Like lots of boss ladies, I run my business from the comforts of my home. Which on one hand is great (my commute is very short), but on the other hand it’s very easy to get distracted . . . So, I’ve instituted a pretty strict morning routine. I wake up between 6:30 and 8, check emails and our various social media accounts. Then I go over my calendar to get a sense of what my day will entail and create my day’s TO DO list. Next, I get dressed and head out the door. Sometimes, I get dressed and go out to get a latte and grab a bite to eat. Other days, I put on my work-out clothes and go to the gym or my favorite barre class. The point is, I go outside and interact with other people. Being an entrepreneur can be very lonely – you can literally work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – building your brand. And while I’m sure many many people have gotten to the top that way, it’s also a direct route to burn-out.
I’m lucky because effie’s paper has grown to the point where I have folks who help in just about all aspects of the business, but believe it or not, much of our interaction is virtual. I belong to a MasterMind group and I have my entrepreneur friends I call when I need a shoulder to lean on or someone to bounce ideas off of, but I’ve found over the course of time that the best way to get my juices flowing is to simulate a commute. Some days my coffee run is 8 minutes, other days I walk around the neighborhood sipping my latte and thinking about my day’s tasks before heading home to sit down at my desk – it’s never the same (just like no subway ride in New York city can be duplicated daily). Fresh air and friendly faces make all the difference for me. Getting out and about first thing in the morning means that I’ll be in the right frame of mind to deal with whatever comes my way on a particular day. What’s the secret to your morning routine?
