Getting your working week off to a flying start can begin with one really great Monday. Monday mornings can be fragile, vulnerable to any small factor threatening to knock us off keel, but we know you’re prepared to keep yourself from falling victim to these traps and wobbles; and to give you a little helping hand we’ve got some recommendations from the very best in their game. Dos and don’ts to start your business day with the best!
- Richard Branson & Barack Obama says: Fitness
Fitness is the key for these incredibly successful and driven men. Richard Branson starts his morning with a powerful fitness routine which sets him up for the day. Specifically, this usually involves a hard 6 am singles tennis match. Barack Obama also detailed exercise as an important part of his morning routine when he was in office
The benefits of starting your day with exercise are proven. Exercise increases our levels of cortisol, which
Serotonin is released as a result of exercise, improving, among other things, our sleep cycles, which alone can increase mood, productivity and concentration. Exercise also produces adrenaline which, as we all know, makes us much more alert – often and most commonly linked to the fight or flight response.
- Serena Williams starts with: A nourishing breakfast.
Clearly as an athlete, fueling herself for the day is vital, but that goes for us all. Whether you’re knocking tennis balls across the court at over 100mph or sitting at a desk, our minds and bodies all need to be appropriately prepared for the tasks we ask of them. So think brain foods that will keep you going all morning, at least until lunch!
- For Oprah Winfrey: Routine (and Meditation)
In an interview with Harpers Bazar Oprah detailed her daily routine which begins with a short dog walk (also getting in some first thing exercise) followed by ‘a series of spiritual exercises that I do every day’, including a morning meditation.
Can increase emotional health and self-awareness which, in a business environment allows us to approach situations of conflict, disagreement or negotiation with a clear and balanced mind. Most impressively, it is found that meditation can increase our attention spans and lower patterns of mind-wandering.
As for routine, once we add things into our routines, we are more likely to be able to complete them and complete them well. We have already made time for the important jobs in your day and therefore there is no concern that they will not be addressed. Even having an hour or two in your business day allocated for miscellaneous is a great way to make time in your routine for the unpredictables of your day.
Finding what works for you is your own key to success but with positive proven results for many of this world’s high achievers, their advice surely isn’t a bad place to start!
