[esalen1]

This is mainly for guys who don't have a 9 to 5 job. But if you actually do get up early enough to have 2 to 4 hours of your own time before you go to work, then I'd like get your feedback as well.

I'm just looking for feedback and ideas on what works for others, especially guys who work online and set their own hours:

Here's my idea for a model start to the day. And my theory is that if I can do it 60 days in a row, then I can make it a habit to do this every day.

A. 7 to 8 am - wake / read 5 to 20 minutes / shower / meditation for 20 minutes
B. 8 to 10 am breakfast / gym or cardio
C. 10 to 11 am yoga / meditation

Note: I read about the habit loop in "the power of habit" by Charles Duhigg.

A. habit loop

Cue - alarm
Process - read / shower / meditation
Reward - breakfast

B. habit loop

Cue - finished breakfast
Process - go to the gym and run / or do weights
Reward - shower / pool / snack

C. habit loop

Cue - snack
Process - yoga / meditation
Reward - distraction (go online)

[iknowexactly]

I've been noticing I can do most difficult focus things immediately
after waking. Walk straight to computer after peeing and start editing whatever (music , video etc.) I don't currently work for others.

After a while I start to get hungry and take a break, but knowing your own strengths and cycle is good. I much prefer for myself exercise when my mind is tired in afternoon.

[Seth_Rose]

If I may 'critique' your schedule:

-I personally don't like to read in the morning. I feel like it slows me down, but if that's your preference then that's okay.
-Why so much meditation? You have one session of 20 minutes, what's your rationale for having more?
-Gym/Cardio and yoga back to back everyday seems like a lot, although I'm not sure how long you're going to be doing it for.

[esalen1]

"If I may 'critique' your schedule:

-I personally don't like to read in the morning. I feel like it slows me down, but if that's your preference then that's okay."

Answer - This is connected to Thai Lopez's philosophy about reading a new book every day. Also, the 1st hour of the day is when our minds are most receptive to learn new information.

"-Why so much meditation? You have one session of 20 minutes, what's your rationale for having more?"

Answer -

It's how I get my edge. I have a competitive job. I find 20 minutes isn't enough to maximize my awesomeness It's also something I am studying, and i like it, so that's the other reason.

"-Gym/Cardio and yoga back to back everyday seems like a lot, although I'm not sure how long you're going to be doing it for."

Yes. 3 days a week it's for the gym, and the other 3 is for cardio. The yoga is pretty moderate. Around 15 to 30 minutes.

[Seth_Rose]

Fair points. Obviously everybody is different.

I, however, hate Tai Lopez. I think he's a charlatan. Reading 1 book a day is way too much for the average person, and will cause only information overload. I didn't know that we absorb the most information that early in the day, but if so then that makes ense.

[Cr33pin]

I like it... you have a routine that works for you and thats all that matters. You laid out the basic principles and people can incorporate their own twist on it to make it more suitable for them if they so choose.

Great post

As someone without a 9-5 I need to make some sort of routine for my mornings... I was at my best when I signed up for a Spanish class in Peru in the mornings... I would wake up have a small breakfast grab my skateboard and skate to class, then after class it was straight to the gym followed by lunch. Having that routine really helped me but I eventually fell ill and stop going to the class and gym and have been struggling ever since. Sometimes I just end up sitting on the internet all day doing absolutely nothing... watching fight videos or cat videos on youtube for hours on end :/
I was never really a morning person but since I arrived here in the Phils I pretty much wake up at 5am every day and go to sleep around 9 or 10.. so I really should make some kind of routine. This thread has giving me the extra motivation to do so... an for that I thank you kind sir.

[Glaucon]

My main routine is usually:

Wake up, stretch.
Contrast shower
10 min meditation.
Some reading.

I have found that having a routine is very important, it puts my mind to ease. Also, meditating every day significantly boosts my mood and concentration, even if it is just 10 min.

[H1N1]

I have a more general day routine, designed to maximise well-being, mental health, and intellectual roundedness. I run a business so can make my own hours, but it is a bricks and mortar business with employees, so at the very least I work a 9-5.

Here's what I set myself:

Sleep - No more than 7 hours in bed. For me this seems to be a sweet spot of a natural sleep cycle, that gives me enough rest to recover from any training or what-have-you the day before. I am also a sucker for sleeping-in if I have the time. I recognised a certain idleness in myself and I find that this is an effective way of combating it.

Ritual - Cold shower first thing every morning, as soon as I get out of bed and take a piss. I hate cold showers, but it is a matter of discipline. Life is full of things you know are going to suck and that you don't want to do. Taking a cold shower, year round, first thing in the morning makes sure that mentally you start your day with discipline, and forcing yourself to do something unpleasant when there is the comfortable option of staying wrapped up warm in bed for another 30 minutes.

Skill - I do no less than 30 minutes each day developing a specific skill. For me this is teaching myself piano. I have gone from beginner to diploma level in just under 4 years by doing this.

Training - Every day, do something. Sometimes it's just a quick 100 pushups before bed, but I make sure I always do something.

Diet - 2 meals, no snacks. I am someone who has no trouble over eating. I can happily hit the best part of 3000 calories in rice, meat and veg in two sittings.

Research - Everyday, usually late evening, I research something I am interested in understanding in detail. Currently it is the peculiar (as in particular to them) Russian predisposition for mysticism and its impact on Russian literature.

Reading - Minimum 30 pages of a book each day, no excuses. I often read (much) more than this, but having this defined means that I read more than a book each week without fail. The fact that time is more clearly regimented by the rest of my routine means that although my minimum reading requirement for the week is 210 pages, I'm typically more than doubling that. Last week I re-read Crime and Punishment (over 600 pages).

I don't have set times that I do all this stuff (other than that the shower must be first thing), but I find having the above set as a minimum ensures that my spare time is incredibly productive, and fulfilling. I used to waste a lot of time, so doing the above has been transformative. I do find I tend to get up, have a cold shower, make coffee, play piano, read 30 pages or so, and then read up on the news. That is generally the first two hours of my day.

[Seth_Rose]

An article from ROK today on Neomasculine morning routines--perfect timing!

http://www.returnofkings.com/72752/4-mor...culine-men

[Cyclone]

(11-04-2015 01:12 PM)Seth_Rose Wrote:  

If I may 'critique' your schedule:

-I personally don't like to read in the morning. I feel like it slows me down, but if that's your preference then that's okay.
-Why so much meditation? You have one session of 20 minutes, what's your rationale for having more?
-Gym/Cardio and yoga back to back everyday seems like a lot, although I'm not sure how long you're going to be doing it for.

1) I think if you read non-fiction in the morning (literally 2-3 pages) is excellent. Fiction, however, I feel would slow you down.
2) Agree that 20 mins is plenty..
3) I think it's fair to separate them, i mean, you would literally go a full day without any exercise? Every other day is plenty of time to recover.

Anyway, I only have ONE hour in the mornings to do my shit. In order:

- read 2-3 pages of a non-fiction book
- dry-skin brush entire body
- do the tri-stretch (does legs, shoulders, abs)
- take a COLD shower
- listen to something riveting while changing (rap, Donald Trump speech)
- check laptop gmail/FB/message boards
- eat small breakfast + multivitamin/zinc
- eyedrops to refresh before heading out
- stairs at some point to pump body up

Sadly, I end up spending a disproportionate amount of time on laptop/internet in the midst of all this. Should really post this bullet point list on my wall somewhere. Good to know morning is when new learning is done - thanks for the tidbit
.

[el mechanico]

This is a thread of lies or what I think I do or.

This is what I do then.

Wake at 5am make a smoothie then do a full home workout.

6am. Prepare a full paleo breakfast, eat then jog 5 miles.

7am. Hit the shower wake the kid up then make another paleo breakfast using organic ingredients.

730am. Read 15 minutes

745am make sure kid is ready for school go outside and do calisthenics then drive to school

815am hit the gym and yoga class

915am get to work refuse coffee cause it's bad for me.

[General Mayhem]

Honestly there is no way that anyone should be spending the first 4 hours of the day essentially prepping for the rest of it.

You are pissing away your peak performance window. Your brain is generally going to be at peak function an hour after you wake up and for about 4 hours after that. If you waste that time you are so far behind the game you won't be able to catch up. Anyone who wakes up at the same time and starts work shortly after is going to bury you in terms of productivity.

In my opinion, gym, yoga, and reading are all evening activities. Hitting the gym in the morning is a huge waste of brain productivity. In the evening you can get just as good of a workout in, but you aren't sacrificing peak performance hours to do it. Yoga is fun to do in the morning but when you consider the opportunity cost it's not worth it.

If you are dead set on reading and working out and shit in the morning I'm not saying you can't do it. I'm just saying that it doesn't need to take 4 hours. Condense that shit so that it all fits in the first hour of your day. Maybe try to rotate reading and yoga each day. See what works for you.

The first thing I do every morning is crush a bottle of water. It amazes me that some people wait hours after they wake up to hydrate their body. Then I flip on the coffee pot.

Mornings are a lot smoother when I prep the night before. I prep the coffee pot, have a water waiting beside my bed. I even make my eggs the night before so I don't have to deal with it in the morning.

[Rush87]

I'll usually wake up at around 10am, drink water, jump into a cold shower, last about 30 seconds because it's way too fucking cold, eat an apple [because I read somewhere that it wakes you up better than coffee - ps: It works], scan the internet [Usually forums such as this, health, news and a little horse racing] while eating breakfast and then start work from home usually at around 11:30.

[DumbfromBirth]

Why do you follow thai lopez as a role model? He is not very well liked by many people and for good reason.

I usually wake up between 5 and 6. Read for 2hrs, 20min on language learning and sometimes workout before all of that for 40min. I dont agree that gym in the morning is a waste of time. A long black and a workout gets your metabolism going and wakes me up. I then have a very light breakfast eating my first big meal at 4pm.