5 Things To Do Before Bed That Will Jump Start Tomorrow

Being effective as an entrepreneur is often about hard work, but even
more importantly it's about smart work. Great entrepreneurs know that
time is limited and valuable, so they need to make the most of each
waking hour.

There are many factors that contribute to working smart -- but
planning and proper sleep are among the top performance increasers.

To maximize your time and efficiency, here are five essential and easy
things you should do before bed that will make help transform your
waking hours into super productivity.

1. Take a look at your calendar. As the saying goes, failing to plan
is planning to fail. By reviewing your calendar the night before,
you'll know what's ahead for the day so you can be prepared and plan
for the best method to tackle your objectives. You'll sleep better
knowing that you've already planned for the day ahead and you'll rise
in the morning knowing that you've already taken care of the leg work
to get a jump start on the day.

There's another old saying, "If you don't use your head, you'll end up
using your feet," and that proverb goes a long way for productivity!
Come up with a strategy the night before on how to tackle tomorrow.

2. Get the gym bag ready. Whether you go to the gym, run in the
neighborhood or walk your dog, have your exercise gear out and ready
to throw on for when you wake up. Getting your clean clothes together
and ready is a life hack lots of entrepreneurs use to minimize the
risk of skipping their workout.

It only takes a minute to lay out your gear, but it's a great shortcut
for making sure you get your fitness in every morning. Taking care of
your health is an important part of the entrepreneurial lifestyle.

3. Turn off your phone. Sleep is a crucial part of the successful
entrepreneur's healthy lifestyle. Once you've checked your calendar
and you know what's ahead for tomorrow, put the phone on silent or
turn it off to ensure it doesn't beep, chime or ring and disturb your
REM cycle. Disruptions to your sleep will leave you tired and slow
your performance.

To keep your productivity at its highest level, make sure you
eliminate any hindrances to your sleep cycle. That email or text
message can wait until tomorrow. Turn off your phone or put it on
silent to ensure a good night's sleep.

4. Write in your journal. No, not the "dear diary" kind of entries.
Keeping a journal is a practice that can help you process the day and
make sense of your thoughts. Keep your journal in the nightstand and
every night take a few minutes to review the day's triumphs and write
down what you're grateful for that day.

Don't make this a boring, unthoughtful experience. Think of it as a
nightly meditation -- just two minutes of reflection thinking about
the day's highlights and writing them down will transform your waking
and sleeping thought. It's part of a wealthy lifestyle to appreciate
all the great things of the day: doors held open, great conversations
had.

Whatever the highlight, list it and prepare your mind for great sleep.

5. Read a real book. One last thing to contribute to your good sleep
is to read a quality book. You can decide what a quality book is to
you, but reading before bed is a great way to make that final
transition into sleep.

It will also keep you away from bright lights and electronics (hint:
don't read on your phone or tablet, the light might disrupt your eyes
and affect your sleep cycle) and soothe your body into the sleeping
process.