Habits
Habits are critical to success. The book Atomic Habits by James Clear talks about this in detail, as do many other authors. These are habits that have worked for me.
General
Learn: Be a lifelong learner. Read, read, read. Take it to the next level and create a reading journal or commonplace notebook. I have a notebook where I summarize non-fiction books I have read in a page or two. It has become a fantastic resource.
Pay it Forward: Share what you know with others. Hence Career101!
Have a Plan: What do you want to accomplish in life? What is your special talent? What is your joy? Take the time to explore these things. Life is precious.
Mornings
Exercise Outside: Mornings are a special time. The air is crisp. The birds are singing. The light is magical. Choose your favorite exercise and get outside.
Gratitude: Each day is a gift. Marcus Aurelius writes "When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive. To breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." Make a point of acknowledging what you are grateful for each day.
Inspiration: Find something that inspires of grounds you. I read a page from The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday each day. It takes less than a minute.
Eat Well: Pay attention to your metabolism and give yourself the fuel you need. For me this includes oatmeal, yogurt, chia, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and fruit.
The Workday
Manage Your Day: Don't be passive and leave your calendar at the discretion of others. Block off time for you to get your work done.
Notifications Off: Find the rhythm when you will check emails, alerts, etc. If you don't you will never have a reasonable block of time to actually do work.
Be Intentional: What do you want to get done today, this week, this month? Schedule the time to do this.
Take a Break: Go for a walk. You will come back refreshed.
Meeting Format: Not all meetings need to be at a table. Try a walking meeting. Movement changes the dynamics of a discussion.
Afternoons & Evenings
Exercise: If you work in an office, you have likely been sitting on your butt all day. Move!
Refresh: Find what re-energizes you. It is probably not a drink or watching TV. Maybe it is connecting with friends and family.
Wind Down: Find a way to wind down before you go to bed. This probably doesn't include a screen. You will sleep better if you have a pre-bed routine.
Get 7-8+ Hours: Sleep is healing. Check out Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.
Lessons from My Grandfather
These are my grandfather's habits written in 1969 when he was in his late 50's. My father found a handwritten copy which I organized into categories and neutralized the genders.
Time Management & Organization
Use time effectively; get priorities correct so as to spend time on the correct things.
Spend no more time on a job than it is worth; be no more accurate than is necessary or worthwhile.
When you start a job, finish it. Putting aside and starting again wastes a lot of time.
If you have an unpleasant or difficult job to do, do it now.
Self-Management
Know your strengths & weaknesses. Put yourself in a position where your strengths are leveraged, and your weaknesses do not hinder you.
The extent to which you use your ability effectively is far more important than the extent of your ability.
Keep checking your own thinking & opinions by deliberately exposing yourself to contrary opinions.
Management & Leadership
Help a person to exploit their strengths and protect their weaknesses.
It is usually possible to tailor a job to suit a person; it is never possible to tailor a person to suit a job.
If you cannot trust a person and delegate to them, part with them.
If you keep them, delegate to them and give them room to operate.
Other people’s ways will be different from your own and not necessarily any worse.
Working with Others
Keep the number of meetings and the time spent at them to a minimum.
Prepare yourself for meetings properly; make others do the same.
Learn to listen.
Strategy
Strive for continual improvement.
Always be a little impatient; time is running out.
It is results that count. Do not allow methods to be more important than results.
Study theory as far as is appropriate but be practical.
Work & Life
Work is a habit, but more often a bad habit than a good habit.
Disclaimer: This information is provided to help you navigate the early stages of your career. It is based on my experience over 25+ years. There is no guarantee that the same principles will allow you to be successful.