18 things successful people do in the first 10 minutes of the workday

ShutterstockHere's how to start your work day the right way.How you handle the first 10 minutes of your workday can largely determine how productive and effective you'll be the rest of the day.

"Getting off on the right foot isn't just important with relationships, it's important with the start of any workday, as well - particularly busy ones," says Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "You Can't Be Serious! Putting Humor to Work."

"The first 10 minutes can also set the tone and your attitude for the day - so it's imperative that you start it off right, with a clean slate," he says.

Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job," agrees. "Those brief moments can predict your all-important mindset because they're the first impression of your day ahead," she says.

"The first few minutes at the office can be the most stressful because there's a level of anxiety about what you may face: a sudden onslaught of urgent emails; last minute crises or meetings; a call to stop by the boss's office; a cranky coworker, and so on. It takes greater self-awareness, a positive mindset, and self-training each morning to counter what feels like negative gravity pulling you down as you face overwhelming demands," she explains.

Kerr says successful people tend to thrive on routine and habits. "Creating consistent habits is largely what makes them successful," he explains. "And a key time for habit-forming practices is at the start of the day."

Here are 18 things the most successful people do in the first 10 minutes of their workday: