Five ways to strive for success every day

Whether you’re studying or working, there are little things you can do every day to become a little more successful. What do we mean by ‘successful’? Well, that’s up to you. Whether you’re striving for small wins or ambitious achievements, here are five habits to get into that’ll help you reach your goals.

1. Make the most of your time
2. Get in touch with someone
3. Stay up to date with what’s happening
4. Carry out a small act of kindness
5. Enjoy life’s simple pleasures

Many CEOs and business leaders say they wake up at the crack of dawn every day – and for good reason. Getting up early gives you time to get ahead. Whether it’s tackling work emails, squeezing in a bit of studying or taking time to plan your day, rising early means you get a head start. When you first try it, there’s no denying it takes adjusting to, so ease yourself in. But once you’ve re-tuned your clock, you’ll find getting up early less gruelling.

Being an early bird isn’t for everyone, though. We all have different natural sleep cycles. And some routines (like shift work) make it impossible to get enough sleep and get up at the same time every day. So, don’t deprive yourself of those much-needed forty winks just for the sake of it. There are other ways to make the most of your time without sacrificing any sleep.

Other ways to get more productive hours out of your day include:

• Maximise your commute. If you use public transport to get to university or your job, try and use that time for catching up on reading or starting work early (if your company lets you work flexibly). Can’t get a seat? You can still make it me-time by putting on your favourite music or audiobook. Alternatively, squeeze in some exercise by cycling or jogging instead of getting the bus.
• Multi-task. Try and do too many things at once and you’ll become overwhelmed, but when done well, multi-tasking will maximise your day. Never seem to have the time to get through your reading list? Stick on an audiobook while you prepare your evening meal.
• Limit your scrolling time. Try toggling screen-time limits on your phone to minimise the minutes you spend browsing on your phone. Especially on addictive social media apps, the time can rack up fast, so test out using timers or restriction apps to avoid your screen-time getting the best of you.

Sadly, you can’t magic up more hours in the day – but you can change how you use the ones available to you.

We’re all guilty of getting so consumed by our daily lives that we lose touch with people. Perhaps you’re focused on coursework that sees you working long hours or spending nights in the library. Time flies by and suddenly you realise you haven’t spoken to someone in days.

Talking things through with a friend or family member can help clear your head and keep you motivated. Who could you use a chat with? If there’s someone that comes to mind while you’re reading this, take a few minutes to drop them a message to check in. Making it part of your daily routine will benefit others – and yourself.

You’ll have already met plenty of amazing people in your life, but there are so many more you’re yet to bump into. To expand your network and build up your professional community, find someone with an interesting job and drop them a line on LinkedIn. Every connection you make and maintain has the potential to lead to future opportunities.

Once you've reached out to people in your life, don’t leave leave them on read for too long. Set aside time to respond to others – it's important to stay connected.

You might not want to watch or read the news every day. We get it. The news can often be bleak, but it’s still important to stay on top of what’s going on – particularly in your industry.

If you’re serious about a career in finance, cue up a podcast about the latest market fluctuations while you’re in the gym. Need to know about government policy to do your job? Put a political TV or radio broadcast on in the background while you eat your lunch. If you work in social media, scroll your feed for the latest trends (but be careful that the algorithm doesn’t steal away your day).

It's important to clock off from your job or your studies to relax once you’ve finished for the day. However, it’s hard to go to the top of your field if you’re not clued up on industry happenings. Once you find something educational that you also enjoy, you’ll be on to a winner!

Doing something good every day will make you feel good. There are so many small gestures that will only take you minutes but will leave a lasting impact on others.

Here are just some suggestions:

• Write a (positive) review for a local business. Spread the word about a local eatery or how great your cat sitter was by reviewing them. Writing a quick review online will boost their chances of getting future business.
• Compliment someone. We all like hearing good things about ourselves. So, if you’ve got something nice to say, just say it. Did somebody’s presentation impress you? Tell them they’ve smashed it.
• Pay it forward. You’ve probably seen cafes that offer you the option to pay it forward by buying a coffee or food for someone who can’t afford it. If you’re able to, consider doing it. It will make somebody’s day.
• Give an old item to charity. Donating to a good cause doesn’t have to cost you a penny. Instead, give away the things you don’t use, like your old clothes. You’ll get rid of clutter, raise funds for charity and let somebody else buy something they’ll love. Everyone wins!
• Send a handwritten note. Writing something with pen and paper feels extra special these days. If a neighbour’s been great at taking in your parcels, passing them a thank you note is a sweet gesture. If you’ve got something that feels too big to say in a text but too tough face to face (like an overdue apology), write out your thoughts in a card. It’ll help you express yourself.

Does the thought of crunching autumn leaves, splashing in puddles or skimming pebbles make you happy? If so, you’d likely still find these things satisfying – even if you haven’t done them since you were a kid.

Staying connected with your inner child and the simple things in life will benefit you when you're under pressure at uni or work. It won’t turn you into an overnight success but it’ll help you relax. Put down your phone and get offline for a moment to enjoy what’s around you. Sometimes, you’ve got to slow down to get somewhere quicker. It might sound counter-intuitive, but you’ll burn out if you’re all work and no play.

Everyone’s journey to success is unique. There’s no sure-fire guide on how to be successful. For a start, success means different things to different people. Whatever type of success you’re striving for, these five changes will give you a boost to be the best version of yourself.

If you want to give yourself the best chance of success, nurture social connections, stay in the loop with your chosen industry, be kind and make good use of your time.