The Problem with Morning Routines
Most fail because they're too ambitious. Wake up at 5 AM, meditate for 30 minutes, cold shower, journaling, exercise, healthy breakfast — all before work.
Nobody sticks with that. And a system you can't stick with isn't a system.
My Current Setup (3 Blocks)
Block 1: No Phone (first 30 minutes)
The phone stays in another room until I leave the house or have been awake for 30 minutes. No social media, no emails, no news.
Why: The first thought of the day should be mine, not someone else's.
Block 2: Movement (10–15 minutes)
Not exercise. Movement. A short walk, 10 minutes stretching, stairs instead of the lift. Something that gets the blood flowing without feeling like an obligation.
Block 3: One Clear First Task
Before I do anything else, I complete one clearly defined task from my previous evening's list. Not the hardest. The clearest.
What I Stopped Doing
- Journaling: Tried it for 2 years. Too much effort, too little benefit for me personally.
- Cold water: No.
- Early rising: 6:30 AM, not 5:00. Sleep wins against productivity gurus.
The Principle Behind It
The routine has to work on your worst day, not your best. If it only works when everything is perfect, it's not a routine.
My three blocks take 45 minutes in total. I've maintained them for over two years — with few exceptions. That's worth more than any theoretically perfect routine.