What influential women do you have in your life? Whether it’s your mom, best friend, favorite female celebrity, or influencer, there’s no doubt that it’s important to have women in our lives that we can look up to and learn from.
Find out what the habits of successful women are and how to make them part of your life!
Table of contents
- 1. Set goals and achieve them
- 2. Believe in yourself
- 3. Say no sometimes
- 4. Make time for self-love and mindfulness
- 5. Always have a backup plan
- 6. Be comfortable with failing
- 7. Know when to accept help and say thank you
- 8. Strive for personal development
- 9. Don’t compare yourself to others
- 10. Accept the past and move on from mistakes
- The daily routine of a successful woman
- 5 inspirational women we can learn from!
- What matters most for success?
- How do you create unique successful habits?
- How do you stick with your good habits when you want to quit?
- Posts related to habits of successful women
- Adopt these habits of successful women to enhance your life!
Good habits set the tone for the way you choose to live and are essential for living a healthy lifestyle and also well-being.
Here are 10 habits of successful women and also a look at the daily routine of a successful woman.
It’s time to get inspired. You won’t want to miss these!
1. Set goals and achieve them
Successful women know what they want and, more importantly, how to get their hands on it.
Start by writing your goals down, no matter how small or big they are.
In six months’ time, what would you like to have achieved? What about a year or 10 years from now? Describing your goals in detail and visualizing them with images can really help motivate you to meet them.
Create an action plan
Every goal should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound). You’re much more likely to achieve goals that have these characteristics because they give you a sense of direction.
Now that you’ve got your goals, it’s time to work out how you’re going to get there. An action plan is such a good way to capture the steps you need to take and keep an eye on your progress. Digital or paper form is good for writing them down, whatever works best for you.
Celebrating when you’ve achieved each goal is really important. It’s a great way to acknowledge your efforts, and being proud of what you’ve achieved puts you in the correct mindset for your next win. You’ve got this!
2. Believe in yourself
Ask any successful woman what the key is to achieve great things, and they will tell you it’s believing in yourself. Know what you’re worth and be confident in your abilities.
But how do you believe in yourself if it doesn’t come naturally to you?
Spend time with supportive people
Surround yourself with positivity and affirmations for self love. Ditch negative relationships and focus on the people that make you feel good.
In addition, build a network of like-minded people that thrive off positive energies.
You’ll be seriously impressed by what you can achieve just by believing in yourself.
Share what you learn
Sharing what you learn with other people is another great way to strengthen the belief you have in yourself. We all have something that we are skilled at and also passionate about. Why not help others learn a new skill and take pride in your abilities at the same time?
Ultimately, believing in yourself comes down to looking after your mind, body, and soul, only making decisions that you are comfortable with.
3. Say no sometimes
Saying no gives us the power to choose how we best use our time and where we focus our energies. The habits of successful women can help teach us the value of saying no.
It can feel like it’s impossible to say no, especially if you’re used to saying yes all of the time! But successful women know how to say no to opportunities that are unfair, don’t match their values, or if they simply don’t have enough time for them.
Why? Because it enables us to value ourselves and our time more and stay true to what’s important.
Practice your skills to improve
Saying no is a skill, and it does get easier with practice. Here’s how you can say no effectively:
Remind yourself why you’re saying no
Before you turn something down, it’s worth reminding yourself why you’re doing it to show confidence.
Be courteous yet assertive
Use firm words such as “No, I can’t at the moment” or “I don’t have the time currently”.
Don’t make excuses or apologize
Instead, provide a brief explanation if you feel it’s needed and move on.
Practice saying no
Start with small refusals, such as a coffee with a co-worker, to help build your confidence.
The above tips apply whether you’re saying no to a new work opportunity or even just saying no to a play date that you don’t have time for.
And remember, don’t feel guilty for saying no to something! Saying no to anything that goes against your personal core values frees up more time for the things you want to do – there’s not enough time for both.
4. Make time for self-love and mindfulness
To be successful, first, you need to take care of your own needs. This means maintaining both your physical and mental health.
Easier said than done? We hear you.
Creative ways to prioritize yourself
How does a successful woman include self-care and attitudes of mindfulness in her busy life?
Well, regular exercise and eating well are the first steps. Scheduling alone time into your week also allows you to reflect on you and your goals.
If you’re struggling for time, you can combine exercise and meditation to give you that much-needed time to yourself.
Self-care can be as simple as a morning walk to enjoying a cup of tea and reading a chapter of your book. You might even try a self care week!
Successful women also reward themselves with their desires when they meet their goals. Rewards could be anything from a full-body massage to a weekend away with the girls. It’s a healthy way to look after your mind and body whilst celebrating your wins and motivating you to achieve your next one.
These easy-to-adopt habits will help you prioritize self-care without making it feel like you’re adding to your to-do list.
5. Always have a backup plan
Sometimes things don’t happen the way we want them to, and that’s ok!
One of the most admirable habits of successful women is having a plan B. Things can go wrong.
Let’s say you don’t get the job that you really wanted, for instance. Or your car breaks down and needs emergency repairs.
Having a backup plan can get you back on your feet quickly and make you stronger than ever. A good example is to have a plan for the year, with extra ideas in case things change.
Make plans for finances, career, and life
To protect your career, always keep your resume updated with all your skills and experience and utilize your network of co-workers. When the unexpected happens to your finances, an emergency fund will protect you from debt.
Having a backup plan in life can provide feelings of safety and security, allowing you to live without stress and achieve great things. With patience, planning, and hard work, you can achieve anything.
6. Be comfortable with failing
Failure can make a person stronger. In fact, women have proved that failure is the path to success time and time again.
Failure causes us to have to start over and try again. Continuing to value hard work is key to success, as well as being resilient.
Successful women know how to cope with failure, and the good news is that adopting this habit is easy with our top tips.
Embrace your emotions
It’s ok to feel hurt, angry, and sad when something doesn’t go to plan. A good way to move on is to accept your feelings and also allow yourself some time.
Don’t worry about what other people think
You can’t control what other people think, so don’t waste your energy on it. Instead, take pride in your ambition and dreams, do what’s right for you, and learn from the habits of successful women.
Be kind to yourself
Beating yourself up about a failure will only make you feel a million times worse.
In addition, if a friend was experiencing a setback, what would you say? Follow the same advice for yourself, and you’ll soon bounce back from any unplanned event.
Instead of fearing failure, understand that failure is the first step to success.
7. Know when to accept help and say thank you
Our purpose in life isn’t to do everything alone.
Powerful women happily admit that they need help and that there’s no shame in asking for it. In fact, it shows courage, confidence, and resourcefulness.
Think of asking for help as one of your confidence building exercises. Asking and accepting help protects us from stress and burnout and can also increase our productivity and allow us to smash our goals.
Communicate honestly to connect with others
Need more reasons to start asking your support network for help? It’s also a lovely way to connect with fellow female leaders who share similar goals and values as you.
Once you’ve decided that you need some help, think about the best person to ask and how you might ask them. Be polite yet direct in your request, and don’t be disheartened if they say no. Chances are you will have other willing volunteers in your friend circle.
Remember to give back when you can and add this support to your daily gratitude list. Women helping women is a force to be reckoned with!
8. Strive for personal development
Enhancing your skills and experience has so many benefits for women, so never stop learning because life never stops teaching!
Aside from learning new things, you may also find that your mood improves too. As you improve yourself and your life, you naturally become happier.
Personal development also puts you in a great mindset to deal with change and evolve, and it’s one of the good work habits to learn.
Personal development takes many forms. You don’t need to commit a huge amount of time or money, either.
For example, here are some enjoyable ways that smart women add personal development to their busy lives.
Ask questions
Everyday life presents us with opportunities to learn without much effort. Try asking more questions during the conversations you have and see how much you can learn.
Read more
A great way to add personal development to your daily routine is by setting time aside for reading. You’ll learn something even from reading for just a few minutes a day, for example, check out these self help books for women!
Use a dictionary
When you find a word that you don’t know the meaning of, instead of skipping past it, look it up. This is a super simple way to enhance your vocabulary.
Sign up for newsletters
Receiving manageable information in the form of an electronic newsletter is also a good way to learn more. Plus, they are a free resource!
9. Don’t compare yourself to others
It’s hard to avoid comparison when we are constantly faced with images of inspiring women on social media, but it can make you feel insignificant, and that’s not healthy.
Badass women know that trying to be like someone else is self-destructive and unproductive. Nobody is you, and that is your specialty. So never compare yourself to others!
Try adopting these habits so the next time you start comparing yourself to others, you know how to stop doing it.
Start a gratitude journal
Most of us forget to pause and consider what we appreciate in our own lives. It’s a good way to remind yourself about what you have achieved and also motivate you to meet your next goals.
A gratitude journal forces us to look at the positives and find happiness in the little things. Or why not try a 30 days of gratitude challenge?
Compete with yourself
When somebody you know reaches their goal, use it as a chance to look at your own rather than feel jealous. Take a look back at the progress you’ve made and what you need to achieve to meet your next milestone.
Celebrate other people
A proven way to stop comparing yourself to others is to focus on their achievements and join in with their celebrations. So, when your friend gets a promotion, be happy for her instead of questioning your own career.
In addition to learning to celebrate yourself, be happy for the people in your life when something goes well for them.
Now you’ve got the techniques from the habits of successful women to stop worrying about what others are doing, so you can focus on your own game.
10. Accept the past and move on from mistakes
It’s human nature to make mistakes. It’s also essential for your future to know how to let go and move on.
Every successful woman knows that making mistakes are proof that you are trying, and it allows you to learn from them and become a stronger person. So don’t dwell on guilt or regret, instead, reflect, learn, and let it go.
Here are habits that will make letting go and moving on easier.
Look for the positives
When things don’t go to plan, remind yourself that the way you’re feeling is temporary. It might be a challenge to learn how to stay positive in a negative world. However, it is possible.
How can you turn something negative into a positive?
For example, if a new business opportunity falls through, what can you learn from it? If a relationship has been affected by a decision you’ve made, how can you resolve it? You might just find better things are just around the corner!
Create distance
Distracting yourself from a mistake is one of the best ways you can move on from it. Put your energy into something new or take some well-deserved me-time. Obsessing over a setback will only make your mood worse and won’t help you to move on.
Focus on what’s next
Life is full of exciting opportunities. One of the most admirable habits of successful women is looking to the future. Take the time to remind yourself what’s important. What path do you want your life to take?
Expert tip
As you can see, the habits of successful women are all about working hard and having confidence. And something to remember that will help you create great habits is to always be working towards financial goals as well as your professional, and life goals.
Making a budget, mapping out the next few years of your career, and deciding what big goals you’d like to reach in the next decade are great places to start.
The daily routine of a successful woman
Want to be successful? A good work-life balance is key. Let’s look at what a typical day in the life of a busy, modern woman looks like.
Morning
- 6 am: Wake up and drink a glass of water
- 6.15 am: Meditate
- 6.30 am: Shower and get dressed
- 7 am: Eat a healthy breakfast
- 7.30 am: Set your goals for the day with a cup of tea/coffee
- 8 am: Household chores
- 8.30 am: Go to work
Evening
- 6 pm: Finish work
- 6.30 pm: Self-care and exercise – yoga
- 7 pm: Have dinner
- 7.30 pm: Switch off social media
- 8 pm: Do some stress-relieving hobbies or take some social time
- 9 pm: Relax – read or enjoy a hot bath
- 10 pm: Get a good night’s sleep
Adapt the daily routine of a successful woman above to suit your individual needs, commitments, and lifestyle.
5 inspirational women we can learn from!
Women that show us it’s ok to make mistakes are great to draw knowledge from.
You’ve probably heard of the names listed below, but here’s a reminder of why they are so great!
1. Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa is a role model for selflessness. She was compassionate and recognized the value of giving to others.
She changed the world by giving to charity and also inspired hundreds of thousands of other people to do the same. Mother Teresa proved that you’ll have a fulfilling life if you stand by your values.
2. Kelly Holmes
Kelly was the first British woman to win two gold medals at the same game. She’s also an inspirational global speaker, award-winning author, and advocate for wellness, fitness, and mental health.
Her charity, Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, supports disadvantaged young people to use the skills of world-class athletes.
3. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah is a great role model for women that want to become leaders. She had a tough childhood and worked hard to achieve her dreams, earning her a reputation for being the most powerful woman on the planet.
Oprah’s determination has shown us that anything is possible.
4. Marilyn Monroe
“A wise girl knows her limits, a smart girl knows that she has none.” – Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn was an advocate for femininity, still inspiring women to be bold. The famous bombshell achieved so much in her life, showing us that anything is possible.
She also believed that you’re the happiest when you are true to yourself.
5. Michelle Obama
Former first lady Michelle Obama is, without a doubt, an incredibly inspirational woman. Her work and books have taught us to go for our dreams and not to sell ourselves short.
Michelle’s book, Becoming is a must-read for working moms who want to have a family and a career. She shows us that it’s absolutely possible!
What matters most for success?
Being determined and undistracted from your goals will take you far.
When you decide to do something, make a plan to get there, and don’t give up until you are able to accomplish what you wanted to. Determination is the essential factor that helps you get the results you want.
How do you create unique successful habits?
Start with the 10 habits listed here, and then find a way to apply them more directly to your own life.
For example, instead of just believing in yourself in general, make it personal by believing in your ability to make 100,000 dollars a year. Add your unique goals to your habits to remind you of why they matter so much.
How do you stick with your good habits when you want to quit?
Set up a system in advance to help you when you feel tired or unmotivated.
For instance, understand how to break down your habits into smaller mini goals, reward yourself often, and stay focused on the big picture.
When you’re tempted to give up, you can fall back on your systems and your habits until you feel more motivated.
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