What’s the key to success? Billionaire CEOs will tell you it’s finding the best morning routine for your lifestyle.
It usually goes something like this:
- He jumps out of bed at 3am.
- Kisses his beautiful wife on the cheek.
- Gets in some light exercise by climbing the nearest mountain.
- Comes home and shots 5 espressos.
- Completes his tax return for the next 10 years.
And that’s before 7AM!
Gents, let’s get real. Life just isn’t like that!
Chances are, your mornings involve hitting the snooze button, hiding under the covers and doing anything to avoid getting up for work.
I’ve been there myself – but there is a better way to kick start your day!
In today’s article, I’m going to share with you what I believe to be the best morning routine. Try some of this tomorrow morning, and you could see some serious results for yourself.
Let’s go.
Essential Preparation
Before we get started, there’s one mistake you cannot afford to make.
Staying up late the night before!
Getting your sleep is not a sign of weakness. It’s the best way to stay strong all day and is essential when planning out the best morning routine for you.
Without enough sleep, you’ll start the day with a mind that’s not 100% energized – no matter how many times you give yourself a good slap on the face.
More than 90 million Americans experience side effects of sleep deprivation every night.
So what’s the solution? Coffee right?
Wrong. It’s really unhealthy to rely on caffeine to overcome sleep deprivation. Sure, most guys enjoy a cup of joe in the morning – but becoming reliant on it to function throughout the day is bad news.
Follow The National Sleep Foundation guidelines and aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
5:00 AM: Get Out Of Bed
My day starts at 5am.
I wake up using a normal alarm clock – not my smartphone!
Why don’t I use my phone? I don’t like to have it in the bedroom and I find it’s too easy to hit that snooze button on a touch screen device.
Up next – the battle with my brain to get out of bed. I’ve got a simple trick to win this one – I give myself something to get up for! It can be as simple as a luxury biscuit to eat with my coffee or 20 minutes to catch up on my favorite TV show.
5:05 AM: Coffee With The Wife
Next, I head downstairs for coffee. I use a french press with coconut sugar and cream and share it with my lovely wife.
It’s tempting to pick up my phone at this point – but I don’t. Here’s why:
This is the only time where both of us can sit together and chat without any distractions or interruptions. My wife has her hands full once the kids wake up (we homeschool them), so this quality time in the morning means a lot to us as a couple.
5:30 AM: Self-Development
Whenever I can, I like to spend 30 minutes of my morning on self-development. Since I’m always looking to sharpen my sword, I enjoy reading about finance, investment, and other non-fiction topics.
However, self-development doesn’t just mean reading. I think people underestimate the value of short morning activities.
Take time to engage in activities for yourself. Things like meditation or yoga can really help to boost mental clarity and improve productivity throughout the day.
Chances are, you’ll find more motivation to go to work, perform well, and make it a kick ass day.
6:00 AM: The Gym
I devote the next hour to my physical health.
I take a 2-minute drive to the local gym and do some squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. It’s important to have a well planned gym routine.
Next to the gym is an aquatic center with one of my favorite facilities: a pool with a hot tub. I use the hot tub to reward myself after a hard workout.
The best thing? At this time of the morning – nobody else is there!
Then I take some time to prepare myself for the day. I shave, take a shower and get dressed into my day clothes.
I also bring my own natural men’s face and body wash so I can thoroughly wash off the chlorine. Little things like this ensure my skin stays healthy and young for longer.
Morning Hack – Save Time & Tie Your Necktie The Night Before
7:10 AM: Family Breakfast
Just after 7am, I'm usually back home making breakfast for the family.
The best morning routine should be about family – so breakfast is a great time of day to spend with my kids. If I miss breakfast with them, I’d rarely see them!
Moms say it best – never skip breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day.
At this point, my kids have woken up and get to eat kasha – a type of buckwheat porridge. This hearty breakfast means we’re all fueled up and eager to get on with the day.
Your breakfast doesn’t have to be anything special – just something healthy, easy to digest and rich in energy.
Carbs are your best bet, but if you can manage to squeeze in some fruit that’s also great.
7:55 AM: Off To Work
I say goodbye to my family and wish them a good, productive morning. It’ll only be a few hours until I see them again for lunch!
Now I have to drive to the office (which is only 5 minutes away from the house.) Business awaits!
Morning Hack – To leave promptly, have a designated area for your wallet, phone, keys and other everyday essentials.
8:00 AM: The Morning Briefing
My first priorty is turning on the computer to look at my company dashboard. This includes checking up on:
- Sales
- Traffic to the RMRS website & YouTube channel
- View count/performance of recent articles & YouTube videos
- How far ahead on content we are
- Emails
Fun Fact: I get around 200 emails a day from people with personal questions, style-related questions or business inquiries.
I obviously can’t reply to each and every one by myself. So I have two personal assistants who are well-trained to respond in certain ways to different kinds of emails.
I know they’ll provide excellent customer service whether it’s giving advice, pointing someone to the right info or having the tech/sales team solve an issue.
8:25 AM: Coffee And More Emails!
It’s time to relax and have my second coffee for the day.
I take about 5 minutes and then go check my emails. I’m usually sent 5-10 emails a day by my assistants – those filtered from the bigger bunch – which I need to personally respond to.
That way I don’t get lost in my inbox.
9:00 AM: Lights, Camera… Action!
At 9am, I spend 2 hours doing what I do best for RMRS: filming YouTube videos. I film 2-3 videos in one day.
Why?
It’s simple.
Videos add the biggest value to my company because they reach millions of people. Which means they’re heavily responsible for any increase in sales or web traffic.
In short: the further ahead I get in this department, the more I’ll be able to maximize profits.
11:00 AM: Updates From My Team
The next stage of work involves these practical tasks:
- Editing videos with the help of my videographer
- Getting updates from managers in the team and discussing our priorities
- Working with the tech team to address any fires or issues about the website or YouTube channel (e.g. the website is down temporarily)
Effective communication is essential to all those tasks. That’s why I make sure to promote respect and understanding within my team.
Everyone needs to be focused on their work while still doing their part in meetings, Skype calls, and email exchanges. There’s no “I” in team – or success.
12:00 Noon – Lunch With The Family
I love my job and I get a lot of fulfillment out of the work I put in every day.
I don’t have to eat a packed lunch or stop by a diner in this small town. Instead I enjoy a great lunch with my wife and kids – the second meal of the day we have together.
It’s also an opportunity to bond with my kids for around 30 minutes to an hour.
I know how fast they’re growing up so I don’t take the free time I have with them for granted.
How To Create The Best Morning Routine For You
I believe that a good morning routine leads to a successful day.
Here’s how you can come up with a similar routine:
- Know the main purpose of your morning routine. Is it to be healthier, or to be more energized for work? Understand that purpose and it’ll be easier to pick out your activities.
- Compile a list of potential activities that align with your purpose. Write them in order of how you’d like to tackle them.
- Ask yourself: “Where is my time best spent?” Narrow down the list to what benefits you most and be realistic about time constraints of your day.
- Remove any small mental tasks from your current routine. Take care of the smaller tasks the night before – lay out your clothes for the day and set your keys in a familiar spot in your house.
Once you finalize your routine, try and commit to it for 7 days. No excuses or delays – this is the only way you’ll find out whether it works or needs adjustments.
Looking to boost your productivity through the whole day? Check out my 10 tips to increase productivity and avoid distractions.
Good luck, gents!
Click below to watch the video – 9 INNOCENT Morning Habits That RUIN Your Day
