Morning person or not, we all have to get up every day and face a myriad of responsibilities, projects, and opportunities.
And the right routine can both turn a bad morning around and boost your mood and set you up for success throughout the work day.
But what exactly makes a good morning routine?
Here are some insights from the routines of eight successful entrepreneurs, plus how you can apply some of their strategies to your own life.
From Billionaires to YouTubers: 8 Morning Routines of Successful People
You’ll notice pretty quickly that there’s no single recipe for success when it comes to morning routines. Entrepreneurs and successful public figures all have their own priorities. But, we can learn a lot from what they do and draw inspiration from them to fuel our own accomplishments.
So, here are the morning routines of eight successful entrepreneurs so you can start curating your own ideal schedule.
1. Marie Kondo
What they’re known for: Marie Kondo became a household name after the release of her popular book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. With a subsequent Netflix special, Marie Kondo has inspired many to take control of their life and happiness through cleaning and tidying.
Morning routine highlights: In a blog post on productivity, Marie writes about how she starts the morning with good energy. Her routine includes letting fresh air in through the windows, burning incense, saying a prayer of thanksgiving, and getting dressed—even when working from home.
2. Jeff Bezos
What they’re known for: As the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos has had his hands full for decades. He’s loved and hated by many, but one thing is clear—he’s successful at what he does and sits as the third wealthiest person in the world in 2023.
Morning routine highlights: Unlike many of his billionaire and CEO counterparts, Bezos ensures he gets a full night’s sleep and wakes up naturally without an alarm clock. Bezos’ morning routine also is very flexible and prefers to spend time with loved ones instead of scheduling early-morning meetings.
3. Shonda Rhimes
What they’re known for: Shonda Rhimes is a hit producer, author, and screenwriter whose creative mind gave us popular TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, and Bridgerton.
Morning routine highlights: At one time, Shonda’s morning routine included waking up at 5:30 a.m. to have time to herself before her children got up. This time is spent journaling or just sitting and staring out the window. After that, she gets her kids ready for school, drinks a cappuccino, eats breakfast, and listens to NPR while getting ready to work.
4. Tim Cook
What they’re known for: Tim Cook has been the CEO of Apple since 2011.
Morning routine highlights: There’s no doubt that Tim Cook works hard—so hard that his morning routine starts at 4:00 a.m. After rising early, Cook goes through user comments to stay in touch with what people are saying before hitting the gym for an hour or so to keep stress levels down.
5. Whitney Wolfe Herd
What they’re known for: Whitney Wolfe Herd is the founder and CEO of the popular online dating platform, Bumble. When it went public in February 2021, she became the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire.
Morning routine highlights: Though she used to be known for waking up through the night to check emails, more recently Herd has been using an app or putting her phone to airplane mode to get a good night’s sleep. Herd’s morning routine includes going for a walk with her dog, checking emails or jumping on calls with the international Bumble office, and squeezing in a workout.
6. Satya Nadella
What they’re known for: Satya Nadella has been the CEO and executive chairman of Microsoft since 2014.
Morning routine highlights: Nadella’s morning routine centers on a gratitude practice. After 7-8 hours of sleep, he starts the morning by asking himself, “what are you thankful for?” From there, he gets in his 30-minute workout before diving into work.
7. Naomi Osaka
What they’re known for: After beginning her career as a professional tennis player in 2018, Naomi Osaka became a household name after defeating Serena Wiliams in the 2018 US Open Women’s Singles.
Morning routine highlights: Always an advocate for mental health and prioritizing well-being, Osaka’s morning routine does the same. She starts with a healthy breakfast, often a smoothie, before heading to the courts for practice. A key feature of her morning is music, which inspires, uplifts, and calms the pro athlete as she goes about her day.
8. Doctor Mike
What they’re known for: Dr. Mikhail “Mike” Varshavski is perhaps the internet’s favorite doctor with over 11 million subscribers on YouTube.
Morning routine highlights: As indicated in this blog post, Dr. Mike’s morning routine includes getting up without hitting the snooze button, opening the shades, and making your bed. From there, he brushes his teeth, gets breakfast, and goes for a walk with his dog before completing a workout. Dr. Mike then spends some time in mindfulness before getting dressed for the day.
So What? Life Lessons for Your Own Morning Routine
As you’ve read, each person’s morning routine is slightly different. And, yours will be, too. However, we can learn a few things from these successful folks to incorporate into our own.
Here are three key takeaways:
1. Focus on the Basics
When in doubt, go back to the things you know are good for you by taking care of your physical body. Many successful people start their day by:
- Eating a healthy breakfast that makes you feel good. Here’s some healthy meal inspiration if you need it!
- Getting some movement in, whether it’s a simple walk or yoga session, or something higher-intensity. Here’s some inspiration to live a fitter lifestyle, too!
And, despite the trope that many successful CEOs and entrepreneurs wake up at 4:00 a.m. (some do, for sure), there are just as many who sleep in until their body wakes up naturally to prioritize rest.
Take care of your body first thing in the morning and you’ll set yourself up to feel better for the rest of the day.
2. Make Time for Yourself
You don’t have to be a public figure to have a busy and hectic day. And with all your responsibilities and tasks, it’s important to make time for yourself in the morning to get in the right headspace for the rest of the day. Doing so is also how you can protect your mental well-being and combat stress and anxiety.
Many successful people start their day with activities like:
- Reading
- Journaling
- Meditating
- Practicing gratitude
- Enjoying the silence
No matter your preference, taking even just 10 minutes for yourself to get into a positive headspace can set you up for a positive rest of the day.
3. Focus on Things You Love
Each famous or successful person’s morning routine looks different because they’re different. Everyone enjoys different things, so the key is to figure out what you love and prioritize it first thing in the morning. From the above profiles, we see that this includes things like:
- Getting to work right away (because you love it!)
- Spending time with family
- Exercising or going for a walk with your dog
- Pursuing a hobby
- Listening to music
Make sure you’re filling your morning with something enjoyable instead of something you dread. It’s easier to get up when you’re excited about what you’re going to do!
Your morning routine can set you up for success throughout the day, making you more productive and calm as you take on the day’s challenges. And if you’re looking for a workspace that also supports a positive workday, you’ll find it at The Post. Book a tour of The Post today.