people are enthusiastic and motivated to start, and they carry that enthusiasm throughout the day.
– Diego Orjuela , Cables and sensors
9. Go against their nature.
Some people are early risers and some are night owls. Owning who you are and where your strengths lie is essential to success. It is important to manage your time so that you feel better when you have to achieve certain goals. Forcing yourself to feel differently leads to a lot of conflict and unhappiness.
– Rachel Beider , Greenpoint Massage, Williamsburg Massage
Related: No, you don't need to be a morning to be successful
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invitational organization that brings together the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective , a free virtual mentoring program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
