15 Things To Do Before 11AM To Win the Day

Hey there, Alexir! Now, tell me, how many times have you said, "I wish I had more time in the day"? You've got about 16 hours, 960 active minutes, in your day. Are you using that time wisely? Really getting the most out of it? Because if you are, then by 11:00 a.m., you've already had a full day, and phase two can begin.

In the first 8 hours after waking up, your brain and body are the most action and focused-oriented because you've got more dopamine, adrenaline, and cortisol. So let's see how you can make the most out of that. Here are 15 things to do before 11:00 a.m. to win the day.

Starting off with something pretty important at number one: start your day before your day has to start. If you're waking up just in time to start your workday, you're already behind. Mark Walberg gets up at 3:30 in the morning, Tim Cook starts his day at 3:45, and Oprah and Michelle Obama rise a little later, around 4:00 a.m. Now, you don't have to be like these guys and wake up before the crack of dawn to be your most productive self, but waking up early makes a big difference for your productivity level for the day.

Although it's not for the reason you think, it's not waking up early that drives productivity and success; it's that the people who are likely to wake up before they have to, well, they're more disciplined, ambitious, and focused on long-term success. There are other benefits too, like fewer distractions, natural light exposure, and time to plan your day. But ultimately, it's that structure and discipline you get from waking up before you need to that really moves you towards your goals.

Now, before you mention those studies showing that waking up early doesn't make you more productive or successful because they didn't find any socioeconomic differences between people who woke up early and those who got up later, well, you need to understand that a lot of people in lower socioeconomic situations have to wake up early because they aren't in a position to be picky about their jobs or their starting times, and many of them are relying on public transportation.

So they're at the mercy of a bus or train schedule. But successful people, despite having more flexibility with their wakeup time, still choose to wake up earlier. It's this choice to give yourself a few extra hours that really makes a difference. You give yourself a chance to take on the world before everyone else is even awake, so you've got more time to do what you want to do, more space to just move around in, and less competition to challenge and frustrate you.

Giving yourself those few hours before the rat race starts makes your brain believe that you've got a head start—because you do. And that motivates you, making you believe that you can conquer the day—because you will. Number two: move like a robot in your first hour. Save your brain power for when it really counts. Most people start their mornings off by thinking way too much. The first 30 minutes to an hour after waking up should have as little thinking as possible.

You need to move on autopilot. In last week's video, we spoke about the things you need to do after 7 p.m. to get 1% better at life. We spoke about the value you get from mapping out your day the night before. Well, if you plan to work out in the morning, use the night before to prepare. Put your shoes by the door, pack your gym bag, and put your clothes next to your bed.

This is where you follow the steps you set out the night before. When you've prepared everything, you limit the number of decisions you have to make first thing. That five-minute step the night before saves you a lot of mental energy and decision-making power for the more important stuff. This isn't the time to fret over anything or doubt or second guess yourself. No, you'll have plenty of time to do that later on this afternoon. For your first hour, ease your mind into the day by autopiloting yourself through everything.

Number three: get a workout in. And it's not really the workout that makes you successful; it's the discipline behind it, right? Whenever you work out—morning, afternoon, or evening—you'll start to see the physical benefits of moving your body more. But there's something about a morning workout that just hits different, and here's why: exercising boosts your blood flow. More blood flow means more oxygen, and that leaves your mind sharper and your mood better.

This is the best way to start the day right, with a sharp mind and in a good mood. Morning workouts also set up a disciplined mindset for your day from the get-go. So it makes all the other things on your to-do list seem easier. You don't have to do anything intense; a quick yoga session will do the job just fine. You just have to get your body moving.

Okay, movement is you recharging your battery for the day ahead, and it frees up your schedule later on, so you don't feel like you have to drag yourself to the gym after a long day at work. And that is a win-win-win for your mind, body, and spirit.

Number four: hide your distractions away. Look around your home. What are the things that jump in front of your eyes and make you forget what you actually planned to do? Like your phone. You think checking your phone first thing in the morning will help you stay connected? Uh-uh, wrong. Okay, it actually derails your productivity before you even get started; it's a trap, but not in the way you think. It's a dopamine trap.

When you start your day off with the dopamine hits you get from scrolling, you train your brain to keep seeking that kind of dopamine hit for the rest of the day. It becomes harder to resist and harder to focus on the things you need to focus on. Your mornings should be clear and distraction-free, so give yourself time to wake up and get natural, gradual dopamine hits before you even think about looking at your phone or checking your emails.

Give yourself time to focus on you. Put your phone on silent or in Do Not Disturb mode. Hell, put it in Airplane Mode. Close unnecessary browser tabs. You'd be surprised how much focus you'll have for the rest of your day. A productive morning starts with protecting this focus.

Number five: read or listen to something inspiring. Imagine starting your day with wisdom from billionaires like Warren Buffett. That's the kind of inspiration you need. Your morning brain is like a sponge, okay? And that makes it the best time to feed your mind with positivity and knowledge.

This is probably why on the Alux app, we've seen that the majority of our listeners have made the daily Alux sessions and courses a part of their morning routine. It's what's playing in their ears when they're out walking the dog, going for a morning run, or doing some stretching sessions. It's easy to digest positive knowledge, so you come away from it having learned something new. You feel motivated because, well, even the tough love sessions give you action steps for changing your behavior.

And you don't have a kitchen sink of knowledge thrown your way without an explanation. It's one concept broken down into impactful, interesting parts. When you do this every day, that knowledge compounds into some serious wisdom—wisdom you can use on your journey to reach your goals faster. This idea of compounding knowledge is one of the big reasons we created the Alux app.

We saw just how valuable it is to get this kind of wisdom daily. But, you know, most people can't afford the high-level mentors that wealthy people have access to—until now. We launched the app as a way to level the playing field, giving you access to industry experts and daily coaching sessions designed to assist you in leveling up across the five pillars of a good life: finance, physical health, relationships, emotional wellness, and intellect.

When you sign up at alux.com/slapp, you're prompted to fill in a survey, and this is important, okay? Because it allows our algorithm to assess where you need help the most and then build a custom learning path for you. You can test out the app free of charge for a full week to sample its value. And if you download the app and scan this QR code, you'll also get 25% off the yearly subscription.

But if that's too much commitment for you right now, and a week simply isn't long enough—because let's be real, it isn't—you can snag the monthly subscription for $29.99, and then your mornings can truly start to set you up for success. Focusing on one concept early in the morning readies your mind to do that for the rest of the day.

So spend 15 to 30 minutes reading a book, listening to a podcast, or a daily Alux or expert coaching session on the app because it'll leave you feeling motivated like you've learned something—because you have. After all, the most successful people are all lifelong learners.

Number six: do a brain dump. Raise your hand if you've got a little trouble focusing. Yeah, I think that's most of us. Your distractions are partly to blame, and the other part is you—okay? You've got too much mental clutter. So write down anything and everything that's on your mind, even if it doesn't make sense. Your mind accumulates random thoughts, most of them aren't even useful to you, and you need to take out the trash.

When you do that, you can see the gold mines in your thoughts and ideas, and you clear up the mental clutter. So you're able to think better too. Grab a notebook or an open note-taking app and start writing. You could even just record yourself rambling away in a voice note. No need to overthink it here; just get out whatever comes to mind—your ideas, worries, to-dos.

You'll see how quickly you're able to clear through all of that mental fog when it's right in front of you. It takes a few minutes, but it will buy back hours of your day. Number seven: practice a skill that fakes positivity. Okay, okay, saying "fake" might sound a little bit harsh, but the truth is the positive skills that psychologists promote—like gratitude journaling, meditation, and doing small acts of kindness—well, they can feel kind of fake or disingenuous when you start.

It sounds cliché, like a trendy bandwagon that everyone's jumping onto. But time and time again, research has shown just how powerful these skills are. And you don't have to try to do them all in a single morning. Just pick one that you relate to the most. You've already done the brain dump to get the unnecessary worries and doubts out of your mind, so now you're left with the lighter, more important things.

Interestingly enough, researchers have used brain scans and heart rate measurements to test out what happens when people practice gratitude. They found it lowers your heart rate, meaning they were more relaxed. It motivates you and makes you happier. We often look for the elixir of happiness in the most complicated places, when instead it's right here with you in these simple, impactful skills—no matter your circumstances.

And we know it can be a lot harder for some people. If you're always focusing on what you lack, you'll never feel successful or happy or content. You have to draw your focus toward the things you do have; otherwise, you're going to be some kind of sad sack for the rest of your life. Start your day by writing down the things in your life that make you happy, or at least think about them. Or go do something kind for another person. You'll feel so much better about everything when you incorporate these into your daily life.

Number eight: take 5 minutes to map out your day. Ever feel like you're chasing your day instead of owning it? Well, that's probably because the to-do list running through your mind is going in all kinds of directions. It makes everything seem overwhelming and unachievable. But you won't know if that feeling is valid unless you can actually see it for yourself.

Your mind isn't a clear, easy place to read and understand. Your brain processes information better when your eyes can see it. When you can see information laid out in front of you, it becomes easier to analyze and understand because you're activating your brain's powerful visual centers. Humans hold about four to seven things in our working memory. So trying to remember everything you need to do for the day uses up far too much cognitive resources, and it is totally unnecessary.

You can offload all of that with a proper plan for your day. You also get the satisfaction of physically crossing something off your to-do list. Seeing progress makes you motivated to keep on progressing. Number nine: on a personal level, start small. While planning is important, it's also how you plan that makes the difference. Sometimes, the hardest part of starting your day is just getting the ball rolling.

So start with something small and give yourself the chance to gain momentum. You might think the small chore you've meant to do and kept putting off isn't really affecting you, but actually, that unfinished business you have is creating a huge cognitive burden. Psychologists call this the Zeigarnik effect. Your unfulfilled goals are far heavier on your mind than you realize. Finishing even small tasks can reduce all of that clutter. It increases your motivation to take on the biggest things for the day.

So choose one small thing you've been meaning to do and write it down—something that isn't going to take a lot of time or energy, but you struggle with or keep putting it off. It could be making your bed, organizing your workspace, or cleaning the kitchen before you leave for work. And once you're done, cross it out or check it off your list. That creates a sense of accomplishment early on, and you set a great tone for the rest of your day.

Number ten: on a work level, go big. Mark Twain famously said, "If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning." Your frog is that one task you dread but need to get done. At 8 a.m., your brain is still fresh, and your willpower is stronger than it will be later in the day. So now is the time to look at that map that you created and get started.

If you wait, you're just making excuses and setting yourself up for a day of procrastination. The more decisions and tasks you tackle throughout the day, the more tired you get, which affects your ability to focus and make good decisions. You have a fresh, clear mind in the morning, so knock out that big project first. Think about the one thing you could do that will have the biggest impact on your long-term goals.

Also, once you've gotten over your biggest barrier, the rest of your day seems way less stressful, and dare I say it, maybe even a little bit fun. Number eleven: compare your to-do list to your long-term goals. Since you're on your to-do list page, this is a good moment for you to do a quick mental check. Those things on your list, do they match your long-term goals?

You don't have to do anything groundbreaking with this information yet, but doing that check will let you know if you're heading in the direction you want to go or if you're just wasting time and making excuses. It's easy to get bogged down by the day-to-day grind, so a quick goal regroup will show if you're moving in the direction of your dreams or just ticking things off your list.

Those who write down their goals, check them, and hold themselves accountable are far more likely to achieve them. If you look at your list and you don't see anything that will get you to your goals, well, then that's great. Okay, now you know you need to do something about it. So ask yourself, "What can I do today that brings me at least one step closer to my goals?" and build up that habit of checking. So you know when and if you've gone off course.

Number twelve: your first meal should be your best. Food is fuel, and what you eat in the morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. And look, okay, we don't even care what you eat for the rest of the day here. For this one, for breakfast, please make your first meal something healthy and delicious. Your first meal of the day will directly affect how productive you are for the rest of the day. If your first meal is full of sugar, you're going to feel groggy, foggy, and tired the whole way through.

It's time to ditch those sugary cereals, those donuts, and the muffins and swap them out for meals that have carbohydrates and protein. That's what's going to wake you up and keep you in that alert, productive state. Think oatmeal with fruits and nuts, whole grain toast with an avocado and egg, or Greek yogurt with berries and seeds. These kinds of foods will give you better concentration, boost your energy levels, and just help you think smarter and faster.

People who eat a balanced breakfast have better focus and decision-making skills throughout the entire day. It's such a simple step that can make a huge difference. You demand a lot from your brain; okay, the least you can do is give it the nutrients it needs.

Number thirteen: set aside time to respond to messages and emails. Checking emails all day isn't productive; it's a distraction disguised as work. So schedule a set time for correspondence and stick to it. Most people spend their mornings reacting—checking emails, responding to messages, and dealing with whatever comes their way.

But if you want to win your day, you need to be in control of your time first, not your inbox. Time blocking is a great strategy here. Put aside some time to deal with your emails and messages. Mid-morning is a good time for this—just after you've finished the more important tasks. Productivity expert Cal Newport says that checking emails in time blocks instead of constantly throughout the day will improve your focus and reduce your stress.

So switch your email notifications off, and then spend about 30 minutes in the middle of your morning responding to those messages from the day before. Don't let other people dictate your morning.

Number fourteen: give your creative juices a chance to flow. Your best ideas won't come to you when you're stressed or tired. As you're nearing the end of phase one of your day, where you've spent a few hours ticking things off your list, take a moment to have some fun too. Get a little creative.

Your prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for problem-solving and creativity, is most active and least inhibited in the morning, so this is the perfect time to brainstorm, write, or work on projects that need you to think outside of the box. Even if you don't think of yourself as a creative person, you'd be surprised just how much innovation can happen when you give yourself the time and space to let your mind wander a bit.

Doodle, journal, brainstorm without judgment. Okay? Your best insights will come to you when your mind is fresh.

Number fifteen: if you can, grab some coffee with a good friend or colleague. Since you've spent phase one mostly by yourself, now would be a good time to charge your battery with social connections. It might seem like more of a distraction to break up your productive morning with socializing, but actually, it's just what you need. The key here, though, is to keep it short—a quick 15-minute catch-up because humans are social creatures.

Conversations refresh our energy and spark new ideas. These interactions increase dopamine, giving you better focus and putting you in a great mood. But you have to be strict with the timing, otherwise, you risk eating into the time that you'd set aside for other projects, and that'll just stress you out more. You want to avoid that as much as possible, so keep it short and sweet.

That way, you'll go back to work feeling like your second wind is just about to hit.

All right, Alexir, that's your 15 things to do before 11:00 a.m. to win the day. You stuck with us until the end, so you're getting a bonus! And today's bonus is: do something that scares you. Because, look, comfort is the enemy of progress.

It's nearing midday by this point, and you know what? You need to shake things up a bit and get the excitement and energy going again. Go bungee jumping? Take a jet ski ride? Okay, no, we're kidding. All right, it doesn't have to be quite so dramatic. It is a workday after all. But you grow the most when you do something uncomfortable.

So imagine how much you would grow if you did one small uncomfortable thing every day. In a year's time, you'd be like a whole new person. Maybe make a tough phone call, pitch a bold idea to your team, take a cold shower, or post on social media—especially if that's something you don't usually do. Anything that makes you kind of cringe and feel a bit awkward will build up your confidence and make the day seem lighter and more memorable.

All right, Alexir, that's your recipe for winning the day. By 11:00 a.m., you'll have already accomplished more than most people do in an entire day, and all it takes is a little structure, discipline, and focus to turn your mornings into your secret weapon for success. We'll see you back your next time, Aluxer! Until then, take care, my friend.