The 20/20/20 Rule of Productive Mornings

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The 20/20/20 Rule of Productive Mornings

How to not waste the first hour of the day

You lose when you snooze because sleep fragmentation hurts your body's ability to recuperate.
Every time you fall asleep, your body starts going through a 5-stage sleep cycle. The later the stage, the deeper the sleep — and the more restorative it becomes.
When you wake up at 7 AM after 7 hours of sleep, you'll be closer to the end of the cycle and in a state where your body is already preparing to wake up.

If you hit the snooze button, however, your body starts going back in the opposite direction. It'll gear up to sleep more — and it really won't like being rattled 9 minutes later. As a result, you'll feel more tired than before, even though, technically, you slept longer.
When it comes to good sleep, getting up after one consistent stretch is more important than how long that stretch was. This is counterintuitive, but it's true.
Similarly, if you "take excellent care of the front end of your day, the rest of your day will take care of itself." That's Robin Sharma's thesis in The 5 AM Club, a book he wrote to share his morning routine of 20 years.
The idea is that if you invest the first hour of the day in yourself, that hour will pay returns for the remaining 23. "Own your morning, elevate your life," Sharma says.
The book teaches via metaphor — a fictitious billionaire helps a struggling artist and a young entrepreneur. Here are 3 lessons from the story that'll help you wake up earlier, start most mornings productively, and get as much as you can out of every single day.
1. Your brain has a creative edge early in the day.
In a classic student-teacher move, the billionaire tells his two disciples that he holds the key to their success — and in order to receive it, they must meet him very early the following morning.
When his students arrive, the master explains: "You have already received the key by waking up at 5 AM, because in doing so, you've given your brain an advantage in succeeding throughout the day."
The scientific concept behind this edge is called transient hypofrontality. When in this state, your brain is more likely to go into "flow." You'll be less prone to worry and over-analysis, more daring in your choices and ideas, and better able to focus.
You can trigger transient hypofrontality in different ways, for example by taking a walk or exercising, but the early morning environment is also conducive to it. You brain is just "booting up," and the extra dopamine and serotonin from daybreak tranquility will make you feel energized and peaceful at the same time.
2. Balance your mind, health, heart, and soul.
After explaining the mindset advantage of waking up early, the billionaire explains there are three other "interior empires" the students need to master.
Your "healthset" is your physical health. Use the emptiness of early mornings to get in a little exercise to reduce stress, gain energy, and be happier, all of which will, in turn, help you live longer.
Your "heartset" is your emotional wellbeing. Journaling in the morning can be a space to express feelings you can't share elsewhere — the insights of which you can later use to communicate better with others.
Finally, your "soulset" is your spiritual balance. We all believe different things, but whatever we do have faith in allows us to connect with ourselves and the world at large. Writing down your values and briefly looking at them each morning will help you remember why you're doing what you're doing.
For a balanced, successful life, ground yourself in mindset, healthset, heartset, and soulset every day.
3. Productive days begin with the 20/20/20 formula.
When the students ask him what exactly to do at 5 AM, the billionaire shares his formula: The 20/20/20 rule divides your first hour of the day into three equal blocks of exercise, reflection, and learning.
Exercising for 20 minutes will not just get your blood flowing, it'll also make you sweat. Sweating decreases cortisol, a hormone related to stress and fear. It also releases BDNF, which helps create new neural pathways faster and repairs brain cells.
20 minutes of reflection will plant your feet firmly on the ground, no matter what the day ahead brings. You can use them to meditate, visualize your big goals and to-dos for the day, or journal and write down any ideas or inspiring thoughts. Quiet in the morning makes for patience later in the day.
Lastly, 20 minutes of real, interested learning go further than hours of social media, news, and mindless entertainment. Read a book, study someone you admire, or take a free online course. Whatever you learn, make sure it's something you're really interested in, something that'll make your brain shoot sparks rather than go numb.
20 minutes of exercise, 20 minutes of reflection, and 20 minutes of learning. The 20/20/20 rule will maximize your chances of having a productive day, every day.
Summary
The 5 AM Club will motivate you to get up earlier, build a morning routine, and prioritize the internal work that'll lead to external success.
Here are 3 lessons worth remembering:

Waking up early gives your brain a competitive edge because it makes it easier for you to get into a flow state.

Balance your mind, health, heart, and soul for true self-mastery.

To not waste the first hour of the day, use the 20/20/20 rule; dedicate 20 minutes to exercise, reflection, and learning each for productive days.

"5 AM is the time of least distraction, highest human glory, and greatest peace."— Robin Sharma

Source: Niklas Göke