Unless they are taking their private jet to meet the President, most successful people have morning routines that are not significantly different than the average population. When it comes to CEOs, entrepreneurs, politicians, or media personalities considered the most successful people globally, it’s not that their lives are completely dissimilar than ours. What makes these people successful is that they live differently and make different choices than other people.
Their routines aren’t very dissimilar to ours, but they are more structured and disciplined, especially the mornings. No matter what successful people do throughout the day, their mornings more or less look similar with their countless important meetings or international flights.
So, how do the people we consider to be successful spend their mornings? This list below can give you an idea!
- They Get Enough Sleep
Successful people never skimp on adequate sleep. We might think that sleep is the last of their priorities since they always have too much to do, but the truth is quite different. People who are successful in their lives always make sure to get enough sleep every day, especially during the night.
Doctors recommend at least 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep for every functioning adult; failure to get so usually results in dizziness, confusion, headaches, and inability to concentrate on your work. These successful and productive people are always alert and prepared because they always make sure they have the required amount of sleep every day.
For the right number of hours for sleep, it is undoubtedly important that we go to bed on time. While ordinary people stay up late working or watching TV, the people we admire so much from afar prefer to be in bed and already asleep.
- They Wake Up Early
Since they go to bed early, it becomes possible for productive people to also wake up early in the morning. By the time that some hof us stumble home from partying outside and gets to bed, these successful are already done with a full-night’s sleep.
Most of these people are fully awake by 6.00 in the morning, if not earlier. Jeff Weiner, for example, the CEO of LinkedIn, wakes up at 5.30 am while L. Rafael Reif, President of MIT, wakes up at 5.00 am every morning. By the time our alarm clock starts ringing only to be silenced for the next 10 minutes, successful people are already ready for their day!
This trait is common among almost all the successful, productive, and creative people in the modern world. We can see them getting up from their sleep, ready, and already planning their day before the rest of the world starts to stir.
- They Don’t Need their Alarm Clock.
Unless there is an important meeting scheduled, successful people don’t require an alarm clock to wake up. After years of routine, their bodies automatically tell them when it’s time to stop sleeping.
Our bodies are designed to function according to our requirements; unless sedated with medication or alcohol, we will wake up exactly when we need to. Successful people don’t rely on an alarm clock to get up in the morning; years of practice makes them wake up exactly when they need to. Besides, without the help of an alarm clock, our body gets exactly as much sleep as we need, even it is just 5 minutes more into the time we are supposed to wake. Most successful and productive people prefer to rely on their bodies’ instinct to wake themselves up naturally instead of using a clock.
- They Drink Water
This is almost universal: no matter where you are in the world, who you are, or how old you are, most successful people drink a glass of water first thing in the morning.
Drinking a glass of water is something to do before you leave your bed; if possible, a glass of comforting lukewarm water. After more than 6 or 7 hours of sleep, this is the best way to deal with dehydration. A glass of water, or more, is also the perfect way to detox yourself and flush away all traces of harmful pathogens from your body.
- They Wake up to Natural Light and Air
No matter how rich, successful people are, or how lavishly they live, there’s nothing better than waking up to some morning sunlight and fresh air. Apart from a handful of names, most productive people prefer having a natural environment to enter their bedrooms. It could be in the form of big windows, a sun-roof, or even spending a few minutes on the balcony to start the day.
Natural sunlight early in the morning, as well as the fresh air we can get, is just what the human body needs after more than 10 to 12 hours of artificial light, nighttime darkness, and central air conditioning. Our body craves exposure to everything natural and pure after hours of confinement, even though we are not exactly aware of it. Even 5 minutes outside the confinement of our rooms is just what we need to feel refreshed, and that’s exactly what these successful people do in the morning.
- They Exercise
Not all, but many successful people prefer to be done with their exercise routines early in the morning. When the rest of the world is sleeping, they are up on their treadmill, jogging, running, lifting weight, stretching, or simply practicing their yoga poses.
Exercising in the morning is much preferable than doing it at any time of the day. After hours of sleep, both our body and our mind stiffens considerably; exercising will help us feel rejuvenated and ready for the rest of the day. Exercising also helps our brain to function better, prepare us to think more clearly, ease our tension, and also to relieve any headache we might have. For all these reasons, and more, most successful people prefer to exercise early in the morning.
- They Have Breakfast
Many of us skip breakfast since we are too busy in the morning to do so, but the most successful people in the world make sure they have a good breakfast every day. Some of them also prefer to prepare their own meals, which is easy, hearty, and full of nutrition. Instead of grabbing a coffee and something sweet, they make time to sit down for a whole meal and even spend some time with their family at the same time.
- They Spend Time by Themselves
The mornings aren’t for socializing or entertaining; they are for yourself – this is a mantra most successful people live by. Since they wake up before everyone else, they have a lot of time to themselves, which they use to think, plan, or even work.
These people might listen to music while they get ready or spend their mornings in complete silence, planning for the rest of the day. What’s important is that successful people spend their early mornings by themselves, rather than communicating with others. They consider mornings to be their “thinking” or “planning” time, not for anything else.
Some successful people also use this time to do something not related to their work, but something that makes them happy, i.e., music, playing with their pets, writing, or composing.
- They Keep their Wardrobe Simple
Whether it is the Mark Zuckerberg, Ex-President Barack Obama, or Richard Branson, we see these immensely successful people wear the same or similar clothes day after day. The truth is, these people like to keep their wardrobes extremely simple so that they don’t have to waste more than a few seconds on choosing them.
Unless they work in the fashion industry or are considered fashion icons, most successful people care more about their comfort than style.
- They Work in the Morning
This is the time of the day that many writers and creative professionals choose to work, while their thoughts are still fresh. Many musicians, scriptwriters, teachers, and researchers also use this time for innovative work.
Mornings are also a great time for some successful people to read their emails and grasp what they are going to do for the day. Since this is a time of the day that is yet untarnished by regular worries and tensions, mornings can also be when some people get their best work done.
- They Tackle their To-Do List
Some people create their to-do list the previous night, and some of them do it in the morning; however, most successful people begin their day by looking at their to-do list. This way, they know exactly what they have to do that day, what their top priorities should be, what they should be focusing on more, and what can be postponed for later.
To-do lists are universal; even the most successful people in the world abide by their own lists and follow them religiously. They are highly functional as well; when you’ve been through your to-do list early in the morning, you’ll know approximately how your day is going to go.
- They Spend Time with their Family
Since they are extremely busy for the rest of the day, most successful people prefer to spend their mornings with their families. Breakfast in most of these households is a time to enjoy each other’s company, with no electronic gadgets insight. Some people prefer to drop their children at school or their spouses to work, simply to use the time in transit together.
Especially if they work later or come home late, most of these successful people find it comforting to spend the beginning of their day with their loved ones.
The successful people we see all around us, the people we admire and look up to – they aren’t very different from us after all. Under all the grandeur, they are still people who have a more structured and disciplined life. It is especially their mornings that are remarkable and almost crucial to their success.
