Boost your day with a new morning routine

If you are an entrepreneur like me chances are you know it's not always easy staying on task. Trying to juggle a variety of hats every day can be a bit daunting - especially if you're just getting your business off the ground or if you're a one-person show.

I've found something recently that really works for me so I'd like to share it with others. First I'll tell you where I think I was going wrong. I'd get up in the morning, get on the computer first thing, start checking e-mails, and get distracted by all of the newsletters and other "junk" that was coming my way. The problem is that some of the stuff really looked like it could be of value and I didn't want to miss a beat. Well, that's gotten me into trouble more than once.

The e-mails promising to share secrets on becoming a six-figure coach weren't free, that's for sure. I'd have to fly across the country to attend a seminar that cost $2,350 if I wanted to learn the secrets to my success. Then there was the one about building wealth the easy way. Bottom line is there's no easy way, it takes work.

I saw a book while I was waiting in line at Kinkos one day with the title "Never check e-mail in the morning". Though that stuck with me I continued to read my e-mails first thing. One morning I'd had it. I ventured off to some website that intrigued me and before I knew it I'd blown my chance to make an important call back east. That certainly wasn't the first time something like that happened, but I wanted it to be the last.

So I decided I'd have to start a new morning routine. A friend mentioned she'd read somewhere that starting your day by spending 5-10 minutes writing down what you're thankful for and another 10-15 minutes writing down your vision for your future was what successful people do.

Sounded good but I wondered how many things I could think of that I'm thankful for and how many different ways could I possibly envision my future. I wondered how I could write about this every single morning. But I was desperate to make a change so I decided to try it.

Amazing things have happened since I started this new practice. I have never run out of things to be thankful for! Every day it's different. And my future vision changes as I get more things done every day.

This practice has helped me be clear on what I want and need to accomplish that day. I have started other new practices that are working really well for me. I make sure my desk is clear of clutter before I sit down to do a project. I don't even open my e-mails first thing anymore. I wait until about 10:00 a.m. And then I block out 30 minutes to read and respond to them. Amazing how many get deleted that I would have otherwise read. And I'm more productive now than I've been in years!

I realize I've been getting bogged down by dozens of newsletters that were coming from people who only wanted to sell me things and who had nothing of value to share with me. It's been a real waste of my time.

I'm taking breaks away from the computer throughout the day. I go out and sit in my sky chair, go for a walk, play with my cats, sit in the backyard with my husband, grab a cup of coffee with a friend, anything that gets me away from technology. And I'm making sure to drink enough water and take meal breaks. I'm also scheduling tasks in blocks of time and in order of importance. Amazing how much better I feel and how much more productive I've been!

And last but not least I'm trying to remember to make a list at the end of the day of what I would like to accomplish the following day. It gets me thinking and helps me with my future vision the next morning.