How I finish most of my work before 9 AM

Welcome to another issue of Better You.

I hope you’re doing well and that your weekend has started on a good note.

If you’re looking for a few ways to make this weekend more meaningful, here is something you must read:

And a quick favor: if you see this email sitting in your Promotions tab, drag it over to your Primary inbox so you won’t miss any future issues.

Now, onto today’s topic. This one leans more toward productivity — specifically, the one thing that shapes how the rest of your day will go.

It’s your mornings.

How you start your morning sets the tone for everything that follows. If you wake up scattered, distracted, or already rushed, it’s almost impossible to recover that energy. But when you begin with calm and intention, the rest of the day flows with so much more ease.

For me, mornings are where 75% of my work gets done. Honestly, this shift has been the single biggest change in my life over the last three years.

And the earlier I wake up, the better my mornings go. When the world is still quiet, there are no distractions, no noise, and no one needing my attention. That’s why most days I wake up around 4:30 AM.

It’s not as hard as it sounds. Sleep early (around 10 PM), and waking up at 5 AM feels natural. But if you’re staying up late on Netflix, scrolling TikTok, or even grinding through work, you’re fighting your body’s natural rhythm. I say this as a former night owl who was too used to code late into the night.

But this post isn’t about me explaining why you should wake up early. Because while waking up early matters, what matters even more is what you do after you wake up.

So let me walk you through my five-step morning routine — the system that makes my days productive and keeps me grounded.

And if something here you love and feel it could fit into your own life, try adding it into your routine.

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1. Drinking a full glass of water

Your body is made up of nearly 70% water, and after 7–8 hours of sleep, you wake up dehydrated. The first thing it craves isn’t coffee — it’s water. Drinking a glass of water right after waking up is the simplest way to recharge your system.

For me, it feels like a signal: “The day has begun.” It’s such a small thing, but it sets off a domino effect of healthier choices.

To make it effortless, keep a glass or bottle on your nightstand before bed. Reach for it before your phone. And if plain water feels dull, add lemon slices or a pinch of salt for extra freshness.

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2. Going for a run

If you’ve been reading Better You for a while, you already know I’ve been running since I was a kid. At this point, it’s not something I have to push myself to do. It’s like brushing my teeth: automatic, effortless, just part of who I am.

But I also know running every morning isn’t realistic for everyone. And that’s okay. What matters is moving your body. It could be a brisk walk in the park, 10 minutes of stretching, or a few bodyweight exercises at home.

If possible, do it outside. There’s something magical about the morning air — cool, calm, and full of possibility — before the noise of the day begins.

Moving early in the morning has more benefits than you realize. It pumps fresh blood through your body, wakes up your muscles, and gives you a natural energy boost that no coffee can match.

More importantly, it’s a quiet win. You’ve already done something good for yourself before the day even begins, and that small victory shapes how the rest of your day unfolds.

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3. Taking a cold shower

I know — it sounds like something straight out of a self-help cliché. But once you actually try it, you’ll get why people swear by it.

Cold showers in the morning feel terrible at first, no sugarcoating that. But give it a week or two, and you’ll start craving that jolt. It’s the fastest, most natural “wake-up button” you’ll ever find.

How you can start: end your normal shower with 20–30 seconds of cold water. Gradually build up to a minute or two. Pair it with steady breathing so you train yourself to stay calm even when it’s uncomfortable. That’s a skill that carries over into the rest of life.

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4. Doing two hours of deep, focused work

After a quick coffee, this is the highlight of my morning. By now, there’s still some time before my wife and kid wake up, which makes it the perfect window for my most important work: writing content for Threads and Substack.

I put my phone in another room, shut out all distractions, and just dive in.

Some days, the ideas flow like water and I can prepare two or three days’ worth of content in one go. Other days, I’m stuck, struggling to finish even a single draft. And that’s fine — it’s all part of the process.

When I first started, even one focused hour felt impossible. My mind kept wandering. But over time, it got easier. Now, it feels natural — just like my morning run. This isn’t just about getting work done; it’s about building trust with myself that I’ll show up every day, no matter what.

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5. Eating a high-protein, balanced breakfast

Finally, my favorite part of the morning: breakfast.

I only eat two main meals a day — breakfast and dinner (sometimes with a light snack in between). That’s why my first meal has to be balanced: protein, healthy fats, leafy greens, and fruit. Not for the sake of a “diet,” but because I care about how my body feels.

Here’s something I’ve learned: once you start eating with the mindset of fueling your body instead of just feeding it, everything changes. Energy, mood, focus — they all improve.

Because when you think about it, what’s the point of having success, money, or even a happy family if your health breaks down before you can enjoy them?

If you want to start, make simple swaps: eggs with avocado and berries, Greek yogurt with nuts, or protein oats. It doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to fuel you.

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By 9 AM, most of my work is already done, aside from a few evening client calls. That leaves the rest of the day for life itself — playing with my kid, reading on the porch, playing chess against my wife (we’re serious rivals, though I still win most of the time), and hitting the gym.

Take this post as a little reminder to start treating your mornings as the most important part of your day.

And remember — you don’t need to copy my routine step for step. If something here piques your interest, try adding it in. Adjust it, shape it, and make it your own depending on the stage of life you’re in.

Because if you win your mornings, you’ve already won half the battle. Don’t waste them on distractions. Use them to push your life forward in the direction you want.

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P.S. Better You is free for everyone. But if today’s issue helped you and you’d like to support the writer (aka me 😅), here are two simple ways:

1. Grab my ebook: Productive You – If you struggle to stay focused and consistent, you’ll find this helpful. It’s the practical system I use to stay productive in a world where we’re surrounded by distractions 24/7.

2. Or, if you’d like, you can leave a small donation. It keeps me fired up to write more and help more people.

Until next time, keep moving forward. Your future self is watching.