11 Things Highly Intelligent People Do In The Morning That Most People Can't Stand
Jorge Elizaquibel / Shutterstock Flexibility is an intelligent person’s gift. They can maintain healthy routines and self-discipline without rigidity, like psychology researcher Alice Boyes explains, while also maintaining a sense of open-mindedness in conversations and while thinking. Even if everyone else would prefer to lean on comfort, highly intelligent people think deeper about their choices and often rely on routines for a sense of ease, even when they’re not convenient or easy.
The time of day that sets the tone, especially in the mornings, so intelligent people are careful about what they make time for and what they don’t. From avoiding opening their phones in bed to making breakfast, there are some things highly intelligent people do in the morning that most people can’t stand.
Here are 11 things highly intelligent people do in the morning that most people can’t stand
1. They make time to eat breakfast
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Skipping breakfast in the morning doesn’t only sabotage energy levels and general mental health. It can have consequences for long-term cognitive functions and processes. That’s why making time to eat breakfast is one of the things highly intelligent people do in the morning that most people can’t stand.
Even if it means being flexible with plans in the evening to ensure they get in bed at a reasonable hour or waking up a bit earlier to make time to nourish themselves, they priortize these habits that set them up for success. Even if it’s just a single piece of toast or a banana on their way out the door.
2. They disconnect from their phones
According to a study published in PLOS One, people who scroll on their phones before falling asleep often sabotage their sleeping schedules and rest. Not only does it overload the brain with stress and sensory information when it should be unwinding for the night, but it often strains a person’s mental health and general well-being.
The same is true for the morning. If you’re starting your day with immediate arousal from a phone screen or work emails, you're jumping into “fight or flight” mode before your brain and body have a chance to wake up naturally. That’s why disconnecting from their phones and making time for a true mindful routine is one of the things highly intelligent people do in the morning that most people can’t stand.
3. They make their bed
Even if it seems like an unsuspecting and sometimes tedious task to make your bed every single morning, it’s something that highly intelligent people do every single day. They know that even if everything else goes wrong during the day, they will come back to the comfort and peace of a tidy bedroom space to rest.
This tiny task can even improve their mood, setting them up for a happier, healthier day right from the start.
4. They wake up earlier
Studies show that many people who wake up earlier in the morning have better verbal intelligence, but that’s not the only reason why highly intelligent people are careful about when they set their alarm clock. It’s also about emotional protection, energy, mindfulness, and regulation.
According to another study from Stanford Medicine, night owls often have worsened mental health, as their habits tend to sabotage true rest and increase space for rumination.
Waking up early and going to bed early at the same time every night are some of the things highly intelligent people do that set them up for success. Not only are they more energized in the morning, with more time carved out for healthy habits and mindfulness, but they’re less tortured by overthinking and doom spirals in the evening, lying awake at night.
5. They lean into challenges
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While finding moments of peace and mindfulness are important in the morning, highly intelligent people also lean into challenge. Whether it’s getting their most stressed-about task out of the way first when they're in the office or reading something challenging to stimulate their brain, they are intentional about finding space for personal growth and challenge, even if it’s not convenient.
According to a study published in the Social Science & Medicine journal, even this small reading challenge for around 30 minutes a day can set them up for a more grounded, healthy, and intentional lifestyle.
6. They appreciate silence
Whether it’s waking up early to enjoy their coffee before the chaos of their household erupts or eating in silence before starting work, highly intelligent people often enjoy their silence in the morning, even if it’s something the average person can’t stand.
People who don’t have the openness and emotional regulation skills to appreciate their own company may actively avoid silence and solitude by leaning on distractions like doomscrolling. However, intelligent people enjoy this time, at least according to a study published in the British Journal of Intelligence, because it gives them time to reflect, plan, and appreciate mindfulness before obligation sets in.
7. They plan their day
Rather than holding onto a million to-dos in their brain and trying to manage anxiety about all their responsibilities, intelligent people plan their day, sometimes in the morning and sometimes the night before. They don’t set themselves up for constant anxiety by trying to remember things. They brain dump it all and then worry about task management.
Even if it’s something as simple as making a to-do list, they’re careful about creating some kind of structure in their routine to feel grounded, even if they end up being flexible with it later in the day.
8. They focus on simplicity
Whether it’s a simple breakfast or finding space for simple habits like reading or taking a walk in the morning, intelligent people are careful about not overcomplicating their lives. They want to find things that energize them, not stress them out, first thing in the morning.
While other people may lean into work or responsibilities first thing in the morning, forcing themselves to get the most done, be the most productive, or do all the fancy morning rituals, intelligent people prefer simplicity.
9. They listen to their bodies
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While the average person may lean on rigid morning routines and rituals to feel in control of their lives, even when they’re too exhausted or anxious to appreciate them, a highly intelligent person often listens to their bodies first thing in the morning. If they need more sleep, they don’t force themselves to do a million things. If they need solitude to regulate their emotions or to plan out their day, they make space for it.
That’s how they slowly grow more inner trust with themselves. They don’t fret about rigidity and strict schedules, but instead prioritize a flow that connects them with and builds trust slowly with their bodies and minds.
10. They go outside
Even if it’s the last thing that the average person wants to do when they wake up in the morning, going outside and getting fresh are are things highly intelligent people always do in the morning. They understand that this kind of time outside is powerfully regulating for their nervous system and beneficial for their mental health, setting them up for a wonderful day.
It doesn’t matter if it’s cold or dark. They’re intentional about moving their body, finding a moment of mindfulness, and putting their own well-being first before tailoring their schedules to meet obligations and responsibilities.
11. They stretch and move around
Whether it’s going for a walk outside, hitting the gym, or stretching their body for a few minutes before starting the day, moving their bodies is something highly intelligent people always do in the morning that most people can’t stand.
Not only does this boost their well-being for the rest of the day, as morning routines often do, but they also relieve stress, regulate their nervous system, and improve their mood in powerful ways. They get the blood moving, their minds thinking, and their bodies ready for whatever is coming up in their day.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
