Successful people run the gamut from self-made millionaires to Nobel Prize winners.
And virtually all of them share (at least) one common habit: a stellar morning routine. What is it about the first few hours of the day that make them so powerful?
They set the tone for the rest of your day, which means what you do in the morning can make or break the hours that follow (which make up the bulk of your waking life).
Not to mention, just having a morning routine sets you leaps and bounds ahead of the guy who just rolled out of bed, splashed water on his face and barely made it to work on time.
If you are currently “that guy” (or lady), no worries. Everyone can establish a morning routine; there’s nothing complicated about it. Simply set your mind to it, set your alarm and you’re off. Now, on to some excellent ideas to make your morning routine count.
7 Healthy Ways Successful People Start Their Day
7. Wake Up Early (And at the Same Time)
Getting up at the same time each day helps regulate your body clock, making it easier to wake up and improving energy levels in the long run (it’s a good idea to go to bed at the same time each day, too). Getting up early helps you carve out time for you, and it’s a secret shared by many successful people. According to Forbes:[i]
“Margaret Thatcher was up every day at 5 a.m.; Frank Lloyd Wright at 4 a.m. and Robert Iger, the CEO of Disney wakes at 4:30 a.m. just to name a few.”
6. Meditate
Five to 15 minutes of meditation in the morning quiets your mind, keeps you in the moment and hones your inner focus. Over the long run, meditating each morning may boost your creativity and productivity while reducing stress and anxiety. As a bonus, you can do this first thing, before even getting out of bed (take advantage of that quasi-awake state!).
5. Get Outdoors
Exposure to bright light in the morning helps you wake up and synchronizes your body clock for the new day. Such exposures may also boost your mood and even play a role in reducing appetite and body weight.[ii] If weather prevents you from going outdoors (or it’s still dark when you wake up), a light therapy box can be used.
4. Feed Your Passions
What do you love to do? What makes you happy? Take some time, even 20 minutes, to focus on those ‘indulgent’ activities you’d otherwise push aside. For instance, you might read, work on crafts, build your model train, take your dog for a walk, etc.
3. Feed Your Body
First, drink a glass of water (some like to drink it warm with some lemon) to rehydrate. Next, power up your body for the day. A healthy breakfast might include a smoothie (homemade, with ingredients like kefir, frozen berries, spinach, whey protein, avocado and flaxseeds) or eggs with vegetables.
That said, if you’re not a “breakfast person,” don’t fret about it. There’s emerging research that suggests skipping breakfast (so that all of your meals take place during an eight-hour window during the day) may actually help give your body a much-needed metabolic break that helps with weight loss and overall health.
2. Get Motivated
What is it you want to accomplish today? How do you want your day to go? Visualizing it will help make it a reality. You may also want to spend a few minutes thinking or journaling about what you’re grateful for (some people like to make a list of three things each day). Other options: read an inspirational book, watch an inspirational video or write down a mantra for the day (and put it somewhere you’ll see often).
1. Exercise
When you get up early, you can get your workout in and out of the way before most people even wake up. As “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary told Business Insider:[iii]
“Your health is one investment that is guaranteed to pay dividends!”
You don’t have to go to the gym to do this, either. You can find countless bodyweight workout routines online (or make up your own using a combination of push-ups, burpees, mountain climbers and the like). I also like to do the 4-minute No Excuses program (yes, it’s only 4 minutes!) first thing after I wake up.
After your morning routine is complete, tackle the most mentally challenging task you have to do that day. Many people are most productive and alert in the morning, meaning you’ll knock it out that much easier. Plus, once you get the ‘hard stuff’ out of the way, you’ll feel a weight has been lifted from your shoulders for the rest of your day.
