Revealed: The routines of successful people

September 13, 2021

Have you ever wished you could peer inside the daily schedule of, say Oprah Winfrey? How about Barack and Michelle Obama? Or Elon Musk? We’ve done the hard work for you. Here’s what you can learn from their daily routines.

Oprah: Doesn't use an alarm clock

It is reported that Oprah does not set an alarm. And while it may be easy to shrug this off as the habit of a woman who can pretty much do whatever she wants, there is something to learn from the television icon’s no-alarm approach.

Alarms are useful for the majority of the population, particularly night owls who struggle to get going in the morning. However, their pre-set approach doesn’t account for natural sleep cycles.

Ever woken to your alarm feeling particularly disorientated? It may have been because it happened to go off while you were in deep sleep. This can lead to heightened feelings of exhaustion, no matter how many hours of shut eye you clocked up. Waking when you’re in a natural state of light sleep is reportedly much better for your body.

So, if Oprah doesn’t use an alarm, how does she get up?

It’s said that the media mogul allows herself to wake naturally. In particular, she uses her dogs’ needs as her motivation to make her way out of bed. It has been reported that Oprah’s first port of call every morning is to spend an hour or so giving her pups undivided attention. An approach that lends itself to increased mood and happiness, too.

You can try Oprah’s routine for yourself. Why not see whether her daily routines for success work for you?

Elon Musk: Breaks his day down into 5-minute slots

According to Business Insider, Elon Musk’s schedule is as complex as his brilliant mind. So, what are Mr. Musk’s most successful habits?

The publication reports that Elon has been known to break his entire day into 5-minute slots, working through each one with intense focus to ensure he can maximise concentration.

His favour for on-off focus is similar to that of the Pomadoro Technique, which encourages concentration in intervals of 25 minutes. Between each 25-minute work or study block, you take a break. It’s thought that this helps concentration.

Whether it be for work or study, if this piques your interest, there are countless apps that can help you focus in short, intense stints.

The Obamas: Break a sweat in the morning, no matter what

While Oprah doesn’t believe in setting an alarm, Michelle Obama does. In fact, it’s one of her habits for success. Ms. Obama sets hers for 4:30am every morning to ensure she fits her workout in – no matter how jam-packed her calendar is.

While Barack’s not as steadfast on the pre-dawn wake time, it is reported he swears by a morning workout. It is said that the former president ensures he always gets some exercise in before he sits at his desk.

Why bother, you might ask?

Breaking a sweat is known to increase endorphins and relieve stress—setting the Obamas up to feel good no matter the intensity of work on their plate. While our own lives may not be as intense as this power couple, we could all learn a little from their sweat-it-out approach.

Read more about the Obamas’ routines.

Looking for your own routine hacks?

Whether you’d like to lift your mood, increase productivity or become the next big success, your daily diary is incredibly powerful. It can help you gain momentum in completing assignments, climb the ladder at work, or even feel a greater sense of purpose and wellbeing.

And while the world’s most successful people can certainly act as a guiding light, it’s important to remember, routines are not a one-size-fits all approach.

So, experiment a little. Tap into when you’re most energetic. Find what works for you and your own success will follow.