“If you win the morning, you win the day” – Tim Ferris
It’s 5 AM as I write this post.
Since my boarding days, I have always been an early riser. For the last few years I have been waking up at around 4.30 AM, every single day.Waking up early has transformed my life. Average wake up time of Indians is 7:15 AM. Guatemala citizens wake up the earliest in the world at 6:15 AM and Greece wakes up last at 8:29 AM. So as you can see, I get a time boost of almost three hours, compared to the rest of my country. Time means everything in today’s world. So these extra hours are incredibly beneficial. Time boost is truly powerful.
My six morning habits
Hydrate – Given that around 60% of total human bodyweight is water, there’s no surprise that it’s essential to optimal performance. As soon as I wake up, I drink almost 500 ml of water mixed with lemon and rock salt. Salt is rich in minerals and electrolytes and aids in water absorption, digestion and facilitates bowel movement. Due to its high Vitamin C content, lemon helps boost immunity. No honey or sugar. Never.
Mobility –Movement is a powerful tool, and I take pride in saying that this is the most valuable habit of my morning routine. By actively moving joints through their ranges of motion, your muscles will be activated and circulation is improved. Tissue flexibility is also enhanced and joints are prepared to function properly. Any muscular stiffness, aches and lethargy are quickly eliminated and you’ll feel supple and full of vitality.
And when you feel good physically, you’re going to feel good mentally too!
In the long run, this habit will go a long way to help maintain joint health. It will help prevent fibrotic changes in the muscle fibres that can hinder movement and lead to pain and dysfunction.
Me Time – I have half an hour of Me Time every morning. I work on all my to-do list for the day, responding to emails and assigning tasks to my team. I am able to achieve at least 3 hours of work in this morning half hour as there’s no distraction. I also use this time to do work that earns me some extra money. Work, that can’t be done during office hours like managing my personal finances, processing images from my many photography trips, which I sell through stock photos or send to publishers. That earns me some extra money. There are various ways you can generate some income working online in these extra morning hours. I also maintain a Journal. I make notes. I write things which I didn’t like about my activities day before. Since weaving these activities into my morning routine, I have been more mindful and clear headed. It sets a more positive tone for the day first thing.
My Morning Coffee – I take my coffee pre-workout. This has been a long-standing habit since I got rid of pre-workout powders from my life. A good dose of caffeine makes me feel alert and focused. If you want that little extra boost, consider having your coffee before you begin your fitness routine. Studies have shown that 2 mg/kg of body weight works perfect. I always take a large cup black coffee. Experiment yourself for what works best for you. Caffeine is absorbed in our body quickly, reaching its peak within 30-60 minutes. Bear this in mind to get the best effects.
Catching Sunlight – I go to the balcony of my gym to catch the morning sunlight and do my warm up and dynamic stretching. Catching the early morning sun light, even just for 15 minutes, when the sun is low in the horizon, is the best thing you can do for your brain health, circadian rhythm, sleep, hormones, mood and many more things. Avoid looking direct into sunlight.
Fitness – Many people prefer to do their fitness routine after a hard day’s work at office. It’s not easy. You are tired and hungry and your motivation levels are down. By waking up early, we have that extra time boost to be regular in the gym. I have realized that, by waking up early, I am consistent in my fitness routine and have achieved my fitness goals. Workout enhances your metabolism. Morning workout routine helps you cultivate consistency. Morning exercise has been shown to improve focus and mental abilities all day long. It helps develop strong self-discipline. Waking up early in the morning to exercise will, in turn, help you sleep better at night. Your body will enjoy a healthy sense of fatigue at the end of the day and will be ready to sleep. Say goodbye to all the tossing and turning when your body is restless! Nobody wants to wake up early every morning to exercise if they aren’t going to see results. This sacrifice will subconsciously prompt you to work harder and find ways to improve your exercise results. It will help you commit to the process over a longer period of time. Hopefully for life. Exercise has been touted as a cure for just about everything that ails you. Frequent colds? Exercise. Poor digestion? Exercise. Feel depressed? Exercise.
I go to bed at around 9:30 PM. India average is 12:15 AM. How do you spend your time after 10 PM? Usually, it’s either hanging out with friends, or watching Netflix or having alcohol.
The truth is, the later hours of the day are never spent productively. They are spent to do things which do not require much effort. Whereas when you wake up early, your mind is fresh.
The early hours are most ideal for solving complex issues. After 10 PM hours are wasted hours. Early morning hours are creative hours. Another big advantage of early hours is you are alone and undisturbed. No distractions. No one is awake to call you or text you. No TV shows to watch. The world is sleeping at 4.30 AM so the distractions will be significantly low. A carefully choreographed morning routine is the key to a productive day. It is the only time of the whole day which is yours- for your own priorities, before anybody else in the world claim their piece of you. The early morning is the time for you.
I truly enjoy early morning time of peace, that time to myself, when I can think, when I can do creative things. And every day I get to see the greatest spectacle of nature – the Sunrise. I go for my early morning run as the sun rises and sky turns from dark blue to orange to light blue. What a glorious morning it is, every day.
