Short-term results come from intensity.
Long-term results come from consistency.
Given we're past the mid-point in January and those New Year's resolutions are inevitably somewhere between forgotten and under strain, I thought I'd share something different: the foundation of my daily routines.
I'm frequently asked about my workouts, supplements, and the frameworks I use to approach daily life, so I'll outline the core practices that set me up for everything else that comes each day
These habits and methods have been ingrained in my routines for years, serving as my foundation. While I frequently experiment with new approaches, I've found these core practices provide the most effective path - creating positive challenges without undue burden.
So here goes.
Let's start with the cornerstone: Sleep. While experts like Andrew Huberman and Matthew Walker have written extensively on this topic, I've distilled my approach down to three essential pillars that have proven both effective and sustainable:
Pillar 1: Consistency
Keep a consistent bed time and wake time. There are always things that can knock this off track and so often people neglect to accept that sleeping in an extra few hours at the weekend is akin to jet lag. If you want to do it, by all means blow past your regular routine - but accept that it will more than likely knock your rhythm and energy off for the next day or two (which by the way is the other weekend day and then the dreaded Monday morning!).
You can create this consistency irrespective of whether you are a morning or night person. There is also flexibility within the consistency - 30-60 minutes.
Pillar 2: Sleep Hygiene - Go Analog!
We are now into our 4th year of no phones in the bedroom. “WHAT? How do you do that? My phone is my alarm!”
Our household owns multiple of these simple digital alarms. We have owned them for a number of years and more recently they have been getting some high praise from popular publications.
Leaving the phone outside the bedroom does two powerful things in my mind.
It creates separation - even if it's just a few minutes - between you disconnecting from your phone and then readying your body to sleep.
Secondly, and WAY MORE impactful in my mind, it stops your phone (and all its distractions and addictions) being the first thing you look at in the morning.
I go a step further and I do not look at anything on my phone for the first 60 minutes of the day - but you might want to try building up to that as cold-turkey is hard!
Pillar 3: Longform Reading to Escape
I read every night before bed. Sometimes it's just a page or two, sometimes it's a few chapters - it all depends on how tired I am.
As soon as I start nodding off, I put the book down. I read on a standard Kindle Paperwhite, with the screen warmth set to remove blue tones blah blah blah.
What do I read? For me, at night, I read fiction - I like the escapism it provides. However I am a big believer in Naval’s idea that you should read whatever you like to read and that will make you keep reading consistently. Just don’t read articles or short form content and don't read on your phone - I feel strongly about this!
I borrowed the name for my sacred time in the morning, from Eric Roza, the tech executive who bought Crossfit during covid. My morning sanctuary is time I make before the busyness of daily life kicks in.
I have always worked back from when the kids wake up, which has pretty much been 7am for as long as I can remember. I want time to drink my coffee, sit and read, meditate and then write a few scribbles in my journal.
I think of this time as sacred time, time for me that I need to set me up for the day.
I set my coffee maker on timer the night before, so when I come out the coffee is freshly brewed.
I have a specific stack of physical books I read and choose from, next to my reading chair in my home office. Typically these books are non-fiction and centred around business, self improvement or historical events.
Meditation has been part of my daily practice since 2012. After years with Headspace and Andy Puddicombe's guidance, I transitioned to transcendental meditation, which has been my chosen method for the past three years.
My journaling has evolved from an illegible scratch with no discernible theme and many days of staring at a blank page not knowing what to write, into a regular and enjoyable practice. The turning point for me came when I started using the 5 Minute Journal - a simple and quick exercise each morning (and evening). It's centred around gratitude and even though I no longer use the official books, the ethos remains a cornerstone of what compels me to write most days.
Those who know me well, know I like to workout. But oftentimes, people are surprised at how little I actually go to the gym nowadays. For the past 2 years, I have been pretty rigidly going to a gym 3 times a week - Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I sometimes intersperse a run outside or a yoga class on a Tuesday or Thursday - but I honestly think I average out about 2 of these a month.
I don't do any formal workouts at the weekend, but instead prioritize movement in and around my kids’ (abundance of) activities.
To supplement all this, what feels like a hack to me is stairs.
Living on the fourth floor, I've committed to always taking the stairs instead of the elevator (barring heavy packages or my electric scooter).
The bonus from this habit is that almost always, the kids walk down the stairs with me and sometimes they even walk up!
These practices may seem simple, and they are - I've been following them for years. While there's always room for improvement and refinement, these core habits have proven to be both sustainable and transformative.
These three pillars- Sleep Cleanliness and Commitment, A Morning Sanctuary, Movement as a way of life - aren't just habits. They're daily decisions to take ownership of your time, your energy, and ultimately, your life.
When you consciously choose to protect your sleep environment, create sacred morning time for yourself, and prioritize natural movement throughout your day, you're not just following a routine - you're actively owning each moment.
This is what I mean when I talk about Owning The Now. It's not about grand gestures or dramatic changes. It's about these small, consistent choices we make each day. These foundational practices give us the energy, clarity, and physical presence to fully engage with whatever opportunities or challenges each day brings.
