Recently, there was an article in Business Insider called “12 Things Successful People Do Before Breakfast.” I was intrigued and immediately clicked. Of course, the number one thing they do is get up early (kind of a given!). It got me thinking about how I make the most of my own mornings.

The truth is, if I don’t get something done in the morning, the likelihood of it ever getting done is very slim. Still, I’m often asked how I get up so early, stay so motivated and make the most of my time. What are my morning “wins” that lead to a productive, fulfilling lifestyle even in the hustle and bustle?

• Setting the alarm extra early. Our alarm goes of around 4:40am. It’s painful and foggy for at least 10 minutes. It sucks. But here’s what it does: gives me the time I need to wake up so I can actually be productive before work. I need that 20-30 minutes of wake up time to be my best.
• Meditation. For me, this is prayer time. For you, it could just be morning stretches, clearing of your mind and deep breathing to prepare your body for the day. It helps set the focus and gives you an intention to be the best you can be.
• Exercise. Yes, I exercise before work and it’s not easy. I always feel like I have a million other things to do, plus my body isn’t fully awake yet. But it gets there — and I am about 10x more productive after my workout than I would have been otherwise. I have a plan, and a time and I show up. The rest is cake (kind of!)
• Nutrition. Your Momma always said start the day off with breakfast. I abide by that rule by having two breakfasts. They aren’t huge but I need something before I head off to the gym. A half-bag of mixed berry or chocolate belVita bites is a perfect snack for me pre-gym time. Post-gym, I whip up a quick protein shake and finish my bag of belVita!
• The To-Do list. Everyone has little tasks on their to-do list that they’ve been putting off forever. I learned long ago, looking at them on the list every day is far worse than just getting them done. I try to check off the “easy” tasks first, even if they’re annoying. Things like paying a bill online, changing an address or making a doctor’s appointment. Cross a few things off and you’ll feel like you’re on a roll.
• Connect with my husband. This may seem like it doesn’t belong on the list but it is a morning win for me. Once the work day begins, we’re pretty much unattached and don’t talk much. It’s good for our relationship to have a bit of quality conversation before the hustle of the day. It’s much less stressful and exhausting than the end of the day and I find we have good conversations at 6am.
• Start something before I leave for work. My work is kind of 24-7, in that it’s digital and social media. It’s a neverending barrage and with a 45-minute+ commute, I’m often stressing about all that I need to begin when I arrive. That’s why I get something started before I leave for work so I feel like I’ve already started before I get there. It gives me a little oomph and relief.
• Getting dinner started. We cook a lot so having a dinner plan before I leave for work is really important to me. Since it’s winter, the crock pot is my best friend. But even when I’m not using that, having the ingredients and stuff ready for when I come home takes a bit of pressure off me of having to think about it later. It helps take anxiety out of my day — and that’s a win.

So those are just a few of the things that I consider morning “wins” for myself. They’ve help me be more productive, inspired, fulfilled and happy. I like staying busy and completing projects. Mornings are the very best way I can do that, especially when I’m eating right and filling my brain with what it needs to function.

By the way, my husband actually ate most of my mixed berry and chocolate belVita bites before I got to most of them so you know they are that good!

I do head to bed around 9:30 or 10 each night — which can be tough to get used to. But, if you want to try some of these morning wins, attempt to reprogram your sleeping patterns to see if you can make it happen. Who knows what you may accomplish?

“Disclosure: This post was sponsored by belVita through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about belVita, all opinions are my own.”