Most people have an unintentional morning routine. Something like hit snooze, rush around as you are late, barely eat, kiss the kids and out the door. This is not the morning routine we mean, what we mean is a good morning routine that will make your life better and more fulfilling. They did a study and almost every major billionaire and a successful person has a set and successful morning routine. Although each of them is slightly different, almost all of them have common things to them. We will cover a few of the more important ones we feel in this article.

Sleep

First and foremost, you need to get enough sleep. You might think you can manage on less than 8 hours but trust us, you can’t. The mental detriment is much larger than you would imagine. It’s hard to tell from the inside, but if you get a full 8 hours for a few weeks, you will definitely notice the difference. Though everyone thinks they can get by with less sleep, they can’t. Regardless of what they say. There is only a very tiny, as in rare to almost none existent, group of people that can get by with less sleep. Unless you are one in a million, you are not one of them. Get more sleep and you will get more done, as you will be sharper, as counterproductive as that seems.

Get up early

Get to sleep earlier to get up earlier. If you are always late in the morning it means you are not getting up early enough. Time is a commodity and you need to have enough time in the morning to make a good routine. Get to sleep 8 hours before you need to get up, as early and as hard as that might feel. You will get used to it in a few weeks.

No rush

The morning should not be a rush. If it is a rush, then you are not planning right and are not up early enough. You need to be able to do the things you need and spend time with family as if it is part of the day, just not a morning that you wade through as fast as you can just to get to work.

No work

Do not start your day with work, do not open emails and answer them, do not make business calls. Once you start that, anything else is lost. You have a whole day to do that, so you can wait for an hour and do the things that will make your life and your family life better instead.

Exercise

Even if it isn’t much, do some exercise every morning. Even if it is only a few jumping jacks and pushups, do it. Exercise starts the metabolism going and wakes the mind up (more than coffee even, really!). you don’t have to do anything major, though if you can fit 30 minutes of weights in, you are a god. Just 5 or 10 minutes of exercise will be enough to start your day. You can always do the weights on the way home.

Stretch

Stretching is similar to exercise, it is something that will benefit you for life. Take 5 or 10 minutes and stretch. Make it a routine that you do every day, that everyone knows not to interrupt you. It is your private time.

Meditate

You might think meditation is silly, and picture people sitting on mountain tops chanting, but it’s not that difficult. One of the interesting things is almost every successful person has meditation in their morning ritual. Taking 10 minutes of meditation a day will change your life. You might not feel any difference for a month or so, but after that, you will wonder how you managed to survive without going insane before you started.

Breakfast

Whether you make breakfast, or someone else does, make sure the breakfast starts at a certain time, and everyone is there. Make it a family meal. Also makes it a healthy breakfast. A huge plate of pancakes and syrup and you will be asleep at your desk later as well shopping for bigger clothes. Eat a healthy and not overly filling breakfast.

Nature

Too often we go from house to car to office to car to house and never really spend the time outside. You need to get some nature. It might not seem like a lot, but, if you spend some time outside, perhaps even take breakfast outside, you will feel a lot more at ease. People were made to spend some time under the sky and in nature. You will feel a lot more productive and enjoy life a lot more if you spend a little time in it.

30 minutes family time

Take 30 minutes and spend it with family, doing whatever it is you want to do. Talk, play a game (what? Before work? Yes before work!), or pick something else, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s all family oriented. The morning is still part of your day and its one to be enjoyed. Remember, it’s not just a prelude to work. Work is part of your day, and should not be the main focus. Your family and life should be the focus. If you can’t think of anything to do with the family before work, then you are working too hard.

Head to work.

Or work from home, whatever you do. But that is budgeted time just like anything else you spend the time with family, now is the time you work. Look forward to getting home to spend time with family again.

If you have a good morning routine, you will find that work will not be as much as a drag as it might usually. It will become secondary to your emotions, as your family will become primary instead. Yes, we know you will say you always put your family first, but you often do that by working. So now, with a good morning routine, you really ARE putting your family first. As a secondary bonus, you will find work becomes a lot easier as well. Get a good morning routine, and you will be a changed person.