5 tips to find your best morning routine

Compare a morning when you slept through your alarm, rushed out of bed, and barely made it to your desk in time to one when you had time for a brisk walk, a healthy breakfast, and some leisurely coffee-sipping. You’ll quickly realize your morning routine sets the tone for your entire day.

Think an effective morning routine is out of your reach? We have good news: It’s a learnable science, no matter how much chaos you’re met with when you open your eyes.

After analyzing the advice and morning routines of numerous well-known business leaders and productivity experts, we’ve pinpointed common practices of successful people for your most productive morning.

1. Wake up at YOUR right time

“Morning people” are supposed to be the high achievers. The early bird catches the worm, right? But a successful morning routine isn’t necessarily synonymous with an early morning routine. 

Sure, some people who wake up early are more productive, and some studies do associate waking up just one hour earlier with lower depression rates. But if you personally dread early-morning wake-up calls, any potential benefits you get from peeling yourself out from under the covers at an unreasonable time will likely be overpowered by your misery.

Oprah Winfrey never sets an alarm and Google CEO Sundar Pichai describes himself as “not a morning person.” Take a cue from them and pay attention to your own ultradian rhythms – your body’s natural cycles that repeat throughout the day and cause those peaks and dips in your energy levels. Doing so helps you find the times of day when you’re most focused and productive (known as your biological prime time).

If you determine that you’re at your best in the afternoon or evening, there’s no reason for you to join the 5 a.m. club. As Mike Vardy, productivity author, speaker, and podcaster, wrote, “Look, I’m a night owl — and proud of it. Why? Because despite having many say that my sleeping habits make me less likely to achieve, I prove them wrong.”

So forget the pressure to pop out of bed at the crack of dawn; stay focused on what works best for you.

2. Prepare the night before

Many successful people spend their evenings preparing for the next day. Their reasoning: It leaves mornings free for an earlier start on important work (and breakfast). 

Giving “future you” the favor of adequate preparation doesn’t just free up your time – it frees up some brain space. We have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making ability. Too many decisions in the morning slow you down and can drain your brain for the rest of the day (it’s known as decision fatigue).

Whether you pack your lunch, lay out your outfit, or create the next day’s to-do list, even five minutes of evening prep work can help you start your morning off on the right foot. Former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault likes to end his evenings by simply writing three things he wants to accomplish the next day.

For many, a successful morning routine actually starts in the evening.

3. Focus on what matters

Erik Fisher is the voice behind the Beyond the To-Do List Podcast. He points out that if you analyze productivity experts’ morning routines, you’ll find a few things in common. Most focus on big-picture goals, gratitude, and planning for the day.

Here are a few examples:

• Canva CEO Melanie Perkins starts her day by reading tweets from the Canva community (which motivate her) and writing in a gratitude journal.
• Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, intentionally drags out her morning commute to give herself quiet time to think and plan before the chaos of her day sets in.
• John Paul DeJoria, the co-founder of Patrón tequila and Paul Mitchell hair products, spends five minutes each morning quietly reflecting on what he’s grateful for.

Of course, plenty of morning routines include journaling and mindfulness. But don’t feel guilty if you don’t have the time (or quiet space) for a lengthy meditation routine. Even a short walk can help you focus your thoughts and identify your desired outcomes for the day.

4. Move around and hydrate

Many successful people start their mornings in motion, and you can follow their lead for a morning routine that’s equal parts healthy and helpful:

• Kevin Kruse, author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management, does a daily 20-minute HIIT session on the treadmill.
• Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and Block, Inc., walks to work every morning.
• Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi power walks before work.
• Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary gets on his elliptical or exercise bike.
• Multi-board member Frits Dirk van Paasschen runs 10 miles every morning.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to run a marathon to start your day well. According to one study, even some moderate exercise in the morning (like a brisk walk) can boost your brainpower for the rest of the day.

While you’re moving, remember that what you put in your mug matters. There’s nothing wrong with a morning cup of coffee, but you should also drink plenty of water in the morning to stay hydrated and give you lasting energy. Research shows that adequate hydration improves your cognitive performance.

Jeff Sanders, author of The 5 AM Miracle and host of the podcast with the same name, says his favorite morning habit is to drink one liter of water within the first 45 minutes of bouncing out of bed. “Hydration is incredibly important, especially after waking up. I always find that this larger quantity of water provides incredible energy and prepares my body for the day ahead.”

5. Eat the frog first thing in the morning

Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time, bases his morning philosophy on a quote from Mark Twain. “If the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you can go through the day with the satisfaction of knowing that that is probably the worst thing that is going to happen to you all day long.”

The “frog” is that one important task you’re dreading the most because it’s large and looming over you. Doing your biggest task first can help you start your day with a sense of accomplishment. 

Can’t quite manage to jump into the day (pun intended) with the big frog on your list? Even tackling some smaller tadpoles can help. Whether you manage a big or a small win in the morning, that gratification can propel you into the rest of the day with greater motivation. That’s the progress principle in action.

Mornings matter: Create a better morning routine for a more productive day

Your morning sets the tone for the entire day. But that doesn’t change the fact that there are still plenty of factors (like kids, pets, last-minute emergencies…the list goes on) that can influence exactly how your morning shapes up.

The good news is that you’re not going for perfection here – and you don’t need to overhaul your entire routine. Even trying out one or two of the above tips can help you approach your mornings with a little more intention. As the old saying goes, if you win the morning, you win the day. 

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