Eight-step morning routine for high-performance CEOs

Executive overview

Most people start their day reactively, losing their best hours to distraction. This routine front-loads recovery, creation, and physical output before the workday begins.

Eight steps, built around a single principle: protect the morning so the afternoon can scale.

Exhaust the body to tame the mind — do the deep work before the world wakes up.

Night-before preparation

• Take magnesium before bed to improve sleep quality
• Do a calendar review so tomorrow's priorities are already known
• Dump 10–15 open loops into a journal, pen to paper — clears the mind for sleep
• Watch comedy (not business content) to disengage the brain before sleep

Wake up and supplement

• Wake at 4am without an alarm; target 7–8 hours sleep, never snooze
• Take vitamin D, NMN (NAD+ precursor for recall and vocabulary), and a multivitamin at the sink — visible placement prevents forgetting
• Wear the same outfit daily to eliminate decision fatigue

Hydration and caffeine

• Drink a full litre of water with electrolytes immediately
• Follow with coffee to complete the physical ramp-up

Reading and creative work

• Sit in a dedicated chair — a physical anchor for deep work
• Read 10 pages of a non-fiction book to prime the mind
• Create first: diagram, design, solve problems before any reactive work

Gratitude and brain training

• Use the Five Minute Journal: gratitude, daily intentions, identity affirmations
• Train with the Mendi brain app (EEG sensors) for focus and recall
• Goal: sharpen decision quality for the one or two big calls made each day

Exercise and cold exposure

• Work out daily — home gym, or a weighted walk if nothing else
• Follow every session with a cold plunge, minimum 2–3 minutes (target 12 minutes per week for measurable benefit)
• Cold plunge purpose: forces the brain off, stops internal negotiation

Breakfast

• Eat the same meal daily: egg-white protein sandwich with sriracha and barbecue sauce
• Prep takes 3–4 minutes using set-it-and-forget-it timing — no extra time required
• Consistent meals eliminate macro-tracking friction

Goal review

• Review annual goals three times daily — pinned in the notes app
• Visualise: ask "who do I need to become to achieve this?"
• Use the calendar to ensure daily activities map to goals, not just tasks