We spoke with business owners about their productivity rituals and discovered that their daily practices are simple, enjoyable, science-backed, and remarkably effective.
Let’s dive in!
1. ☕ Morning Coffee-Making Ritual
For many entrepreneurs, productivity begins with the simple ritual of making coffee. “The smell, the process of grinding them, it makes the whole thing feel special. Worth getting up for” said one of the respondents. This consistent and enjoyable morning practice creates space to pause, reflect, and set priorities for the day.
Tip: Each morning, take time to pause and decide on your top three priorities for the day.
2. ⏸️ Active Breaks Throughout the Workday
People who take recharging breaks from work, even for 10 minutes, report feeling sharper and less overwhelmed. A Stanford study found that walking breaks increased creative thinking by 60%. You can also break up your day with short “exercise snacks” like stair walking, wall sits, sit-ups, or time at an active workstation.
Tip: Schedule active breaks from work, like a mid-morning and mid-afternoon “CEO walks”.
3. 🌞 Natural Light for Natural Energy
“Being in spaces with a lot of natural light is the best things I can do for the quality of my thinking” said Alexandr Wang, the 26-year-old self-made billionaire whose company powers the AI industry. Our survey participants echoed this view.Natural light resets our circadian rhythm, improving alertness and reducing fatigue.
Tip: Step outside for breaks and arrange your workspace to capture as much daylight as possible.
4. 🔌 Unplugging to Recharge
Digital distractions are engineered to overstimulate the brain, often leaving us mentally fatigued, overwhelmed, and less able to focus or remember. Productivity improves when we build consistent screen-free blocks of time into our day. As one of our participants shared, “It’s become a ritual for me to eat breakfast with my phone face down.”
Tip: Schedule screen-free blocks of time throughout the day.
5. ✍️ Journaling for Focus and Clarity
Journaling helps us focus our attention, quiet the inner critic and uncover deeper insights. Actress Emma Watson practices this by recording three joyful moments, three acts of kindness, and three things she did well each day. One of our participants records daily his biggest business wins, most embarrassing failures, and untapped opportunities.
Tip: Identify what matters most to you and free-write on these topics for at least ten minutes each evening.
📚 Recommended Reading
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast: And Two Other Short Guides to Achieving More at Work and at Home by Laura Vanderkam.
My favorite ideas from the book:
- What we do first thing in the morning matters.
- Protect productive time by avoiding morning meetings .
- Investing time in people is always worthwhile.
- The best rest is active rest.
- Downtime should be scheduled and carefully planned.
What is your productivity ritual?
I’d love to hear from you — send me an email at natalia@nataliabrattan.com.
Talk soon,
Natalia