4 habits successful people swear by

Whether you’re a hustling freelancer or looking to make moves at the office, the little things you do each day make a big difference when it comes to how productive you are.

Every day we hear or read about incredible success stories from people who inspire and motivate us to achieve what we want in our lives. We’ve shortlisted four habits that a majority of them swear by that you can adopt too:

1. Meditation
   You might raise an eyebrow at the suggestion of meditation, but many successful leaders such as Oprah Winfrey swear by the benefits of it. These include reduced stress, enhanced focus, improved memory, increased creative thinking and productivity, and even higher relationship satisfaction. Meditation can create peace in our daily chaotic work life where it’s all about efficiency, putting out fires and staying on top of a nonstop workload. Most importantly, research has shown that meditation has plenty of mental and physical benefits. Try carving out a spot for it in your daily routine and it may help you feel better, think better and work better.
   
   
2. Read. A lot 
   When Warren Buffet points out that his key to success was reading and advises that you read 500 pages every day, it’s time to consider making reading a major part of your daily lifestyle. In fact, studies of highly successful people found that they all self-educate by reading. Though 500 pages a day is incredibly intense, you can start by devoting 30 minutes or more each day to reading from educational, self-help books, history as well as biographies of other successful people for a source of inspiration and guidance. It’s good for your health, too, as reading has been shown to prevent stress, improve memory, concentration and analytical skills.
   
   
3. Getting up early
   A slew of successful people swear by waking up early. Apple CEO Tim Cook starts his day at 3.45 a.m., and Pepsi CEO Indra Nooyi has also been known to wake up in the wee hours of the morning. It’s simple: if you wake up early, you get more done. Many use the time to tackle side projects, work out, catch up on tasks or plan ahead. There are fewer distractions in the early hours, so you can achieve more with minimal interruptions. Want to convert to being an early riser? It’s not the easiest thing to do, so ease into it by gradually setting your alarm a little bit earlier each day, or even try to enlist a friend to wake up early with you. But ensure you are also getting enough sleep as its critical to your ability to be productive.
   
   
4. Exercise
   As the old adage goes, health is wealth. If you picture the most successful people in the world, you’ll find that they exercise and eat healthily. Barack Obama exercises for 45 minutes each day and Anna Wintour plays tennis every day before heading to work. Anyone who aspires to a successful lifestyle will benefit from being a little healthier. If you live near your workplace, try walking or biking to the office. Fitting in exercise and nutritious eating takes hard consistent work, but if you’re looking for the extra motivation and confidence to achieve your ultimate career and personal goals, it’s one of the most vital things you can choose to do.