A well-structured morning routine is one of the most powerful tools for achieving success. But what exactly does that look like? What should you include in a best morning routine for success to maximize your day?
Well, I’ll share how highly successful people structure their mornings so you can create a routine that sets you up for achieving your own definition of a successful life.
What is the Best Morning Routine for Success?
Establishing a best morning routine for success is all about taking control of your day from the moment you wake up. Rather than letting the day control you, when you follow a consistent morning routine, you set the tone for greater productivity and focus.
It’s about starting your day with intention, purpose, and a plan, setting yourself up for a more productive and successful day.
1. Wake Up Early
Sounds cliché, right? However, there’s a good reason why this tops the best morning routine for success: Waking up early offers numerous benefits for those seeking a more successful life.
Business magnate Richard Branson—co-founder of the Virgin Group that controls more than 400 companies in different fields—says he likes to rise early around 5 am each day to get a jumpstart on his day.
This aligns with a 2008 study published in The Journal of General Psychology, which found that early risers were less likely to procrastinate than their night owl counterparts.
Why Waking Up Earlier is Important
Aside from giving you more time to tackle your to-do list, imagine the possibilities when you have time to yourself before the day officially “starts.”
You can drink water, enjoy a quiet cup of coffee or tea while everyone else is still asleep, or get a workout in. Forget about being distracted by incoming texts and work requests.
Some early risers even swear that an extra hour before the day gets going puts them in a great mind frame to handle anything.
Adjust Gradually for Best Results
If you aren’t someone who pops out of bed at the first alarm clock’s sound, that’s OK.
Try moving your wake-up time up in small increments, beginning with just 15 minutes earlier. Once you’re used to that, shave off another 15 minutes.
Even better? Studies have shown that making a consistent effort to establish good sleep hygiene is linked to a slew of health benefits. These range from a reduced risk of high blood pressure and heart attack to promoting better gut health.
Good sleep hygiene includes simple practices such as heading to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day. And don’t forget that most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep per night.
2. Hydrate Before You Caffeinate
Instead of reaching for coffee first thing, the best morning routing for success starts with a big glass of water. You may be surprised by how much of an impact this simple change to your daily routine can make.
Wake Up Your Body
You may not realize this, but while we sleep, our bodies become dehydrated. Replenishing your body’s water levels is one of the most important things you can do upon waking, as water impacts many bodily functions.
Water is involved in everything from cell function to organ health. It can also affect your energy levels and brain function.
Because water is so critical for our bodies, experts recommend starting your day with a large glass of water as soon as you rise, and definitely before coffee or tea. This is because caffeinated beverages can be dehydrating.
Improve Focus
Have you ever hit that afternoon slump and felt like you needed to down a pot of coffee to make it to the finish line? That’s likely because you aren’t staying hydrated enough throughout the day.
Not only can drinking water stave off dehydration, but it’s been shown to curb cravings and potentially aid in weight management efforts as well. So, make sure to prioritize drinking water throughout the day to stay hydrated and maintain optimal focus.
3. Get Moving
Moving your body for even a few minutes daily is scientifically proven to impact nearly every system in your body, from reducing stress to improving cardiovascular health to boosting energy levels.
In fact, research from the University of Bristol found that individuals who made time for physical activity each day tended to report higher energy levels throughout the day compared to those who did not engage in a workout.
Different Exercise, Different Results
Apple CEO Tim Cook is famous for rising super early for a workout. And doing so offers various health benefits, such as having a productive morning.
But there’s no need to sign up for a bootcamp class at the crack of dawn unless that’s what you enjoy.
Find an activity that you enjoy that also fits realistically within the context of your lifestyle and helps set your morning routine for a more productive day. A 30-minute brisk walk, strength training session, or online yoga class are all great choices.
These days, you can even join a variety of on-demand and live workout classes. Thus, no reason to keep moving.
4. Don’t Skip Breakfast
There has long been a debate around whether breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. But one thing remains certain; eating a healthy and balanced meal within the first few hours of waking helps set you up for a more productive, energized day.
Plan Ahead of Time
Actress Reese Witherspoon loves her morning routine and has started each morning with a green smoothie for nearly the last decade. And when Anneta Konstantinides of Business Insider tried it, she felt energized throughout the day.
So, if you want to finish your tasks for the day, you need to have the right fuel.
However, a quick breakfast doesn’t need to involve a blender.
Overnight oats made the night before with Greek Yogurt, chia seeds, and berries, hard-boiled eggs, and whole wheat avocado toast are all excellent on-the-go options for busy mornings.
Timing is Everything
For years we’ve heard that eating first thing in the morning was non-negotiable. But according to science, the jury is still out.
For some people, this may mean holding off on their first meal until later in the morning. For those who practice intermittent fasting, it’s a good idea to plan to have a filling lunch prepped the day before to prevent mindless snacking when blood sugar dips and cravings hit hard.
What matters is having the right fuel—foods packed with nutrients!
5. Prioritize Mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness for a few minutes each morning is also a powerful way to enhance mental clarity, self-awareness, and reduce stress levels.
And the payoff is pretty incredible too, as research shows that individuals with a morning routine earn $12,500 more on average than those who do not. And a successful morning routine includes mindfulness meditation as proven by Ray Dalio and other successful business leaders.
Doing it is simple. Try a mindful morning routine for five minutes every morning, or if movement helps to quiet your thoughts, give walking meditation a try.
Find What Feels Best
One of the most appealing aspects of building mindfulness practices into your morning routine is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it. Meditation looks different for everyone, but essentially it’s a type of mental exercise involving a combination of relaxation, deep focus, and present moment awareness.
Arianna Huffington spends about 30 minutes every morning unplugged and practicing mindfulness before she checks her emails. Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey swears by a 30-minute meditation session before he embarks on his daily six-mile run.
Just 15 minutes each day can be hugely beneficial. Check out this article on the science of what 15 minutes of meditation daily does to your brain. So worth it.
6. Make a Plan for the Day
One of the worst things you can do is sit down at your desk without having at least a loose plan for tackling your to-do list. It leads to decision fatigue and analysis paralysis.
In my experience, more often than not, this just means we end up scrolling aimlessly on our phones.
Planning doesn’t necessarily need to be complicated.
In her book, The Creative Habit, famed dancer Twyla Tharp says that structure, however simple, often leads to greater creativity and productivity. In the book she discusses sticking to a consistent early morning ritual that begins with waking up at 5:30 am, getting dressed, and then hopping into a cab to head to the gym.
“The ritual is not the stretching and weight training I put my body through each morning at the gym; the ritual is the cab,” she explains. “The moment I tell the driver where to go, I have completed the ritual.”
Tools & Tips
There are countless digital tools that streamline tasks and communication, from Asana to Trello to Click Up, but don’t discount the humble To-Do List.
Keep it simple with just three must-dos written on a piece of paper, or try batching similar tasks for improved focus. You could also create a day plan the night before or schedule your entire day using Google Calendar.
7. Feed Your Mind
In our digital-first world, it’s easy to default to scrolling as soon as we wake up. We grab our phones to check our messages, and the next thing you know, an hour (or two) has flown by.
Chances are you’re probably like eighty-nine percent of Americans who admit to scrolling social media within 10 minutes of waking up.
Just Say No to Doomscrolling
If you really want to have a successful morning, avoid the urge to start scrolling first thing.
Put down your phone until after that first cup of coffee. Research shows that getting sucked into a digital vortex for even just a few minutes completely takes you out of the moment and steals your focus.
What’s worse is that a study on distraction found that once our focus is shot, it takes, on average, almost 25 minutes to get it back.
So ditch the urge to tap through Instagram or watch TikTok videos. Instead, make it a point to carve out time to work on a personal creative project, try learning a new skill, do a quick crossword, journal, or read a book.
You could even listen to a podcast on the way to your kitchen to drink a cup of water.
FAQs
What is the Most Important Part of a Morning Routine?
Consistency is key, so it’s important to create a routine that fits your lifestyle and stick with it as much as possible. While it’s great to incorporate healthy habits, remember that your best morning routine for success should be personalized to support your goals.
It should be enjoyable, not a chore.
What Is a Good Simple Morning Routine?
Try incorporating one new thing into your day each week. For example:
Rise 15 minutes earlier.
Drink water as soon as you wake up.
Make time for at least 15 minutes of movement.
Create a To-Do List with your top 3 must-do tasks.
Fuel your mind with a healthy breakfast.
Set your intentions for the day by journaling or spending time in nature.
Should My Morning Routine Be Long?
Focus on quality over quantity when it comes to your morning ritual. It’s better to commit to five or ten minutes every morning than try to fit in a full hour and feel like you’ve failed if time runs out.
What Should I Avoid Doing in the Morning?
Limit screen time, especially on social media. Remember that study on the distraction that found we lose precious time getting sucked down rabbit holes? Scrolling first thing in the morning sets you up for a more scattered day.
Conclusion
Ultimately, a best morning routine for success should be something you enjoy and look forward to each day. Experiment, be patient with the process, and above all, enjoy.
Your routine doesn’t have to look a certain way or include certain steps.
Instead, focus on small, manageable goals and build up from there.
A consistent, best morning routine for success can set you up to accomplish so much. This means figuring out what works best for your particular lifestyle, testing different methods, and making adjustments along the way as needed.
