Change Yourself and Business Will Follow

Easier said than done, I know, but here are some effective tips I've found that should help create positive change in your business and your life:

• Allow yourself to sleep enough. It's amazing how much you can accomplish when you're rested and feeling fresh.

• Exercise, and get the blood flowing to all parts of your body. We lead sedentary lives today, spending too much time in front of our computers or behind the wheels of our cars. Get up and move, walk more, and do something aerobic every day. (OK, in the spirit of full disclosure: Do as I say, not as I do here!)

• Eat well and regularly; food is the fuel for your mind and body. Sit down and have a civilized meal, ideally with an interesting person or something great to read. It'll open your mind, expand your capacity and create energy for your day.

• Leave room for serendipity in your life. That's when you have white space on your calendar to think, write, call an old friend or colleague to catch up, or just breathe. Some days I find the most productive thing you can do is actually play hooky.

• Don't be scared to hit the pause button sometimes. There's no rewind in life, but so much of our time seems to be living in fast forward these days that when you feel like you need a break, you should listen to your gut and reflect on what's going on around you. There are times to sprint, times to recover and days that are just a marathon. Each serves an important purpose.

• Expand your network. There are a lot of interesting people out there. Go to events or talks you typically don't attend. Join and organization tangentially related to your area of specialty or linked to a long lost hobby you used to love. There are film clubs, weekend ski trips, online organizations and groups for every interest you can imagine. Chances are, you'll meet some great people along the way.

• Try new things. Reach beyond your comfort zone so you continue to stretch and grow. You may just stumble into some activities you really enjoy and find out you have some hidden talents and skills you never realized. Keep those synapses firing -- it may even help stave off Alzheimer's, so break those routines and shake things up a bit. Cruise control is for cars, not entrepreneurs.

• Make this the year you deal with that issue that's been looming over your head -- you know, the one you've avoided tackling. What do you have to lose? You may just solve it if you put it on the top of your to-do list and face it square on. Worst case, you'll try a few things that won't work, but you may just have that breakthrough you were hoping for after all.

Even if you don't end up making major changes in your business, making some of the small changes I mentioned will help you be more rested, relaxed and healthier, which sounds like a recipe for success to me.