How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired

Your morning routine affects the rest of your day.

Hurrying through the first hours of the?morning will not help you face the day awake, alert and ready.?Productive,?successful people start their days deliberately, with intention. A morning routine is not one-size-fits-all. What works for one person may not be right for another. Your work hours,?your personal rhythms and your children, if you have kids, dictate the best way to begin your day. Some people commit to uncluttered living and rigorous exercise. Others prefer a routine focused on spiritual pursuits and self-care. A rejuvenating morning routine makes the difference between reaching your daily objectives and falling short.

“The choices we make during the first hour or so of our morning determine whether we have productivity and peace of mind for the rest of the day or whether it will clobber us over the head.”

As you go through different stages of life, your morning routine will evolve. If you align your actions with your beliefs and intentions, how you shape your mornings will add value to your life.?Whether you’re an early riser or a late sleeper doesn’t matter. The first hour of your day, whatever time it may occur, paves the way for the remainder.

Learning how other people begin their day?can inspire you to craft?your morning routine.

Do you fly out of bed five minutes before you need to be on your way to work or school? If so, you aren’t allowing sufficient time for a beneficial morning routine. To carve out time after you wake up, set your alarm five minutes before your usual time. Add five minutes every week until you have created time to carry out?a morning routine before rushing out of the?door. Break the snooze button habit. For most people, hitting snooze makes them grumpier and more sluggish than getting up the first time the alarm sounds.

“If you struggle to wake up in the morning, there are two solutions that are guaranteed to exponentially improve your odds: 1. Having a baby. 2. Getting a dog.” ”

To start your morning, make your bed. Keep the television?and your digital devices turned off. Listen to classical or soothing music. Take a moment to feel gratitude or say a prayer. Going for a walk, run or bike ride sets a positive intention for the day.

Writer and former firefighter Caroline Paul begins each day with a cup of coffee and a book or an issue of The New Yorker. She sets her alarm to rise between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., so she can write before the morning steals away. Paul often finds that?the transition from the stillness of early morning to the bustle of daily life is?“jarring.” James Freeman, founder of Blue Bottle Coffee, starts his day at 6 a.m. with a cappuccino. He and his wife enjoy sipping their coffee?and reading The New York Times in bed before beginning their work or workouts.

Successful people who feel most alert and energetic in the mornings use this time to get as much done as possible.

Those who consider themselves morning people find that they work most productively during the first hours of the day. Start your day with focus and intention. Create a to-do list at day’s end to work on in the morning. Writing tasks down frees your mind from thinking about what you need to do. Limit your list to five or six items, and work your way through it, crossing them?off as you go. Tackle the most urgent items first, when you’re most alert and focused. Protect your productive morning time by scheduling calls, meetings and less-demanding tasks for later in the day.

Checking your email first thing upon waking generally?isn’t a good idea; it means relinquishing control of your actions and thoughts, and compels you to answer?other people’s?questions and demands. However, to the contrary, L. Rafael Reif,?the president of MIT, does check his email first thing.?He’s?usually up before his 6 a.m. alarm goes off. He?scans?his mail then,?so?he can respond to anything urgent that might have happened overseas during the night. After that, he can eat?breakfast and read?the news at a leisurely pace before showering and heading to work.

“The moment you open your email you enter reactive mode, and you begin working on someone else’s agenda rather than your own.”

Author Maria Konnikova orchestrates her mornings even though the rest of her day is topsy-turvy. She admits, “my writing is a mess,” but morning is when she?“gets stuff done.” She begins the day around 6 a.m., drinks a cup of tea, and practices yoga and meditation. She jots notes in a planner in the evening, though?she?seldom refers to it the next day; just writing tasks down clears her mind.?“Mornings are my most productive time of day,” says the founder of?Farnam Street,?Shane Parrish. He begins early with coffee, and works on two or three projects that he prioritized the previous evening. He lets email and breakfast wait until he’s completed a “good chunk of work.”?Vanguard Group board chair Bill McNabb likes to be at his desk no later than 6:15. He enjoys having the time to prepare and catch up on the news from around the globe.

A consistent exercise routine nourishes your mind, body and spirit.

Incorporating a workout into your morning routine puts your day on a positive track. Some people prefer to exercise later in the day, but finding a time that fits into your daily schedule and sticking with it is what matters.?Try to vary?your exercise. For example, do cardio activity one morning and weight training the next. If you haven’t worked out regularly, start with short, manageable exercises. A few push-ups, squats and stretches will get your blood flowing. You’re more likely to persevere if you work out with a partner and get everything ready the night before. Give yourself little rewards for working out. They can be as simple as watching a fun, trashy TV show while you’re on the treadmill.

“When you embrace the early morning sweat, you know that regardless of anything else that happens (or doesn’t happen) throughout your day, you got your workout in.” ”

Leadership author and retired US Army general Stanley McChrystal begins his day at 4 a.m.?with an hour-and-a-half workout, alternating running with weight training. He lays out his exercise clothes and shoes in the bathroom the night before?so he can dress quickly and hit the road.?Sherry Lansing, former top executive at Paramount Pictures,?exercises four mornings a week, alternating between Pilates and running on the treadmill. She set a goal of not letting?meetings and calls throw her off her workout schedule. Long-distance swimmer Sarah Kathleen Peck begins her days in the pool, starting by 6:50 and wrapping up by 8:15. To stay fresh, she sleeps late?twice a week and takes Sunday mornings off to rest, watch the sunrise and read in bed.

A meditation or mindfulness practice gives your day clarity, focus and a sense of peace.

Meditation?improves concentration, boosts focus, reduces stress and helps you sleep better. You can use an app for guided meditation, practice mindfulness by focusing on your breath, or devote five or 10 minutes to a sit-down practice. Building meditation and?mindfulness into your morning routine is not difficult. Focus your attention and hone your awareness while you boil water for tea or make coffee. Let your mind linger on meditative thoughts while you’re running or exercising. Find moments throughout the day to stay present and bring a heightened awareness to your thoughts and the world around you.

“Meditation can include everything from heaving yourself into the lotus position (often against your best judgment) at a weekend retreat, to waiting patiently while your teakettle boils, to playing with your kids in the morning.”

Author Ruth Ozeki varies her morning routine according to whether she’s teaching, writing or leading a meditation retreat. Most mornings, she practices zazen meditation first thing for half an hour.?Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios president Ed Catmull meditates for up to 60 minutes every morning before exercising. It helps him quiet negative thoughts?and calms his tendency to ruminate about past events or concerns.?Aiste Gazdar, founder of the?Wild Food Café, uses daily morning meditation to “iron things out from the other side of conscious awareness.” Meditation puts struggles into perspective by bringing?feelings of gratitude for the richness of life to the surface.

Create an evening routine?that helps you relax, let go of daily demands and organize the next morning.

Not everyone has free evenings, but if you usually spend evenings at home, use the time wisely rather than plopping down in front of the television. Some people prefer to work at night, but even night?owls?should establish a calming practice for going to bed. Evening activities that people find beneficial include selecting their?clothes for the next day and getting their workout clothes ready. Write to-do lists at the end of the workday, and review the next day’s schedule. Waking?up to a tidy home is nice, so clean up before bed. Put the kitchen in order and set up your coffee maker. The time you spend winding down in the?evening opens opportunities the next morning to meditate, pray, practice gratitude or write in a journal.

“Most people spend their evenings running up the hours before they’re finally bored enough to go to bed.” ”

Jenny Blake, an author and speaker, thinks about the things she’s grateful for and?asks herself “wind-down” questions before she falls asleep, such as, “What was my highlight of the day?”?Bob Moore, the founder of Bob’s Red Mill,?enjoys reading in the evenings after he takes a shower and picks out his?clothes for the following day. Sometimes, he gets so caught up in a biography or history book that he goes back to reading it if he awakens in the night.?Author and educator José Luis Vilson extols the benefits of a before-bed cup of chamomile tea to help him sleep and stay hydrated during the night.

A good night’s sleep provides energy for your morning routine and enables high performance during the day.

That adults can get by on less than seven to nine hours of sleep is a common misconception. Some people function well on less, but most people feel the ill effects of not getting enough sleep. To get the best sleep possible, go to bed a little earlier, and follow consistent bedtimes?and waking-up times.?Make your bedroom a sleep haven by keeping it dark, quiet and cool. Invest in a high-quality?mattress, and good pillows and bedding.?Beginning in the late afternoon, avoid caffeinated beverages.?When it’s time to go to sleep, make your bedroom a digital-device-free zone. Televisions and digital devices emit a blue light that interrupts your body’s natural circadian rhythms.

“You deserve to give yourself the best shot at your morning routine, and the best way to do that is by making sure you’re well-rested.” ”

Arianna Huffington, the founder of Huffington Post, considers her bedtime ritual “sacrosanct.” She turns off her digital devices, takes a hot bath by candlelight, and often drinks a cup of calming chamomile or lavender tea. Her goal is to “catch the midnight train” – that is, to be asleep by midnight. Tidying expert Marie Kondo straightens up her house and puts comforting essential oils on the back of her neck before getting in bed.?Scott Adams, the creator of the comic strip Dilbert, calls himself a “world-class compartmentalizer.” He leaves work at his desk and doesn’t think about it when trying to fall sleep.

Parents should continually adapt their morning routines to evolve with the changing needs of their families.

When kids become part of the mix, your old morning routines fade into the past. Once the baby is sleeping through the night, consider rising before his or her wake-up?time to carve out a precious hour for yourself. Children force you to become more adaptable as their needs change. Routines matter to babies and young kids because they provide a sense of security and well-being. Ignore your digital devices in the mornings so you can?focus solely on your kids.?Early morning is a?great time to tell stories, share a meal and catch up. Always take a moment to say goodbye for the work or school day?with a hug and a kiss.

“Having a great start to the day with your children is so important to your (and their) overall happiness. Embrace it; it is everything.” ”

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone plays with his son for around an hour before leaving for work. Legos were popular with him for a while, but more recently they’ve been playing Minecraft on an iPad.?Emily Schuman, founder of Cupcakes and Cashmere, enjoys the time she spends in the morning reading and playing with her two-year-old daughter. Before Schuman had kids, her mornings featured less structure, but now she finds that she enjoys the mommy-baby routine.?Before he had children, journalist Nick Bilton used to write in the mornings. Now, he’s up at 5:30 with his toddler. Chasing him around the house has become Bilton’s morning workout.

Beginning the day with self-care and attention sets you?up to handle whatever may follow.

Every?morning offers the possibility of a “clean slate” and the ability to start fresh.?Taking care of your needs first thing helps you respond calmly and productively to the day’s challenges. The “me time” you enjoy in the morning’s quiet hours can become precious and necessary for your well-being.

“Without a routine, you’re like a ship without a rudder, veering this way and that, but never truly sailing the course you’ve set.”

Making the most of the day’s beginning?allows you to fortify yourself for upcoming demands and thoughtfully prioritize your responsibilities. The sense of accomplishment you feel when you complete?an important project before lunch or get?in an early workout is uplifting and energizing.