Josh York, a personal trainer and the founder and CEO of Gymguyz, an in-home personal training company, has been waking up at 3:29 a.m. every day for decades. He tries not to check his phone for the first 25 to 30 minutes. After a cold shower, he heads for his workout lasting an hour to an hour- and-a-half. And then he takes a three- minute ice bath around 6 a.m. York is not alone in keeping up such a morning discipline. All successful people swear by discipline. The morning routine is what makes gives them a competitive advantage. It’s about mental fortitude. Imagining how you will feel once your routine is completed and how it will set you up for the rest of your day helps. So what do these winners do when they wake up?
THEY START WITH A GRATEFUL HEART
Satya Nadella wakes up at 7 a.m. after his usual eight hours of sleep and asks himself, “What are you thankful for?” It’s a practise he learned from Dr. Michael Gervais, a high-performance psychologist who has worked with Microsoft employees and the Seattle Seahawks. “It’s just grounding. It gives you the ability to get up in the morning and orient yourself for the day,” he said on LinkedIn’s Hello Monday podcast. Then Nadella works out. “For me, the daily ritual is just a half-hour of hitting the gym every day. It doesn’t matter where I am, what time zone, how late I got in. I get up and get to the gym. It’s just 30 minutes of running, and it just makes a huge difference.” Mornings are when the brain’s frequencies transform from deep theta into alpha and beta.
For Dinaz Noria, entrepreneur and founder, Design & Decor by Dinaz, mornings are for meditation, visualisation, and gratitude. “Mornings are when I play my mind movies, the movies I make of what I want out of life. Having a highly imaginative mind, I make these detailed movies up in intricate elaborate detail, be they about building a business, living a healthy fit life, or creating a wedding setting. I ‘watch’ these films first thing in the morning, when I am naturally in a deeply meditative state."
THEY SET INTENTIONS
On a shoot day, actor Mahesh Babu gets up at 6 a.m., and a big part of his morning ritual is what he doesn’t do: he doesn’t start the day by checking his smartphone. Instead, he takes a moment to deep breathe, be grateful, and set his intentions for the day. “Every morning is full of possibilities. I set my intentions with a simple breath, and the day follows suit. Accept the power of a morning routine, where dreams can take flight and ordinary moments can become extraordinary.”
THEY WRITE, MEDITATE, EXERCISE
For Neeta Lulla, Founder and Managing Director, House of Neeta Lulla, her morning routine is like a sanctuary where ideas bloom and chaos transforms into pure artistry. “It’s a sacred time for me, and by honouring this ritual, I set myself up for a day filled with boundless design brilliance. I know that in order to keep my creativity flowing and my life in balance, I need to stick to a disciplined routine. No matter what time I hit the hay, I’m unwavering in my commitment to this regimen for ultimate tranquillity and organisation. I kick off the mornings with meditation and journaling, followed by a workout. This helps me relax and get grounded for the day ahead. It not only fuels my creative prowess but also helps me align my thoughts. Once I’m in the zone, I dive headfirst into planning the day ahead and then focus on my craft, giving undivided attention to every intricate detail of my illustrations and sketches.”
THEY FIX PRIORITIES
Entrepreneur and fitness enthusiast Shilpa Reddy gets up at 5.15 a.m. every day. She begins with a cold shower and meditates for an hour- and-a-half. Physical training for a similar chunk of time follows. Another cold shower and three minutes of cryotherapy (-195°) precedes breakfast and puja. “By then, you’ve already started on a high note. You’ve cleansed your body, mind and spirit, and you’re ready to face whatever the day has in store for you. You’re fine to handle it because you’re feeling great from within and satisfied. You become more aware of things you want to avoid and become more certain of your priorities,” she says. “Every successful person I know gets up early and follows a strict routine before beginning their day; it works. Success is the ability to manage yourself, your actions, emotions and relationships without conflict or stress. You will realise your full potential.” “I start my day with a sense of purpose and gratitude, pausing to consider my goals and affirmations,” says interior designer and Designtales founder Meghana Nimmagadda. “Drinking a glass of water upon waking helps to jump- start my body’s hydration and metabolism. I follow it up with a nutritious breakfast that includes whole grains, fruits, and protein. I make time for mindfulness or meditation to centre my thoughts and calm my mind. I incorporate physical activity into my morning routine to boost my energy levels and stimulate creativity. I then immerse myself in the design world by browsing through design magazines, visiting online platforms, or creating mood boards. I take a few minutes before diving into my work to review my schedule, prioritise tasks, and set achievable goals for the day.”
THEY ACCOMPLISH THEIR TASKS
A consistent, intentional morning routine builds momentum and has been scientifically proven to have massive effect on your mood, anxiety, productivity and overall health. “A few weeks ago, I began pranayama yoga at 5 a.m. for 40-50 minutes, followed by yoga and/or a workout,” shares Priyanka Chigurupati, ED, Granules Pharma. “For starters, getting up early gives you a lot of extra time that you would have otherwise spent sleeping or slacking. It also gives you a sense of accomplishment, and when you start your day with that attitude, it sets the tone for the rest of the day. Morning routines also have fewer distractions, so whatever you do gives you a sense of serenity and peace, which benefits your mental health,” she says, adding, “I finish all of my meetings by 8 p.m. and am in bed by 9 p.m. at the latest.”
