The Power of Mornings: Why Successful Entrepreneurs Get up Early

BY Lisa Evans | June 12, 2013| Post Comment |

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Image credit: ShutterstockWhen running a business, it may seem like there are never enough hours in the day. Tapping into the power of mornings, a time of day when there are less demands, might be the key to increasing your productivity.For 15 years, Starbucks President Michelle Gaas has set her alarm for 4:30 a.m. to go running. Gretchen Ruben, popular author of The Happiness Project (Harper Perennial, 2011) wakes up at 6 a.m. and works for an hour before her family rises. Time-management expert Laura Vanderkam highlights what makes mornings special and how we can use them more efficiently in her book What The Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast (Portfolio Trade, 2013). Here are a few benefits to getting out of bed earlier.You are less likely to get distracted in the morning. An entrepreneur's day fills up fast. If you wait until the afternoon or evening to do something meaningful for yourself such as exercising or reading, youre likely to push it off the to-do list altogether. There are going to be reasons why you can't tackle a personal priority at 4 p.m. -- things have a lot less likelihood of coming up at 6 a.m.," says Vanderkam.You have more willpower early in the day. Even if you aren't a morning person, you may have more willpower in the early hours than later in the day. "Willpower is like a muscle [that] becomes fatigued with over-use," says Vanderkam. During the course of the day as you're dealing with difficult people, making decisions and battling traffic, you use up your willpower, leaving you feeling depleted toward the end of the day.Mornings give you the opportunity to set a positive tone for the day. If you've ever slept in past your alarm clock or forgotten your kids' lunches on the counter, you know that starting off the day with a failure can bring down your mood and affect your productivity at work. Vanderkam says waking up earlier allows you to start the day with a victory and set the tone for a happier and more productive day.Related:What Successful People Eat for BreakfastIf the thought of waking up at sunrise makes you cringe, Vanderkam recommends these four steps to transform even a habitual night owl into a morning person.1. Keep a time journal. Vanderkam says one of the reasons people say they don't like mornings is that they stay up too late. She recommends keeping a time journal for a week to show where you may be using your time inefficiently. Vanderkam finds when many self-professed night owls look at their time journals, they often find they aren't spending their evening hours productively or doing anything particularly enjoyable.2. Imagine your perfect morning. Imagine what you would do if you had an extra hour in the day. Would you exercise? Read the newspaper rather than simply skimming the headlines? "[Getting up earlier] isn't about punishing yourself. You will not get out of bed if you dont have a good reason to do it," says Vanderkam.3. Plan your morning. Once you have decided what you want to do with your extra time, plan how to execute it, and set as much up as possible the night before. For example, if you want to exercise in the morning, lay out your clothes the night before, or gather the ingredients for your breakfast.4. Build the habit slowly. Vanderkam says you will likely hit the snooze button and sleep in if you try to switch your habits drastically. So instead of setting your alarm for 5 a.m. when you normally get up at 7: 30 a.m. set the alarm for 10 minutes earlier each day. To make sure you don't lose sleep, go to bed 10 minutes earlier each night. If you have trouble hitting the sack on time, set a bedtime alarm.Related:4 Habits That Are Keeping You Up at Night

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226910#ixzz2YXjxkmy6

What Successful People Eat for Breakfast

BY Lisa Evans | 4 months ago| 17 Comments |

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Image credit: ShutterstockDoes your breakfast consist of a muffin and coffee to go? If so, you may not be giving your brain or your body the nutrients it needs to help you be successful in your business. Naturopathic doctor Neal Barnard, author of Power Foods for the Brain (Hachette Book Group, 2013) says your brain is a function of what you feed it.While a cup of caffeine-filled coffee and a sugar-packed muffin might have you buzzing with energy in the early morning hours, it will have you desperately reaching for your second cup of coffee by mid-morning. Here's what you should (and shouldn't) consume to start your day:1. Healthy carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a source of glucose, which the body turns into energy. A good breakfast contains at least one healthy carbohydrate that is low on the glycemic-index scale and won't cause rapid spikes in blood sugar.Oatmeal and rye toast are good options. "[They] keep you powered longer without any peaks or troughs," says Barnard, giving your brain the fuel it needs to be creative and make good decisions.Related:5 Superfoods That Battle the Cold and Flu2. Low-fat protein. While bacon and sausage are traditional sources of protein in a hearty North American breakfast, Barnard says these are high in cholesterol and fat and won't give you the energy you need to get through the day. "The saturated fat in them is like Vaseline in your blood stream and makes you feel very sluggish," says Barnard, who argues North Americans are missing out on a vital source of protein that's also high in complex carbohydrates and is consumed by people in almost every other country in the world."I've noticed that every other country knows about having beans for breakfast. In the United Kingdom, they have baked beans on toast. In Mexico, they have black beans as a breakfast staple. In the Middle East, many countries serve chickpeas as a breakfast food," says Barnard.3. Fruit smoothie. You may think your day can't begin without caffeine, but Barnard challenges you to give it a try. "Caffeine has a stimulant effect. The problem is that people get used to it," says Barnard. Throughout the day, we end up digging ourselves out of a caffeine hole, resulting in becoming more tired later in the day after drinking coffee than we would have been if we hadn't had that first sip. "Your brain starts to really need it just to feel normal," he says. Instead of coffee, try a breakfast smoothie or natural fruit juice for an energy boost that won't have you collapsing midday.4. Dairy alternatives. While cow's milk is a great source of protein, Barnard says it's also high in cholesterol and fat, which can leave you feeling depleted of energy as the day wears on. Try non-dairy options such as soy milk, which is rich in protein, has very little saturated fat and is known for its antioxidant properties.Rice and almond milk are also good options for those who want to monitor their cholesterol or who are lactose intolerant. Both are low in saturated fat, but also contain very little protein.Related:How to Eat Your Way to a Less Stressful Day

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225988#ixzz2YXkPqEL6