Business Benefits Of Bookending Your Day

Success rarely happens by chance. It is generally the result of having a clear goal, setting out the steps to get there and adopting the right habits. But it’s also true that as a business owner, often time is not our own. Our carefully set plan for the day goes awry as we’re busy fighting fires and get pulled into unscheduled activities. Suddenly it’s the evening and much of what we intended is undone. So how you start and end the day is therefore important.

How you start and end the day is called “bookending” your day. In other words it’s having a planned  morning and evening routine. Because it’s the two parts of the day we have most control over. You don’t need to take our word for it. Darren Hardy, editor-in-chief of Success Magazine and author of The Compound Effect argues that a person’s morning and evening routines are the “bookends” of a successful life.

Take advantage of this fact by incorporating into these periods of time your most important tasks and actions that will grow you and your business. By starting and finishing in control, you will also get a boost to your confidence and mindset.

How you organise your ‘bookends’ will to some degree depend on whether you are a Lark or Night Owl. In other words, are you at your best in the morning or in the evening?

Morning Routine

Here are some things that you could incorporate into your morning routine:

• Writing – not emails but long articles, a book, your memories…. You get the idea!
• Meditation – if meditating isn’t your thing, then spend time focusing on your breathing and keeping calm.
• Exercise – Exercise will help you to think clearer, be healthier and happier and helps to combat stress.
• Eat your frog – that’s a concept introduced by Brian Tracy, author of the book Eat That Frog. The idea is that you do the hardest task of the day first. Not only is it more likely that you get it done, without interruption, it will also give you a burst of positive endorphins to get the day off to a great start.
• Plan and think of the big picture – it’s easy to get lost in the details and the small stuff. Spend time daily, thinking of the big picture.

Evening Routine

Here are some things that you could incorporate into your evening routine:

• Reading – take time to read something educational or inspirational. Maybe an autobiography of someone you admire? Or perhaps pick a topic that you need to learn or refresh.
• Learning – this links to the above point. The truth is the best investment you can ever make is in yourself. Set aside time on a regular basis to learn and keep your skills sharpened and polished.
• Setting your priorities for the next couple of days. Celebrate your successes and make sure that you are clear on the key actions you need to take to move you closer to your goal.

Whatever actions you adopt, make sure you have a firm plan so this becomes a habit. Get up and go to bed around the same time, at least every weekday. This will give you the best chance of turning this into a habit, something that you do without thinking, and enjoy!

By “bookending” your day, you can make real progress towards achieving those big goals.

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