Maximising Your Performance: A Morning Routine for Business Success

As a busy professional, you’ve likely heard it all when it comes to morning routines—hour-long meditations, cold showers, green smoothies, and complicated regimens that might sound appealing but are unrealistic for most high-performing entrepreneurs. I’ve been there too, and after over a decade of experimenting, I've found a simple, effective morning routine that leverages your nervous system to maximise your energy and performance throughout the day.

This isn’t another overly-complicated plan designed to take hours out of your morning. It’s quick, direct, and designed to set you up for success in life and business.

The Key to Unlocking Your Potential: Working with the Nervous System

First things first—let’s talk about your nervous system. It’s the part of your anatomy that most people overlook, but it’s crucial for performance. Whether you’re in the gym, in a meeting, or working on a big project, your nervous system determines your energy levels, focus, and productivity. Knowing how to work with it—when to hit the gas and when to use the brakes—is a game changer. In this article, I’m going to show you exactly how to tap into its power every single morning.?

A Routine to Ramp Up Your Energy

Here’s the thing: when you wake up in the morning, you’re not ready to hit the ground running at full speed. Your energy needs time to build, so the idea is to slowly ramp it up rather than jump-starting your system with an intense jolt. Ever had a blaring alarm clock wake you up from a deep sleep? It’s horrible for your nervous system. Instead, we want to hockey-stick your energy, gradually increasing it throughout your morning routine. Here’s how:

Step 1: Meditate (10-30 Minutes)

The first thing I do is meditate. Why? Because when you wake up, you’re still in a state of alpha brainwaves—a state where you’re more relaxed and receptive. You’re in between sleep and wakefulness, which makes it the perfect time to meditate. I recommend starting with 10-20 minutes. No phones, no distractions, just you in a calm, quiet space. This helps me set a clear, focused intention for the day.

Step 2: Read Something Inspiring (3 Pages)

After meditation, I turn on a soft light—nothing harsh—and read something inspiring for about three pages. It’s important to choose something that aligns with the energy you want to bring into your day. One of my personal favourites is Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker. Whether it’s about business, personal growth, or motivation, find a book that lights a fire under you and gets you thinking bigger.

Step 3: Journal (5-10 Minutes)

Once I’ve read something inspiring, I journal. Now, this isn’t your typical "write three things you’re grateful for" type of journaling. Instead, I capture ideas and insights I’ve gotten from what I just read. This is how you turn knowledge into wisdom—by taking what you’ve learned and applying it directly to your life or business. My dad always said “knowledge is learned, wisdom is practised,” books are a great source of knowledge but only become wisdom when we take action on the learnings we received. This journaling practice helps me do just that!

Step 4: Get Into State

This is where things get fun. After journaling, it’s time to boost your energy and get your nervous system fired up. My go-to is using a Sadhu board (yep, a board of nails) to engage my sympathetic nervous system, but you can choose whatever works for you—whether it’s dancing, doing a set of push-ups, or a quick workout. The goal is to increase your energy and cortisol levels to prepare your body for the day ahead. Just 1-3 minutes will do the trick.

Why Speed Matters

One of the reasons this routine is so effective is because it’s quick. I don’t have time for two-hour morning routines, and neither do you. Everything here can be done in about 30 minutes. That means by 5:30 or 6:00 AM, you’re not just awake—you’re productive. Before most people have even rolled out of bed, you’ve already meditated, read, journaled, and gotten into a peak state.

The One Thing You Must Do

After I’ve ramped up my energy, I tackle my most important task of the day—before checking emails, responding to messages, or letting anyone else steal my attention. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!! NEVER LOOK AT YOUR PHONE UNTIL YOU’VE ACCOMPLISHED THE ONE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR THE DAY. This ensures that for at least 1-2 hours you work on the business instead of in it. This one thing is the most important task that will move the needle in my business. Whether it’s creating content, strategizing a new product, or reaching out to a key client, I do it in this window when I’m at my peak performance.

Conclusion: The Power of an Elite Morning

By the time most people are just starting their day, you’ve already crushed yours. You’ve meditated, gotten inspired, written down new insights, and completed your most important task—all before 7 AM. This isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing what matters most. When you consistently prioritise these high-leverage activities, you’re no longer playing catch-up. You’re leading the pack.

So, if you’re serious about maximising your performance and results, give this morning routine a try. Protect that morning time fiercely—no distractions, no excuses. It’s your strategy to get your mind and body into peak condition for whatever the day throws at you. And remember, your morning sets the tone for your success.

Don’t think about it… Start tomorrow. Let’s get to work.