Fast Lane: Three things top entrepreneurs do every day

Every Friday, we profile a successful entrepreneur on SmartCompany in our Diary of an Entrepreneur series.

Reading through these articles, there are some common themes in the daily life of Australia’s top entrepreneurs.

It may not be easy to make time in your busy day to do these three things, but according to the entrepreneurs we interview – they’re essential:

1. Start early

There may be top entrepreneurs around who sleep in and take a leisurely approach to their mornings but we don’t seem to have interviewed them.

Almost without exception the most successful entrepreneurs start their day early. 

Five:am yoghurt, founded by David Prior, isn’t called five:am for no reason.

“That’s when we milk our cows, but it is a personal thing for me too – I get up every day at 5am,” Prior says.

Jason Smith, founder of the Back in Motion Health Group, isn’t far behind – he’s usually up at about 6am, doing about half an hour of exercise before his day begins. 

2. Stay healthy

Smith’s decision to spend his early morning exercising rather than sleeping is typical of successful entrepreneurs who invest in their health.

Smith also makes sure his diet includes a mixture of protein, plant food and omega.

“I truly believe in health and our whole philosophy,” says Smith, who is an advocate of ‘metabolic precision’ when it comes to fuelling his body for the day.

Even Andre Eikmeier, founder of wine business Vinomofo, tries to stick to a healthy lifestyle. 

Despite the temptations of a bar in the office Eikmeier says he and most of his team have implemented a “no alcohol work week”.

At night Eikmeier usually goes for a run, which he says is important, not only to his fitness, but also to his mind.

“It exercises the mind, because your mind spends the whole time thinking, just stop, just quit! And that’s the part of your mind you need throughout the day, because you need to push through, so you just get in the habit of pushing yourself.”

3.  Switch off

Top entrepreneurs also set aside time each day to switch off from their business.

Alison Michalk, founder of Quiip, says she doesn’t have as much spare time as she’d like, but any moment she does have she likes to spend it with her kids, skateboarding or hanging out down at the beach.

“I do really value lifestyle, that’s important to me and that’s why I’ve chosen to live where I live [by the beach]. It means we can spend a lot of time outdoors.”

Michalk says if she does steal a moment for herself, you might find her snuggled up with her Kindle reading a good business or media book. She’s currently devouring Arianna Huffington’s new tome, Thrive.

Matt Dyer, founder of EatNow, has struggled in the past with maintaining a work/life balance, admitting his business “can be an all-consuming thing”.

But now he tries to make sure he spends time with his wife and catching up with friends.

Dyer loves rock climbing, going to music gigs and cycling in his spare time.

The secret bonus behind making sure you switch off is that often it’s only when you step away from your business and do something completely different that the best ideas emerge.