After a week of experimenting with the morning routine of successful people, I decided that I would stick with this habit and recommend that you also learn something from these healthy habits.
Mark Cuban is busy every day: a consultant on the show "Shark Tank", owner of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and a father of three. But no matter how busy a day is, he still manages to find time to read "4 to 5 hours a day" and exercise for at least an hour.
This self-made billionaire is productive from the moment he wakes up at 6:30 am. The first thing he does is check his email right in his bed and tackle any high-priority items. The rest of Cuban's morning consists of catching up on the news, exercising - he loves playing basketball with his friends - and drinking a cup of caffeine-free coffee.
"Every morning, I wake up, I work and I study," Cuban told Daymond Garfield John, another big character on "Shark Tank."
I tried the Shark Tank - Mark Cuban morning routine for a week - and it significantly increased my productivity - Photo 1.
Entrepreneur Mark Cuban
Wanting to see if I could improve my current productivity, I tried emulating Cuban's morning routine for a week in New York City.
And here's what happens:
Monday
My alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m., about 15 minutes later than usual. Even just a quarter of an hour extra sleep, seems to make a difference. I felt more alert and rested than usual on Monday.
I don't get work emails on my phone like Cuban does, so I left the laptop by my bed the night before.
After 30 minutes of checking email, everything is done, inbox is back to zero. I feel pretty good about my morning direction until I go to make coffee. I only had regular coffee and had to run to a local grocery store to buy decaffeinated coffee. I forgot my key, and when I finally got back to the kitchen it was almost 8am.
I hit the gym quickly, sweat, shower and go to work in a hurry. I'm running behind schedule, but since I've checked all my emails and jotted down the things I need to prioritize, I'm able to dive into work projects in no time.
Tuesday
I just spent 15 minutes scrolling through my inbox this morning to have more time for exercise and problems that might arise. There won't be any distractions at 6:30 a.m. so I can fully focus on checking all my emails quickly and efficiently.
I decided not to buy a whole bag of decaf (decaffeinated coffee) for the rest of the days of the challenge, because I decided after a 30-minute jog outside, I would stop by the grocery store to pick up my groceries. always.
Cuban eats the same thing for breakfast every day: a pack of eight oat cookies from a company called Alyssa's that he invested in on "Shark Tank." I did the same. This breakfast is still quite efficient and complete to me.
Wednesday
It wouldn't be a simulated week for the owner of the Dallas Mavericks without playing basketball. After dealing with the email, I made an appointment with a friend at the outdoor patio near my apartment, we didn't have enough people as a team to play but I still completed my exercise well with just running. and throw the ball.
Morning movement helps to give an energetic start to the day. I immediately ordered a decaf latte afterwards.
Playing basketball in the morning takes up more of my time, so I pack a takeaway breakfast cookie and use 30 minutes of my commute to catch up on the news.
Checking all my email in the morning saves me some time, instead, I continue to go online and read and update the news.
Thursday
Cuban sleeps in his gym clothes instead of pajamas, and that's what I'm doing, too. It's comfortable, saves time, and is one less thing to think about in the morning. Knowing exactly what I'm going to have for breakfast also minimizes the number of decisions I have to make at the start of the day.
To this day, I still haven't skipped my morning decaf, however, at lunchtime, I still decide to buy an extra cup of black coffee to help fuel up for the afternoon.
Friday
I don't have to go to work today - it's Good Friday - but I think Cuban will stick to his routines even during the holidays. I still do each morning activity four days before, checking email, news, exercise, and breakfast - but at a more leisurely pace.
After a week of living like a tech billionaire, I was able to somewhat understand how Cuban accomplishes so much. Here's what I feel I've gained from this habit
I was much more productive in the morning. By going to bed in my gym clothes and breakfast, I have less to think about what to wear and what to eat. It may seem like a small change, but it's a way to avoid what's known as decision fatigue, which happens when choices become increasingly difficult and Your finite energy is exhausted.
Cuban isn't the only successful person who has found a way to eliminate decision-making and free up mental space in the morning, Mark Zuckerberg, John Paul DeJoria or Barack Obama often wear the same thing. one way to do it.
"You'll find me just wearing gray or blue," Obama told Vanity Fair in 2012. "I'm trying to reduce decisions. I don't want to have to make decisions about what I'm going to do. eat or wear, because I have so many other decisions to make. You need to know how to minimize unnecessary things."
I control a better workday. I find that completing small tasks, such as sending emails or reading the news, makes me feel a greater sense of control over my day. Plus, it gives me less work to do before I actually get to work in the office.
Organizing my emails and news updates also helps me figure out what to prioritize in the morning. Experts always say that it's extremely important to get hands on top of priorities. As author Brian Tracy, who has studied time management for over 30 years, writes in his book "Eat That Frog!" The key to achieving high levels of performance and productivity is to develop the habit of prioritizing tasks first thing in the morning.
Exercise is an energizing start to the day . I used to try to exercise in the morning, but I couldn't always keep it up. This week, I have to make time for it because I'm working on a challenge. What I get in return is feeling healthier throughout the day, less stressed at the end of the day, because I no longer have to rush home to run or hit the gym.
Plus, it's scientifically proven that exercise can make you a pro by improving memory and mental acuity, reducing stress, and even boosting creativity.
For all of the above reasons, I personally decided to maintain the same morning routine as Mark Cuban from now on, and I also recommend that you also consult based on your own circumstances.