A lot of people seem to believe that successful people spend a majority of their time working overtime and frequently have sleepless nights. It would be a very big mistake to equate success with that of a person who has a workaholic mindset. It may be surprising to you, but many of the world’s smartest people take their weekends to relax and spend time with their family, themselves, and their goals. Have you ever wondered what some of the world’s smartest people did to help them achieve their goals? Check out these 5 habits to see if you have something in common with them.

1. Adopt a hobby that they can practice every day

Successful people know that there is a lot more to life than working, sleeping, and eating. Even they have to be able to relax and enjoy some downtime every now and again. That’s why the world’s smartest people engage in one or more activities that they love. When you’re able to pick up a hobby that you can practice every day it may actually help you become more successful. For example, playing a musical instrument improves motor and analytical skills as well as creativity. Having hobbies can be very beneficial to your work life to help you further your success.

2. Summarize what they read and what they learn through writing

When it comes to reading, summarizing is extremely helpful and smart. It helps you look for and find the main points and important details in each paragraph that you read. When it comes to being an effective learner, it’s all about being able to identify and understand those main points and details. If you’re unsure how to summarize effectively, try writing 2-3 bullet point statements that communicate what the author says.

3. Share what they learn with others

It’s very important to keep yourself in the mindset that you can always learn something new every day. It’s equally as important to share that knowledge with others. You take in new information and retain it through the books you read and web searches all the time. You have the ability to share that with those around you, and that is extremely meaningful.

4. Come up with 10 ideas every day

It may sound like a pretty exhausting thing to do at first. You’re probably already thinking to yourself, “Won’t I run out of ideas?” I can see where you’re coming from, but it’s one of the most powerful ways to transform and improve your life. For one, it improves creativity and your problem-solving abilities. Two, it helps to prepare you to respond to almost any situation. And three, it gives your brain that daily mental practice it needs which will increase your psychological energy.

5. Follow their questions instead of simply raising them

When you ask questions, you don’t always get an answer that you find completely satisfying. When trying to engage in an informative discussion, you want to interact with each other’s ideas- not just speak at one another. When you ask follow-up questions, it lets the other person know they were heard, they’re able to clarify what’s been said, and it invites others involved to chime in as well. Add your opinions, feelings, and comments. Give explanations and reasons so that anyone listening can reply, and you can change or add more subjects to the initial conversation.

We are always looking for ways to improve our success in every aspect of our lives. You can start by working these habits into your daily routine that some of the smartest people in the world have adapted into theirs.