My Morning Routine Book Summary

Book Summary

By How Successful People Start Every Day Inspired

15 min

Audio available

Brief Summary

Mornings are the ideal opportunity to take time for yourself and prepare for a successful day, an open secret known by talented creatives and business people. Tailor a routine to your lifestyle by considering your longterm goals, circadian rhythms, and family life. While every morning routine is different, proven shared elements include waking up early, avoiding the snooze button, working out in the morning, starting off with slow and relaxing activities, and practicing mindfulness. Mornings can also be used to spend time with family before the demands of the workday. Prepare for disruptions of routines by practicing acceptance and trying your best to remain mindful in order to stay focused and calm in the day ahead.

About the Author

Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander are co-founders of mymorningroutine.com where they continue to write about the productivity practices of inspiring people. Spall writes for The New York Times, Observer, Business Insider, and more. Xander works as a product designer and engineer. He works on various start-ups, products, and front-end development finding a balance between engineering, design, and product-making.

Topics

Self Development Health & Nutrition

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Key Insights

What are the most productive and prolific people doing with their mornings that others aren’t? To find answers, Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander interviewed 64 successful people, including Olympic medalists to best-selling authors, on their early morning routines, from getting into the pool at 6 AM to spending the morning without digital devices. In this book you’ll find proven habits, both intersecting and unique, that prepares you to have a good day every day.

Morning routines can be adapted to your specific needs, and inspiration can be drawn from the routines of productive people.

For those who aren’t morning people, mornings can feel like the most unpleasant part of the day. Many people who don’t consider themselves “morning people” rush through their early hours, arriving at work exhausted and disorganized.

However, not everyone interviewed for My Morning Routine is a morning person. Regardless, they started each day intentionally with routines crafted around their needs, productivity levels, and the things that bring them peace.

The authors write that in order to build a routine that’s sustainable, you have to build it and then evolve it around your particular lifestyle balance. The habits detailed aren’t universal, but suggestions to consider. In deciding whether to meditate at 5 AM or fit in writing before 10 AM, the authors suggest listening to your instincts and choosing a routine that’s unique to you.

To give yourself enough time, start by setting alarm 5 minutes before your usual time and skip the snooze button.

A successful morning routine involves giving yourself enough time to prepare for the day but setting your alarm clock much earlier than you’re used to could make it even more difficult to get up early. The authors suggest starting to carve more time out of your mornings by setting the alarm five minutes before your normal wake up time. Ease yourself into waking up earlier by adding five minutes to your routine every successive week.

This way, when the alarm rings, you’ll be less likely to reach for the snooze button. In fact, merely 34% of the interviewees hit snooze in the mornings. Though you may believe the extra five minutes of sleep are helpful, in reality, you’ll feel more tired than if you’d gotten up the first time. The authors compare it to revving a car engine before putting it into drive— you haven’t moved yet but you waste gas either way.

The quality of your morning will affect the rest of your day. Beginning the day with self-care prepares you for the emotional trials of the day.

Before jumping into your workday, give yourself some time to meet your personal needs. The workday often involves dealing with the demands of other people, so take the morning to do things that bring you peace. Many of the people interviewed start by making their bed, putting digital devices aside, and listening to soothing music. By slowing down, you protect your fragile well-being which can be frayed by the fast-paced demands of the workweek.

Author Caroline Paul begins her morning slowly at...