Rebecca Cassel
Contributing Writer
Success Group International

It’s still dark as your alarm bell goes off.  You stumble out of bed and head to the shower.  You ponder as you let the hot water hit you, “How can I make today a great day?”

What you do early in the morning can set the tone for your entire day.  It can be the difference between wasted opportunity and a chance to move a giant step closer to your yearend goal.  Here are 7 simple tips that you can use to set the tone for an exceptional day…

1. Plan the night before.

Before going to bed, write down three of the most important things you want to accomplish on a note pad.  It’s important to keep the list limited, as to not clutter your mind with too much to do.  And the list should only be major tasks—not items that will do nothing more than clutter your day and allow you to procrastinate.

2. Prepare the night before.

Reduce the stress during your morning by getting the simple details out of the way the night before. Pack your bag. Prepare and pack your lunch. Put your keys, wallet etc. in their “home” if they are not already there so you can quickly find and grab them before heading out the door.  Set your clothes out.  Do whatever you can do to eliminate wasted time in the morning!

3. Keep a simple reminder on your bedside table.

What you see during your first minutes after you have woken up can have quite the effect on your morning and the whole day.  Keep your list with three objectives next to your bed and read it as soon as you wake up.

Also, accompanying your list, maybe on the same sheet, write down a powerful quote.  You could always find one on your smart phone, too, if you don’t feel like writing out a quote the night before…

Lastly, think about what overall goals you’re trying to accomplish that year, both personal and in business.  And consider how those three tasks you jotted down will help you reach those goals.

Please, read your task list, read your motivational quote, and think about your big goals before getting out of bed.  Even if it takes three or four minutes, use it as meditation time.  While you get ready, continue to think about each one of those items!  It will keep you locked in and focused as you head into the office!

4. Go slow.

When you start your day slowly and keep doing things at a steady pace, it becomes easier to keep stress away. It becomes easier to focus on what you need to do and what priorities you have—and you’ll find that negative thoughts don’t pop into your head as much…because you’re not frantic!  You’ll be in the best mental mindset imaginable for when you head to work.

5. Get some positive information into your mind while driving to work.

Start your day with something that does not depress you or makes you feel powerless to change your life or the world in some small or bigger way.  Add inspiration and optimism!  Listen to a motivational CD or podcast!  Just 10 minutes of additional positive reinforcement can mean a world of difference!

6. Start your workday with the most important task.

Find the most important task on the very limited to-do list you created. Do it first thing when your workday starts.  It’s the hard tasks we tend to procrastinate, but if you meet it head-on and accomplish what needs to done, it can inspire you to be highly productive the rest of the day.

7. Do something good for you and good for someone else.

The most powerful motivating factors are often doing little things for other people and also taking a little time to do something good for yourself.

For example, during the day, give a genuine compliment to someone on your team whose been working hard.  Or bring lunch out to your techs one day unexpectedly, and thank them for the work that they do.  You’ll impress your people, and you’ll feel good about your actions, too!

Be sure to take at least a little time for yourself!  Too often, we sacrifice all of our time for our goals, and it can be unhealthy. Go to the gym and blow off steam every day.  Just take a leisurely 30 minute walk and get some fresh air to clear your head.  If nothing else, take 10 minutes to straighten your office and get everything in order at the end of each day, so you’ll feel more prepared the next morning!

By taking some time to do something for someone else, and doing something for yourself, you will receive a much needed boost of self-esteem.  And that boost will keep a spring in your step all day long, allowing you to accomplish much more than you ever thought possible!