According to Inc Magazine the world’s most successful people start their day at 4 a.m.

• Apple CEO Tim Cook starts his morning routine at 3:45 a.m.
• Michelle Gass, chief merchandising and customer officer at Kohl’s department stores, sets her alarm for 4:30 a.m. to go running.
• Virgin America CEO David Cush wakes up at 4:15 a.m. to call business associates on the East Coast.

I do not. I am not a morning person. I have been trying hard to go to sleep a little earlier, around 11pm… Get 8 hours of sleep so that I can be a nice person :) and function well.
Research shows that sticking to a morning routine can help your day be more productive.
I am still working out my ideal morning routine.

• A cuddle with my dogs and a good cup of coffee is always a good start to my morning.
• I take a little time to reflect, find my focus for the day. A short meditation if I can.
• In the summer I try to do this outside on my patio. The fresh air invigorates me, and living in Boston spending time outside is not taken for granted.
• I am always happier on the days that exercise is part of my day. Getting it done in the morning leaves no excuses to not getting it done the rest of the day.

I usually spend time planning the week ahead. Allotting time in advance for different tasks, including my exercise. This way I can prioritize what I need to get done and make sure that time is allocated to the important goals I am trying to achieve that week on a daily basis.

Like American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault, who ends his evenings by writing down three things he wants to accomplish the next day. I do do an end of day check of what I did manage to achieve that day. It helps me organize and prioritize my next day, a bit of starting my morning routine the night before.
As we all know, things don’t always go according to plan. This week I ended up spending 3 days taking care of my daughter who was sick, including an overnight stay at the hospital (she is fine now). Assessing how the week has progressed helps me rethink realistically what can be achieved the next day, taking into account what else I need to get done that week.

What is your morning routine?
Are you managing to stick to a routine?
We are all different. Start with working out what is best for YOU!