Yourstrulyme

I’ve been reading this book called My Morning Routine by Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander for the last couple of days. While reading some of the pages today—which include interviews with world leaders, entrepreneurs, ex-army officials, and athletes about their morning routines—I noticed a few interesting patterns.

There’s no one routine that fits all.

Each person finds their own way of starting the day based on comfort and convenience. Some begin by making a list of things to do so they feel sorted. An ex-army general shared how he starts every day with an hour-long run and ends it with a 30-minute gym session. An entrepreneur and CEO explained his tightly packed schedule—he blocks his mornings for his business and spends the later part of the day focusing on his role as a tech company CEO.

Some prefer an early workout; others start with meditation. A few enjoy breakfast an hour after waking up, while some wait until after their workout. Different people, different rhythms — and yet, all of them seem to benefit in their own way.

That left me wondering: what really makes for a good start to the day?

Although the ways differ, I noticed a few common insights across most of their routines.

Avoid Stimulation

Almost everyone mentioned avoiding stimulation first thing in the morning—no checking emails, no scrolling through social media, and some even said they dislike waking up to the sound of an alarm. The idea is to avoid immediate reaction and instead begin the day calmly, giving yourself a smooth and proactive start.

Remove Decision Fatigue

As much as possible, make certain activities automatic. Just like brushing your teeth or taking a shower after a workout, it helps to turn some routines into habits. The less you think, the easier it becomes to act regularly. I believe this can be built through consistency and by creating an environment that enables action seamlessly. That’s how we can naturally include healthy habits like exercise, meditation, or timely meals into our everyday rhythm.

I’m planning to take one insight and work on it—avoiding stimulation.

Most mornings, I wake up to phone notifications or social media posts. Looking back, I’ve realized that those days often start off a little anxious compared to the days when I wake up on my own. So as an experiment, I’m going to see how my days turn out when I skip my morning dose of digital stimulants.