Exercise. It's the One Thing Everyone Can Do to Get Ahead in All Things. Not many pieces of advice apply perfectly to everyone. But this one does.

I get asked all the time for one piece of advice I would give to people to enhance their career, or family life, or in balancing both. And here we are starting a new year, and there's lots of advice and new year's resolutions flying about.

While I used to say get up early as my one piece of advice, I realize that it may not work for everyone. For me, getting up early means getting a jump on my day to get a few things out of the way before everything kicks in. For me, that means writing blog posts, checking social media, sifting through emails and prioritizing the day.

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Getting up early works for me -- I'm an early bird. I know a lot of people who do everything I do in the morning but at night. Nighttime works for them, because they are night owls. But this early bird needs to be in bed early!

So I've realized that I need to offer advice that works for anybody and everybody, no matter your lifestyle. I need one piece of advice that can help people deal with work schedules, family demands and anything and everything in between. But my advice has to be authentic…something I personally do to help me do it all. That's when it hit me.

Exercise.

If I am to offer just one piece of advice, then it is to exercise. Exercise every day, no matter what is going on in your life. Exercise even if it means getting up a little earlier or staying up a little later. Fit exercise in every single day.

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I know I do. Rarely a day goes by that I don't exercise. I even exercised on Christmas Day and New Year's Day. While I didn't go to the gym, I did squeeze in a half hour run both days. I exercise when I travel, wherever I travel. Most hotel gyms have 24-hour access now, but even so, I can do a whole series of pushups, squats and sit-ups right in my hotel room. I know the drill.

Sure, exercise helps to maintain weight. And sure, it's a good thing to do to for heart and lung health. But I also (mostly) do it to control stress. I find that exercise, which for me is first thing in the morning, gives me a calm start to the day. The lift and the sweat keep me level headed and even keeled, preparing me for the day ahead. I know people who do the same thing at night, as a way to come down from the day.

Doesn't matter, whatever works for you.

Exercise. Your success depends on it.

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