11 Things Smart People Do In The Morning That Normal People Can't Stand
Truly intelligent people use the start of each day to boost their productivity.
Iaroslavv / Shutterstock Let’s face it, it’s hard to get out of bed in the morning. Leaving the warm blankets to perform tasks that can be difficult or frustrating isn’t appealing for most people. However, smart people have found ways to revolutionize their mornings by doing some specific things that normal people can't stand. They are early to rise and jump quickly into being productive. They mastered the art of the morning routine.
"The key to an easier morning is to keep your first waking hour as consistent as possible throughout the week. The more we struggle to make decisions, the more energy we deplete. When first starting the day, it’s important to avoid 'decision fatigue' by having a set morning routine," says Luna Greenstein for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "Having a morning routine can increase your energy, productivity and positivity. It also generates momentum, building up to the brain’s peak time for cognitive work (late morning)."
These are 11 things smart people do in the morning that normal people can't stand
1. Wake up before dawn
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I recently have become an early riser, but not by choice. My internal clock wakes me up around 6 a.m. every day. I’ve decided to embrace it. I’ll get out of bed, which is the hardest part, and go to the gym bright and early before my work day. I feel so much more productive throughout the day that way.
Smart people have waking up before dawn on lock. They’re able to get out of bed with ease. They have goals for the day that they want to accomplish before 12 p.m. hits. Regular people likely dread waking up early. I know I’ve been there! Sleeping in is nice, but for smart people, it rarely happens.
2. Never press the snooze button
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This goes hand-in-hand with waking up early. Some of us have the intention of waking up early. We’ll set an alarm for before the sun rises. However, once it goes off, we are quick to press that snooze button. I know I have been there. Smart people know the importance of hopping out of bed on that first alarm.
"Hitting the snooze button regularly can make you feel more tired and disrupt your body’s internal clock, leading to sleep problems and potential health issues," says Marygrace Taylor for Amerisleep. "Instead of giving into temptation and hitting snooze, resist the temptation and get out of bed when your alarm goes off to avoid the groggy feeling associated with sleep inertia."
3. Drink water
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When I first wake up in the morning, I crave coffee. I know I’m not alone in thinking the first liquid that enters my body has to have caffeine in it. Unfortunately, jumping straight into your morning coffee isn’t the best idea. Smart people know that they should hydrate first.
There are great health benefits to drinking water first thing in the morning. It sets your body up to stay hydrated throughout the day. It can also boost your metabolism and cut food cravings.
"Drinking water helps us stay healthy. Since our bodies contain a lot of it — as much as 70%, it’s obvious that water is the key to a healthy, happy, hydrated body," says Death Wish Coffee. "Not only will you quench your body’s thirst, but say hello to a metabolism boost and get ready to feel the rush of your body waking up before you even take a sip of your coffee."
4. Prioritize a healthy breakfast
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It’s not uncommon to be rushing around in the morning. If you’re guilty of snoozing a little too much, you might miss out on having time to take care of yourself and prepare for the day. If you’re running off to work, it can be hard to find time to whip up a healthy and delicious breakfast. Most of us opt for the quickest option we can eat on the road.
For smart people, they know their day will run better if they are properly fueled. They make sure to give themselves enough time in the morning to prepare a proper breakfast. If they know they’re going to stack their morning with tasks and can’t cook, they will prepare a meal the night before. Sometimes, they’ll make a batch of something like overnight oats to keep in the fridge all week.
5. Avoid scrolling
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It’s hard to wake up in the morning and not go straight for your phone. I know I am always looking to catch up on what I missed through the night. Whether it’s checking text messages or doom scrolling on an app, phone use first thing in the morning is something smart people avoid.
"There are specific negative habits associated with screen time, habits we may engage in first thing in the morning. One of those is called 'doomscrolling,' which is the act of continuously scrolling through distressing news and content. If you are someone with depressive symptoms or symptoms of anxiety, some experts say you may develop this habit to validate the headspace you are already in," says Jake Newby for MIBlueDaily. "Then there’s a term called 'brain rot.' This refers to the mental fog that follows excessive time-consuming, low-quality, fast-paced content online. If you find yourself scrolling through a steady stream of video shorts when you wake up, you may be succumbing to brain rot, which can leave you mentally fatigued before your feet even touch the ground in the morning."
6. Exercise early
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It’s important to move your body. From long morning runs to a session of yoga, how we take care of our bodies matters. For most of us, it’s easy to make excuses to skip the gym. A great scapegoat is time. Smart people know that if they don’t prioritize working out bright and early, they likely won’t get to it later in the day.
Instead of scrolling on their phones or staying in bed late, smart people use the early morning to get their exercise in. They don’t put too much pressure on their daily workout. Some days it’s simpler than others. They know that it’s key to get some physical activity in, especially before they spend their day at work. Normal people find it easier to make excuses for why they are unable to wake up early and hit the gym.
7. Read
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Reading, especially non-fiction, in the morning can give you a great brain boost. Instead of reading something on their phones, smart people pick up a book early in the morning. They want to get their minds flowing as early as possible. Plus, it’s a great way to get in reading if you are trying to reach a certain amount of books read each year.
"Early in the day, reading is a relatively light task. If you set out to read 10-15 pages each morning, it easily seems like the kind of thing you can push to later in the day. After all, it’s only 10-15 pages. Again, hardly a frog in the greater context of your day," penned Roger Osorio. "But as the hours pass, our day gets more challenging with meetings, projects, and emails. As a result, reading 10-15 pages becomes an increasingly difficult task. Essentially, it grows into a bigger frog the later in the day it gets. By the end of the day I am too tired to read anything, let alone non-fiction. One page in and my eyes are closed — so much for 10-15 pages!"
Waking up early to read is something a normal person may find difficult but smart people absolutely love.
8. Journaling
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Have you heard of the book and movement called "The Artist's Way"? It’s a great way to hone in on your creative side. One thing it swears by is morning pages. This is where, first thing in the morning, you sit down with a journal and write three to five pages straight. It’s essentially a brain dump. It can free up your mind, allowing you to enter your day with a clear head.
Smart people know the benefits of not only keeping a journal, but writing in it first thing in the morning. Sitting down with their thoughts before they go to work or face any difficult task of the day is freeing. It allows them to start the day feeling lighter. Normal people couldn’t imagine writing that many pages in a journal right after they’ve woken up.
9. Stay out of their inbox
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If you work a job that comes with a lot of emails, it can be tempting to jump straight into your inbox in the morning. Sometimes, we check our email without even noticing that we do it. It’s habitual. Smart people have learned not to overwhelm themselves by checking their email first thing in the morning.
They understand that they will have at least eight hours during the day when they will be glued to their inbox. Going into work each day requires a lot of daily interaction via email. When smart people are first getting up in the morning, they want to take time for themselves. They choose themselves over the inbox, and it has a positive impact on their mental health.
10. Practice daily affirmations
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To the average person, spending time in the morning telling themselves positive affirmations seems silly. It can be uncomfortable to speak to yourself like that at first. Smart people know that taking the time to say their daily mantras helps them feel more prepared for the day. It gives them a confidence boost.
"Positive affirmations have garnered significant interest within the scientific community, with numerous studies investigating their efficacy. Research has shown that affirmations can activate the brain’s reward centers, leading to increased feelings of self-worth and motivation," says the Wellspring Center for Prevention. "Additionally, affirmations have been linked to decreased stress levels and improved problem-solving abilities under pressure. Regular practice of self-affirmations has been shown to reduce health-deteriorating stress and improve academic performance by altering the brain’s response to threatening information."
11. Take a cold shower
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Few things sound worse to me than getting out of my warm bed to jump into a cold shower. However, smart people have discovered the benefits of doing so. If they’re not taking a cold shower, they’re probably doing a cold plunge. A cold shower can do everything from boosting your metabolism and circulation to easing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
"Though more research is needed on the effects of cold therapy — including cold showers — on your health, experts say that there is promising research that shows its potential to improve skin, reduce inflammation and pain, and even boost immunity," says Hannah Jeon for Prevention Health. "It’s true: Starting your day off with a cold shower might actually help wake you up and help make you feel more energized."
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
