It’s no secret that there are consistent morning habits of successful people that appear over and over again, and are credited with allowing successful individuals to have a morning of sunshine, power, and positive vibes.
We are told that if you want to be successful, it makes sense to learn from those who have already made it.
While some might convince the rest of the world that the morning routines of Bill Gates, Richard Branson, and Arianna Huffington are the ones we should be emulating, the reality is, I’m not them.
My morning is never going to look like theirs. I have kids to get organized, a husband that works a whole lot, a business I run from home, and a pile of washing I’ve been moving from washer to dryer and back again because I keep forgetting I’ve left it in the washing machine, or forgetting to turn the dryer on.
Despite this, I do consider myself a successful person, and I have spoken to hundreds of women about their daily habits, their morning routines, and what it is they do each day.
And even though we don’t fall under the same category as Bezos and Zuckerberg (I mean, you might… but I certainly don’t), there are still a lot of successful people who use the same successful morning habits… just in a more toned-down way.
These are the morning habits of successful people, that you can adapt and modify to suit your own life.
1 – They Have A Regular Wake Time
While some articles about morning habits might suggest that it’s only the early risers that will be successful, this simply isn’t true for a lot of people, and for a wide number of reasons.
Everyone is different, has different needs, different challenges in life, and performs better at different times.
For some people, getting up at the crack of dawn is a breeze, while others find it incredibly difficult (and often unnecessary).
The important thing is to try to have a regular wake time that you stick to most days of the week.
This will help train your body and mind to be more alert and productive at a certain time, making it easier to get things done when you need to.
This can be particularly challenging if you have small children who wake through the night, or work shift work (like we do), but being mindful of the hours of sleep you are getting, and making sure you’re being as consistent as possible can be incredibly helpful.
You don’t need to wake up early or be the early bird in order to be successful, you just need to be consistent.
2 – They Eat A Healthy Breakfast
An important part of having a successful morning is eating a healthy breakfast.
This doesn’t mean that you have to go all out and make an elaborate meal, but simply having something that will give you sustained energy throughout the day, rather than a quick sugar fix that will leave you crashing an hour later.
While ensuring you are getting enough sleep can have a big impact on your energy levels, so too can the food you eat.
There are days when skipping out on breakfast in order to tick more off your to-do list might seem like a good idea, especially on a busy day, but going through the rest of your day on an empty stomach isn’t going to be good for anyone.
You might not be a morning person or someone who likes to eat early, so find the best way for you to get a healthy breakfast in, and stick to that routine.
3 – The Create Morning Rituals and Routines
We make so many decisions in a day, from whether you shower first or have breakfast first, to what mug you drink your coffee out of, that it’s no wonder we are brain fried and exhausted from decision fatigue.
Creating morning rituals and routines can help you have successful mornings with fewer decisions.
Your morning routine doesn’t have to be elaborate or time-consuming, but it should be a set of tasks that you do each day, without fail.
Your first task of the day is going to be your trigger for your successful morning routine.
This can be anything from making your bed as soon as you get out of it, to taking the dog for a walk, to reading for 20 minutes before getting started with your day.
And before you go searching ‘morning routines of successful people’ take a moment to work out what you want YOUR morning routine to be, that is the first step in ensuring you have a successful day.
You can follow someone else’s blueprint but again, their needs and their situation is going to be totally different from yours. Using other people’s morning routines for inspiration is one thing, but attempting to copy and recreate it in hopes you’ll automatically have the same success is simply not how it works.
Your own morning routine is the best morning routine for you.
4 – They Move Their Body
While the idea of morning exercise might make you absolutely cringe, don’t run away just yet.
I’m not saying you have to go for a 5km run at 6 am or hit up a spin class before the sun is even up, but adding some form of movement into your morning can make a big difference in how successful your day is.
It doesn’t have to be anything too strenuous, even just a simple walk or some basic stretches is a great way to get started in the early mornings.
Creating these good habits can make a big difference in how you feel for the rest of the day, and can help you start your day on the right foot.
Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting and pain-relieving qualities, and it can also help put you in a better position to have a good night’s sleep and improve your sleep quality.
A morning walk or stretch is a great way to give yourself a head start for the day, and is a great way to help create a healthy body.
5 – They Stay Off Social Media
So many people grab their phones first thing in the morning, and it makes a huge difference in how much time they spend on their phones for the rest of the day.
While they may have used their phone as an alarm clock (how many times do you hit the snooze button), it’s so easy to keep scrolling and before you know it, the better part of the morning is done and you’re already behind on your to-do list.
If you find that you’re struggling to stay off your phone in the morning, there are a few things you can do to help.
The first is to keep your phone out of reach, so you have to physically get up and walk to where it is.
This simple act can help break the habit of grabbing your phone as soon as you wake up.
Another thing you can do is to set a specific time for when you’re allowed to check your phone, and stick to it.
So if you know you want to spend 30 minutes reading in the morning, make sure you’re not checking your phone until after that time is up.
And lastly, if you find yourself really struggling to stay off your phone, there are apps that can help block social media sites and other distractions so you can focus on what’s important.
Little things like avoiding your phone at the very start of your day can have such a positive impact on your entire day.
6 – They Take Time To Focus On Their Goals
Successful people know that it’s important to take the time to focus on their goals, and they make sure to do it every single day.
Long-term goals are easy to lose track of, and it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and forget what you’re working towards.
That’s why it’s so important to take some time every morning to focus on your goals, and what you want to achieve.
Including your goals in your daily tasks or morning routine is a good way to keep them at the forefront of your mind and as a reminder to keep moving towards them.
Looking at your goals every day can help keep you motivated and on track, and can help you make better decisions throughout the day.
7 – They Allow For Flexibility
I bet you didn’t think this one would be on the list.
While it might be nice to think successful people are rigid and have everything planned out perfectly, that’s just not the case.
Things change, life happens, and being inflexible can only make things harder.
Successful people know that there has to be some flexibility in their lives, and they make sure to allow for it.
This doesn’t mean they don’t have structure or routines, but they know that there will be times when things don’t go as planned and they’re okay with that.
Being flexible doesn’t mean being aimless, it just means being open to change and willing to adapt as needed.
They understand that not every morning needs to be a productive morning, and sometimes the most productive people actually regularly plan and schedule in an unproductive day.
Paying attention to your mental health, your body, your emotional health, and what it is you need, are all skills that allow you to be more productive in the long run, and avoid being burnt out at the end of the day.
Successful people have successful mornings because they start their day off right.
It might seem like a small thing, but the way you spend your morning can have a big impact on the rest of your day.
If you’re looking to be more successful, start with your morning routine.
What can you change to make your mornings more successful?
Maybe you need to wake up earlier, or maybe you need to cut down on screen time.
Whatever it is, make the change and see how it affects the rest of your day.
You might be surprised at just how big of an impact a successful morning can have on the rest of your day.
