Elevate Your Morning With the 5AM Club
Key Takeaways
Morning Has The Biggest Opportunity: It’s so tough to do all the things. Meditate, exercise, cold plunge, whatever you’re trying to incorporate into your day, we lose our will power by the end of the day. If you want to consistently win every day, morning is the best time.
Consistency is Key: Regularly waking up early and allowing time for some exercise, reflection and growth won’t change you overnight, but over time, with consistency, it will probably transform you into an entirely enhanced person.
Make it Work for YOU: Tailor your morning routine to fit your unique needs and circumstances. If you’re busy parents like us, maybe you meditate first thing and get your exercise in with your kids after they wake up. It’s not one size fits all. Something is better than nothing.
Introduction to the 5am Club
Our mornings transformed when we discovered the power of waking up early, 5 AM early! After being introduced to some of the concepts in the The 5am Club, by Robin Sharma, we’ve never looked back. The idea is simple but powerful: waking up at 5am gives you a head start on the day, allowing you to dedicate the first hour to activities that foster personal growth, productivity, and well-being. This post will walk you through the core principles of the 5am Club and share how we've adapted this routine to fit our lives, as parents of a toddler.
The 20/20/20 Rule: Structuring Your First Hour
The foundation of the 5am Club is the 20/20/20 Rule, which divides the first hour of your day into three 20-minute segments:
20 Minutes of Exercise
Engage in high-intensity activities to get your heart rate up.
Activities can include a quick workout, a run, or high-intensity yoga.
The goal is to get your blood flowing and energize your body for the day ahead.
20 Minutes of Reflection
Dedicate this time to meditation, journaling, or any mindfulness practice.
Focus on cultivating gratitude and setting a positive mindset for the day.
Use this time to center yourself and prepare mentally for the challenges ahead.
20 Minutes of Growth
Spend this time learning something new or enhancing your skills.
Read a book, listen to a podcast, or study a topic that interests you.
This segment is all about personal development and expanding your knowledge.
Adapting the 5am Club to Fit Your Life
While the 20/20/20 Rule provides a great framework, you’ll never be consistent with it if you don’t adapt it to suit your individual needs and circumstances. Here's how we’ve personalized our morning routine:
Our Adapted Routine With A Toddler
Wake Up at 4:45am
Allow 15 minutes to wake up, make a mint tea and a glass of water (I like a shot of Apple Cider Vinegar in mine).
We avoid having coffee first thing, based on studies suggesting benefits by delaying caffeine intake by 1-1.5 hours after waking, increasing your energy through the day and improving your sleep.
Reading and Reflection (5:00 - 5:30am)
Start with reading something that improves our life or work, such as a personal development or inspiring book. We save fiction for the evening.
Often, we take notes or journal to capture ideas and reflections from our reading.
Breathwork and Meditation (5:30 - 6:00am)
Practice 10-15 minutes of Wim Hof breathing techniques.
Followed by 10-20 minutes of meditation.
We really enjoy guided meditations like Joe Dispenza’s visualization exercises to set a positive tone for the day.
Cold Plunge and Grounding (6:00 - 6:15am)
Incorporate a cold plunge to invigorate the body.
Spend a few minutes grounding by stepping on the grass and absorbing the morning light.
Coffee and Journaling (6:15 - 6:30am)
Enjoy a coffee as a reward for completing the hardest parts of the morning routine.
If time allows, as in if Violet hasn’t woken up or if she is playing quietly, continue journaling and planning the day.
Exercise and Morning Activities (6:30am onwards)
One of us heads to the gym while the other looks after Violet.
On weekends, we both get to go to the gym and extend our morning routine to include additional self-care activities like the sauna and hot tub.
The Importance of Consistency
The most significant benefit of the 5am Club comes from consistency. Day after day, following this routine creates a massive shift in productivity, mindset, and overall well-being. Even though it's challenging to stick to it every single day, especially with changing life circumstances, the key is to return to the routine whenever possible and make it a regular part of your life.
Conclusion
The 5am Club is more than just waking up early; it's about reclaiming your mornings and dedicating the first hour of your day to activities that nurture your mind, body, and soul. By following the 20/20/20 Rule and adapting it to fit your life, you can create a powerful morning routine that sets the tone for a productive and fulfilling day. Start small, stay consistent, and watch as your mornings—and your life—transform.
Show Notes
0:25 - 0:58) Importance of keeping to the schedule; bought a caravan last week, disrupting everything.
0:58 - 2:36) Episode topic: 5am club. Quick preamble about Airbnb'ing and the caravan story. Airbnb led to frequent weekend trips and eventually considering camping. Bad camping experience led to buying an old caravan.
2:37 - 5:47) Discussed camping experiences and deciding on a caravan. Bought a 2006 Swift Challenger. Excited about renovating it with unique ideas like a pink kitchen. Missed recording due to driving the caravan home.
5:47 - 6:53) Car overheating issues while driving the caravan home. Created a long line of cars behind. Discussed balancing cost-saving with buying and renovating a caravan.
6:53 - 8:20) Risk of bed bugs in Airbnbs. Preferring the caravan for control over cleanliness. Enjoying the outdoor lifestyle and quality family time without screens.
8:21 - 8:53) Booked caravan trips to various places. Transitioned to the main topic: 5am club. Apologized for the delay.
8:55 - 9:19) Explaining the 5am club book by Robin Sharma, focusing on waking up at 5am.
9:20 - 9:58) Feeling pulled in many directions, clawing back time by owning the morning.
9:59 - 10:40) Evening productivity is rare; morning routine creates consistent time for personal growth.
10:41 - 11:03) Overview of 5am club routine. Personal adaptation of the routine.
11:04 - 11:23) Continuous improvement and adaptation of the routine. Importance of consistency.
11:24 - 11:42) Like other habits, sometimes fall off but get back on. Importance of having tools for self-improvement.
11:43 - 12:18) Personal history of early rising and exercise. Used to fill mornings with intense exercise routines.
12:19 - 13:45) Exercise routines before flights. Partner's varied morning routines. Accountability with a gym buddy. Not naturally an early riser, but learned to enjoy it.
13:45 - 14:16) Morning routines included exercise, but sometimes just getting ready for work.
14:16 - 14:52) Partner needed accountability for morning workouts. Not naturally an early riser.
14:53 - 15:07) Partner also woke up early as a kid, watching TV with sibling.
15:08 - 15:15) Early morning routines as a kid.
15:16 - 15:32) Waking up early and organizing things, a Virgo trait.
15:33 - 15:50) Excited for projects, bounces out of bed.
15:50 - 16:11) Partner needs excitement to wake up early. Enjoys new toys for chores.
16:12 - 16:27) Used to get bored waiting for others to wake up.
16:28 - 16:50) Discussing the concept of the 5am club.
16:50 - 16:59) 2020 rule: 20 minutes exercise, 20 minutes reflection, 20 minutes growth.
17:00 - 17:18) Exercise should be high-intensity.
17:19 - 17:23) Reflection can include meditation or journaling.
17:23 - 17:38) Growth involves learning, like reading or listening to podcasts.
17:38 - 18:26) Adapted routine to include reading, journaling, and gym. Consistent practice before COVID.
18:27 - 19:08) Benefits of consistent morning routine. Felt ahead of everyone else.
19:09 - 19:34) Morning routine creates energy and ideas.
19:34 - 20:11) Consistency is key for impactful changes.
20:11 - 20:57) Successful people often have a morning routine that includes reflection and gratitude.
20:57 - 21:09) Overview of the 5am club's full routine.
21:09 - 21:25) Adapted the routine to fit personal needs. Adjusted for having a child.
21:25 - 21:38) Changed to 4:45am club to accommodate new schedule.
21:39 - 22:10) Incorporated learnings from Huberman Lab. Waking up at 4:45am.
22:11 - 22:42) 15 minutes for drinks and waking up before starting the routine. Avoid coffee first thing.
22:43 - 23:02) Morning drinks: herbal tea and apple cider vinegar water. Reading for personal growth.
23:03 - 23:15) Partner wakes up gently with shoulder rubs.
23:15 - 24:00) Details of the first 15 minutes of the morning routine. Letting the dogs out.
24:01 - 24:29) Reading something to improve life triggers ideas for work.
24:30 - 24:50) Reading triggers ideas even when not fully awake.
24:51 - 25:12) Reading and taking notes for personal growth.
25:13 - 25:31) Breathwork: Wim Hof method.
25:32 - 26:06) Meditation: Joe Dispenza's visualization meditation.
26:07 - 26:57) Grounding and cold plunge after meditation.
26:58 - 27:13) Coffee as a reward. Journaling if time permits.
27:14 - 27:31) Alternating gym visits with watching the baby.
27:32 - 27:42) Weekend routines: more flexible and extended.
27:43 - 28:07) Weekend mornings spent at the gym and sauna.
28:08 - 28:26) Not always consistent with 4:45am wake-up but try to return to it.
28:27 - 28:57) Recent efforts to get back into the routine. Prioritizing meditation and journaling.
28:58 - 29:25) Importance of the different elements of the routine varies.
29:26 - 29:39) Sometimes spend more time reading a good book.
29:39 - 29:59) Struggling with powering through less interesting books and podcasts.
