GET MOST OUT OF YOUR DAY
What do health experts and happy achievers do first thing every day? While most of us are wrestling with our snooze buttons, many of the world’s highest flyers are getting a head start on their day. Here, five healthy and successful people share their mor
THE THERAPIST Linda Blair is a clinical psychologist who has written five self-help books.
“Everyone can benefit from a morning routine. A lack of structure is related to depression and anxiety.
“I wake at 6:45 a.m., do a little yoga while facing a window with the most beautiful view of southwest England and always finish with sun salutations because they’re a great full-body workout. My mum, a sprightly 93, does exactly the same thing.
“Then, I make a light breakfast before going for a 20-minute run or swim — always something aerobic, but nothing too strenuous — to get my endorphins pumping and mood lifted for the day. Finally, I walk my dog. I get more endorphins from the sunlight, and stroking an animal while chatting to other dog-walkers gives you a dose of oxytocin. Mainly, it just makes me feel good.”
THE NEUROSCIENTIST Dr. Tara Swart is a doctor who lectures at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on executive performance.
“Human beings have a bucket of cognitive resource and that’s finite. Every time you make a decision, you use up a bit of that bucket.
“For me, because I have to make so many complicated decisions in a day, it means making as few decisions as possible in the morning. I’m not quite as extreme as Mark Zuckerberg, who wears the same clothes to work every day, but I do tend toward doing the same thing every morning. My entire wardrobe is colour coded so choosing what to wear is never a difficult decision.
“I wake at 8 a.m. each day and have either a boiled egg from a batch I cooked on Sunday, or add some avocado, nuts and seeds to a smoothie I have prepared the night before. Then I have a coffee with coconut oil, which contains medium chain triglycerides, a type of fat that has been shown to boost cognitive function. On my commute, I do a simple 12-minute breathing meditation.”
THE ENTREPRENEUR Emma Sinclair is founder and chief executive of Enterprise Jungle (enterprisejungle.com) and the youngest person to float a business on the London Stock Exchange. She is also an ambassador for UNICEF and its first business mentor.
“I wake between 6 and 7 a.m. and speak to my co-founder in Los Angeles about what has happened over there while I have been asleep. Then I clear my inbox. Replying to emails means setting things in motion so I can then go about seeing my family and exercising.
“I have a ready-made green juice, then either go to my gym to do a spin class or my personal trainer comes by and we do a fullbody workout at home.
“Breakfast will be a tofu scramble with onion, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, or a protein shake made with hemp or oat milk and protein powder.”
THE MEGA-TRAINER James Duigan is a personal trainer whose Clean and Lean Diet books have sold millions.
“I read something about the importance of rituals and decided to adopt a morning routine that I never waver from, based on what really matters to me. Nothing matters more to me than my family.
“So I wake up at 7 a.m. and grab my son Leo, two, change his nappy and bring him and Charlotte, four, into our room and we’ll talk and play for 10 minutes.
“Then we go down and have breakfast together. I have a smoothie with some vegan protein and rice milk, and then Leo and I will share either some egg on toast or quinoa porridge.
“Then my wife, Chrissie, and I will put on some music and dance for about 30 seconds — it’s a great way of connecting.”
THE MULTIMILLIONAIRE Sir Richard Branson is founder of the Virgin Group.
“I try to wake up around 5 a.m. It’s a peaceful time and allows me to catch up on news from around the world, respond to emails, post social media, play tennis and, most importantly, spend time with my family.
“My routine has changed recently with an even bigger focus on exercise. So, I’ve been running and swimming or going out on my bike. I find getting in this exercise early in the day puts me in a great frame of mind.
“I don’t think being an early riser should be a badge of honour. Rather it’s part of doing everything you can to enjoy your life.”