Book Name: The Morning Routine Blueprint
Writer: Mike Fishbein
Since 2010, through trial and error, I’ve found my perfect morning routine. Three times actually.
I’ve tried so many different strategies and rituals. Like everything in life, morning routines change along with our preferences and priorities. Along the way, I tried a lot of things. Some were awesome. Others were really weird.
Everything I’ve written about I know from personal experience. On top of that, I also mention some of the practices I’ve tried that haven’t worked. Some of what I tried had a negative effect on my overall health and/or well-being. I’ve also included several ideas that I hope to try at some point in the future. All that being said, it’s up to you to decide which methods best fit your life and inclinations.
I’ve condensed years of experimentation into this book. You don’t have to fail the way I’ve failed! You don’t have to figure out what works and what doesn’t.
Everyone is different, so you may need to see what exactly works best for you – – but what’s included in this book has been tremendously beneficial to me. I know it will be for you, too.
I’ve also included some bonus chapters on additional productivity life hacks that will help you live a better and healthier life as a whole.
There are so many great habits and mindsets you can maintain to increase your energy and boost your productivity. Having a strong morning routine is just one of them. Read through to the end of this book where you’ll discover some tips and resources and you’ll know exactly what I mean.
I describe three different morning routines in the first three chapters. First, I’ll give you a brief overview of each morning routine so you can visualize it as a whole. Then, I’ll go back and break it down for you, allowing you to understand every aspect of it. having a morning routine is amazing, but it can also serve as the perfect stepping stone to improve other aspects of your life.
For example, have you always hated the term “networking” even though you knew it was something you needed to do? Or, maybe you’re trying not to let email and social media control you but you don’t know The music is clutch here. The typical alarm clock sound is miserable. When I hear it in a movie or on TV, it makes me cringe. If you use your phone as an alarm clock and someone uses that tone as their ringtone, it makes you cringe. Why? Because you associate with the feelings that come with waking up. Waking up to the standard alarm clock sounds is a terrible way to start the day. It makes the first thought that pops into your head every morning a negative one.
Instead, I set my alarm clock to play the music of my choice. I use a speaker dock that connects to my Apple products. I connect it to my old school iPod so that I don’t have to keep my phone in my room.
I usually set my alarm clock to play funk music. That way, the first thought that pops into my head every morning is a pleasant one. The sweet sounds of nasty funk bring me joy and make me want to dance. You can’t sleep when you’re dancing. You can barely refrain from smiling either. And, I have less desire to turn off my alarm clock because the sounds are so pleasant. The result is that I’m out of bed faster and in a better mood. One of my favorites that never gets old is “Your Love Keeps Liftin Me Higher” by Jackie Wilson.
I’ve also tried putting my alarm clock away from my bed so I have to get up and walk over to turn it off. This has worked fairly well for me. Though I typically don’t have a problem getting up after my alarm clock goes off when it is next to me. Once my alarm is off, I don’t have a problem getting out of bed, so getting up and walking to turn it off didn’t make much of a difference. So I don’t use this strategy, but it might be useful for you if you’re the type who likes to hit ‘snooze’ multiple times.
I also want to add that it’s important to plan something fun in the mornings. When your morning is filled with boring and mundane tasks, you have no incentive to wake up. For me, going to the gym is a pleasurable activity. I enjoy it and I know it’s good for me. So, it made it easier to wake up knowing I was going to listen to great music and work out.
Some other ideas for fun things in the morning are going on a walk outside, reading, meeting someone for breakfast, or a Skype call catching up with a friend on the other side of the world. You’d be surprised at how much easier it is to get out of bed when you have something to look forward to. It’s also a great
way to start your day, doing something fun and exciting.
2. Drink Water (eat breakfast later)
6:10 AM
Almost immediately after waking up, I drink a cup of water. I typically don’t drink much water at night, but after sleeping for eight hours, my body is long overdue for some hydration. The cup of water can also suppress your appetite a bit.
Sometimes I include a scoop of BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) in the water. BCAAs have been shown to help with muscle recovery. They also give me a bit of strength and fuel for my morning workout. We’ll get to my morning workout soon, don’t worry. If you are not doing an extensive amount of exercising you probably do not need the BCAAs.
I typically sleep for about seven or eight hours per night and I don’t eat before bed. In fact, I usually don’t eat anything within a few hours of going to bed. I used to eat a small meal before bed, but I’ve started to make my last meal around 8 pm at the absolute latest. Not eating late at night has been helping me sleep deeper and wake up more energized. I have an entire chapter dedicated to having a night routine, so we’ll leave it at that for now!
I don’t eat breakfast first thing in the morning because I’ve found it hard to consume and digest and I’m usually not that hungry. It also takes time to digest breakfast which I don’t have, since I workout early in the morning. If you wake up hungry, that’s fine. A light snack is more than okay. I just suggest to keep it healthy and not too heavy. Especially if you are going to exercise.
Given my slightly over-ambitious workout regimen, it can be easy for muscles to get overworked and take too long to recover. BCAAs help prevent that. If I am feeling hungry, tired, or if my muscles are sore, I add BCAAs to my water. If you are interested in BCAAs, I would recommend reading more about them on your own on an I used to drink coffee first thing in the morning. I would be a zombie until I
drank my first cup. My rationale for drinking caffeine first thing in the morning was that I usually feel a little groggy and slow early in the morning and I wanted to get more morning started faster. I wanted to put my day into turbo mode right from the start.
Walk to the Gym
6:30 AM
After brushing my teeth and getting dressed for the day, I walk to the gym. I don’t shower before I leave my apartment because I shower at the gym.
Walking to the gym is refreshing. It wakes me up and gives me more time to relax and think. In New York, it’s often so quiet at this time, and sometimes it’s still dark out. It’s a really pleasant time of the day.
I drink my coffee on the way to the gym. The caffeine gives me energy for my exercise.
3. Workout at the Gym
7:00 AM
By 7:00, I’m at the gym and ready to exercise.
Note: I don’t have maximum energy at this time. I have the best workouts when I exercise midday. But my goal is not to get huge. I’m not a bodybuilder. My goal is to increase my energy, creative thinking, productivity, and mood. I don’t plan on being a bodybuilder. I don’t even need a six-pack. I just want to get my blood flowing, increase my metabolism, and zone out for a bit.
Going to the gym every day is a lot, but it keeps me in the habit. At the time, I was completely out of shape, so I had to go every day since I had fallen off.
My workout is short. I do the same regiment five days of the week, leaving the weekends to relax or take a long walk.
While I work out, I listen to a lot of Rage Against the Machine, Smashing Pumpkins, Lightning Bolt, and other bands in that genre. This type of music helps me get energized and puts me in a good mood, which helps me be productive throughout the day. what apps to use?
As much as this book includes dozens of other hacks worth trying, it doesn’t have everything. If you’re interested in personal development and improvement in other areas of your life, I’ve written two other books that I think you’d love.
I also have a lifehacks newsletter that I send out a few times a month. It’s packed with value, and I think you’ll benefit from it. will explain every precise detail and include everything you’ll need to know about it, why it helps, and how to do it effectively.
In this book, I also lay out the importance of a night routine. I talk about my weekend routine, and how to have a fun and productive weekend without making the Monday morning transition difficult.
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