Even though we tend to look at success, and our successful peers, as majorly influenced by luck or nepotism, the truth is, in most cases, that success comes with hard work, dedication, and tons of giving up.
Well, maybe “giving up” is not the right term, let’s use prioritizing instead. Sounds much nicer now. Successful people have great organizational skills, and therefore are better at prioritizing certain activities over the others. They would rather stay in and read than hang out with friends, or would rather catch up on homework than go see a movie or hang out in some parking lot while in school.
Successful people would, rather than browsing the internet pointlessly, spend their last hour awake doing something productive. Some of those pre-bedtime rituals of the successful are listed below:
- Successful people tend to read before bed
Behavioral science has been on a raise in the last few decades, and what it found out is that one of the common traits that successful people share, or most of them at least, is reading before going to sleep. The list of those who claim to indulge in this activity includes names such as Bill Gates and Barack Obama, and even those not involved in any form of cognitive work, such as Vera Wang.
- Successful people tend to plan for the day ahead before bed
Work ethic is possibly one of the most important conditions of being successful in your field. Working the typical 9 to 5 is not an option for those at the top of their respective fields, or those aspiring to get there, so they tend to invest the small portion of their day, just before going to bed, to plan for the day ahead in their mind. Having an outline of what your next day is going to look like gives you a sense of control, and significantly reduces stress.
- Successful people tend to “unplug” before bed
Research has shown that the hour before going to sleep is the time you shouldn’t spend in front of a TV, or a computer screen, as the artificial lighting can get your internal sense of night and day confused. As mentioned before, successful people would rather spend this time reading, which is a much healthier option, as it provides better sleep. In addition, turning your phone for the night is a good idea too, as you’ll avoid the temptation of going online, or any disturbances throughout the night.
- Successful people tend to avoid alcohol before bed
There is nothing wrong with having a drink or two occasionally, but it is a scientifically proven fact that the consumption of alcohol an hour before bed can significantly decline the quality of sleep. Successful people tend to avoid drinking before bed, and the results are evident.
- Successful people tend to decompress before bed
As their day is filled with stress and difficult decisions that can cause significant damage, successful people tend to decompress before bed, or rather indulge in a healthy habit. These habits include going to the gym, meditation, going for a run or a walk, or any other activity that works both for your body and for your soul. It can even be listening to music, or taking a bath.
Source: http://hangover-cure.co.uk