I had a very interesting conversation with my nephew recently about “morning routines of successful entrepreneurs.” This is a topic frequently covered by Tim Ferriss and Lewis Howes on their podcasts, where their guests all had a similar routine that included mental, physical and emotional focus. The routines went something like the following:
- Meditate 30-45 minutes
- Workout 30-45 minutes
- Read news, emails, motivational book 30 minutes
- Cook and eat a healthy breakfast 45 minutes
- Start your workday
My nephews reaction was priceless, “that’s great, but I’m not getting up 2 hours before I start my day – how are normal people supposed to do that?”
As a new Dad I certainly have a greater respect for sleep than I ever had before, and getting up 2 hours earlier is not a likely possibility, especially when my day already starts at 5:30am and we still scramble to get out the door to beat the traffic. This scene out of ‘Daddy Daycare’ seems more realistic:
The consensus amongst most people seems to be SURVIVAL and making life as easy as possible (especially if you have kids).
Here are a few ways to start a morning routine for normal people:
Prepare for your next day the night before.
Most mornings are hectic, and by eliminating decisions you will conserve energy and create more time for the micro-routines that you can build on as your grow. Here are a few to start:
- I fill the tea kettle, put the teabag in the cup
- Prepare your breakfast in advance – I put my protein powder and banana beside the blender. I choose a protein shake as a quick healthy alternative
- Pick out your clothes the night before – eliminating choices from my morning makes life so much easier
- If you have kids, getting everything ready the night before is a must – pack lunches, have clothes laid out, have book bags packed
A simple morning routines that takes less than 5 minutes
The most simple thing to do in order to build a positive routine is to be grateful. Instead of hitting the snooze button on your iPhone – spend those few minutes reflecting on the things you are grateful for. And yes, there’s an App for that – it’s called the “Five Minute Journal App,” which asks you to write down 3 things:
- What are you grateful for today?
- What would make today great?
- Daily affirmations
Additional Exercises
While you may not have time for a full-blown workout, try to fit in a few pushups, sit ups and even a minute of planks before you hop in the shower. These simple actions will activate massive changes in your brain and create a chain reaction of chemical releases within your body that will help you perform at a higher level.
While we may not have the freedom to develop the routine of a billionaire entrepreneur, you can take small steps in developing the foundation of a sound morning routine that can grow as you continue in your pursuit of happiness.
Feature Image Credit from Daddy Daycare, The Telegraph