As a serial entrepreneur and investor in ABC’s Shark Tank, Barbara Corcoran has a lot busier than most. But she will always make time for her morning routine.
“My routine on an important day is no different than on non-important days,” Corcoran told CNBC Make It.
A morning routine is a proven way to increase productivity, increase energy, and improve your chances of success.
Here are three practices Barbara Corcoran uses for a productive day.
She works out with her trainer three mornings a week before going to work, she says.
“This is what saves me. It serves my mental state more than my physical well-being,” says Corcoran.
Corcoran’s views are supported by science. In fact, just 10 minutes of physical activity a week can make you significantly happier, research shows.
This is what saves me. It’s more about my mental state than my physical well-being.
Barbara Corcoran
Real estate entrepreneur and star of “Shark Tank”
According to a study published in Nature Communications in November 2022, physical activity can also increase your alertness for the next day.
“The higher the level of physical activity, the more awake and alert you feel the next day,” Raphael Vallat, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science, told CNBC Make It.
As an “early riser,” Corcoran goes to the office after her morning workout: “I get to my office early because I get my best work done before noon.”
To add some zest to her everyday routine, she also strives to dress well, which can help with self-esteem.
According to Tess Brigham, a psychotherapist, wearing something that makes you feel powerful is a great way to look and feel confident.
The clothes you wear “can enhance your performance and enhance other people’s impression of you,” says Brigham.
“There’s something I do every night to make my day successful,” says Corcoran. “I would never go to bed without making a to-do list for the next day.”
But to keep the day running smoothly, she groups her tasks into important categories:
“I’ll go in the next morning [and] “Get my A’s out of the way,” says Corcoran. “Because I know I can procrastinate all day without doing the A’s.” But if I’m putting off the B’s and C’s, it doesn’t make much sense.
It keeps me productive on the important things.
Barbara Corcoran
Real estate entrepreneur and star of “Shark Tank”
Corcoran keeps things organized with a to-do list, and she finds that her method of prioritizing tasks helps her take responsibility.
“It keeps me productive on the things that matter. And I’ve mixed up the personal and the business stuff in that list,” she says. “So life is. Now everything is mixed up.”
Disclosure: CNBC owns exclusive off-network cable rights to Shark Tank.
DON’T MISS: Do you want to be smarter and more successful with your money, your work and your life? Sign up for our new newsletter!
Get CNBC’s free report, 11 ways to tell if we’re in a recession, Here, Kelly Evans reviews the top indicators that a recession is imminent or has already begun.