Damon Zahariades - Morning Makeover: How To Boost Your Productivity, Explode Your Energy, and Create An Extraordinary Life - One Morning At A Time!

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When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. Marcus Aurelius

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I have retired, but if there's anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do. - Nelson Mandela

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If you win the morning, you win the day. - Unknown

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T here was a time in my life when my mornings followed no pattern at all. I had just quit my corporate job. As a result, I had nowhere to be at 8:00 a.m., and certainly nowhere that required I wear anything more than a t-shirt and shorts.

I took full advantage of the freedom. I woke up without an alarm, usually after 10:00 a.m. I then puttered around for awhile, reading the news, checking out random blogs, and eating breakfast.

Eventually, I showered, brushed my teeth, gathered my gear (laptop, water bottle, etc.), and headed for a local coffeeshop. Sometimes, I left my home at 11:00 a.m. Other times, I left at 1:00 p.m.

In other words, my mornings were a complete waste of time. I had no routine in place.

Worse, the impact of this oversight extended beyond my morning hours. It had a ripple effect on the rest of my day. If I were to describe my disposition in a single word, it would be lethargic. I lacked energy and motivation. I felt bored and restless.

As you can imagine, my productivity plummeted. Time slipped through my fingers.

I wasnt ignorant about morning routines. Far from it. In fact, I had followed an effective routine prior to quitting my corporate job. Id wake up at 4:00 a.m., pour myself a cup of coffee, and start compiling and reviewing sales data from the previous day. Then, around 5:30 a.m., Id jump in the shower, get dressed, and head off to Starbucks to write. Id spend from 6:00 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. at Starbucks writing, and then head to the office.

My mornings progressed like clockwork. As a result, the volume of work I completed - important work, the type that complemented my goals - was massive. At one point, I had hundreds of websites, had written a bestselling book, and wrote a weekly newsletter read by thousands of subscribers. And I was putting in 50 to 60 hours a week at my corporate job.

Its an understatement to say there was a notable difference in my productivity with a morning routine and my productivity without one.

There was no contest. My mornings were a mess without a routine.

Things are different in my life today. Ive created morning routines that energize me, help me to focus, and increase my productivity. For me, these things set the stage for a successful day.

Ill share one of my routines with you later in this book. More importantly, Ill show you how to create routines that help you to achieve your goals.

Before we go any further, lets talk about the many ways in which having a morning routine will improve your life.