Ankur Warikoo, investor and best-selling author, shared a glimpse of his powerful morning routine, which supercharges him with a day full of work. From a consistent reading habit to prioritising his physical health, he walked his viewers through the first 4 hours of his day.
Revisiting a YouTube video he shared in 2023, Warikoo claimed that following this routine has helped him achieve incredible results. With several commonalities found in the morning routines of CEOs, millionaires, and leaders, some preach catching the early worm, while others stay away from screens in the morning altogether.
From waking up at the crack of dawn to embracing quiet moments of meditation, to balancing family time with personal growth activities like reading and exercise, here’s Warikoo charts his day.
‘Your morning routine starts last night’
In his vlog, Warikoo shared how one’s morning routine actually begins the night before. By doing all things right the night before, you can achieve a model routine, too, he shared. From sleeping early to getting in a consistent habit, it all contributes towards your day the next morning.
Warikoo usually finishes his routine of reading every night by 9:40 PM before he retires for the day. Waking up at 5 AM, Warikoo likes to spend time away from phones, people, tasks, and work. He spends the first 15 minutes of the day with himself and a glass of water. Sipping it on his balcony, he spends that time in silence and with himself as he takes in the morning sky with the day not fully set in, yet.
By 5:15 AM, Warikoo shared that it is usually time for his meditation. Using an app and aided by the sounds of a windchime, birds, squirrels, and water, he meditates for nearly half an hour.
Warikoo’s reading habit hack
Getting in some time to read till 6 AM, before it’s time for him to wake up his children, Vidur and Uzma, for school. Reading twice a day has helped Ankur Warikoo develop a reading habit, which allows him to clock in at least 4-5 hours a day.
There are a few who can apply their learnings from reading to real life. To beat this dilemma, Warikoo uses a digital reading device to compile his highlights, which makes it easy for him to access them. Charting those learnings helps him retain the knowledge and apply the lessons to real life.
Ankur Warikoo’s fitness regime
The clock has struck 6, and Warikoo is already done with taking care of his mental and spiritual health. After sending the children off to school, he usually hits the tennis courts. Located within his residential campus, it makes it easy for him to stay consistent with the habit and avoid missing his routine.
At 6:30 AM, he heads to the tennis court and enjoys a hearty exercise with his friends and neighbours. Tennis, as a sport, is a high-intensity activity which involves upper body strength to hit shots and running that elevates heart rate to stay in the game. A 2007 study published in the National Library of Medicine revealed that people who chose to play tennis displayed “improved aerobic fitness, a lower body fat percentage, a more favourable lipid profile, reduced risk for developing cardiovascular disease, and improved bone health.”
After playing tennis for an hour, Warikoo usually hits the gym. Also located within the complex, he usually doesn’t follow the single-body part workout routine. Rather than focusing on a single set of muscles, like many gym goers do, like legs, chest, or biceps, Warikoo usually mixes strength training with cardio for 6 days a week.
“I recognise the privilege that allows me to maintain this routine and the invaluable support from my partner. However, the key message is not about replicating my routine but rather emphasising the need for one that suits your life and priorities,” he added in his post.
‘I feel so alive,’ he remarked after getting in a two-hour intensive workout before starting his work day. Earlier, he had mentioned that he usually likes to stay away from emails and social media before his workout, but often checks his chats on WhatsApp.
Getting ready for the day ahead
In fact, he still stayed away from a second screen and sat down to read his newspaper. “No TV, no news channels,” he remarked.
By 9 AM, Warikoo is ready for his daily dose of protein and supplements, and by 9:30 AM, he has logged in at his studio. He also shared that he usually takes his first meal at 11 AM and the second at 5 PM. Following an 18-hour intermittent fasting routine, he only has two meals a day, he shared in his YouTube video. However, this was a fairly new strategy at the time, and he shared that it helped aid his fat loss, muscle gain, and improve his protein intake.
While there are several narratives about intermittent fasting, a 2022 study from the Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science found “intermittent fasting has beneficial effects equivalent to those of caloric restriction in terms of body weight control, improvements in glucose homeostasis and lipid profiles, and anti-inflammatory effects.”
And this was just the first 4.5 hours of the day, all reserved for the things he wants to do for himself.
Disclaimer: The information has not been independently verified by Financial Express Lifestyle Desk. The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. You should always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it.