The morning routine has been so abused in the digital era that whenever I talk or write about it, I feel ridiculous. I can’t help but picture those hyper-optimised wake-up rituals: no coffee, ice-cold water, gratitude diary, meditation, fasting, intense exercise, and a to-do list that extends into the early afternoon. That kind of stuff never worked for me. My morning routine saved my life simply because I dedicated it to my dreams. That’s it. A single habit protecting my desires and my hopes.
It’s incredible how just 30 minutes for yourself each morning can give you the focus to achieve unimaginable goals. My routine never takes the exact same amount of time. It could be half an hour, an hour, or a maximum of two. It all depends on what I'm doing, where I am, my daily schedule, and how tired I feel. Some weeks are just more tiring than others, and some nights I can't get to sleep early. It fluctuates, but I still do it every single morning, seven days a week.
Despite everything, I carve out at least 30 minutes for myself every morning—though it’s rarely just 30 minutes, and usually around two hours. This is the space of time that allowed me to study Computer Science at Birkbeck, University of London, back when I was working in an incredibly busy kitchen. This is the time that allowed me to write my first novel while the rest of the world seemed asleep. It is an appointment with myself that I cannot live without, and one that I am still using to write today.
Wow. I actually wrote about my morning routine without feeling like a fraud. This is a good sign, isn't it? Because the worst thing you can do is force yourself out of bed early every morning just to act like someone you're not. I do not meditate. I do not drink cacao. I do not do intense exercise early in the morning. I do not like ice-cold water. I am too busy to write a gratitude diary (though I think it is a great practice). I am sure all of them are great habits, but they are not mine. We can experiment with new things, of course, but you usually know straight away what fits you and what doesn’t.
I wake up earlier every morning because I want to work on my dreams. When I was in my thirties, I was building my career. I love computer science and coding, so I used my morning routine to get a degree and completely change my career path. It worked because the passion was real. I would never force myself out of bed an hour earlier to study political science, because I just don't love it.
Now that I am in my forties and working as a software engineer, my morning routine is dedicated to writing. I’ve spent my entire life dreaming of writing a book—more than one, to be exact—but I never found the right moment. In my twenties, I didn’t have the right mindset. I had plenty of time and was full of energy, but I was completely lost. In my thirties, I was consumed by the struggle for a career and financial stability. Finally, when I turned forty, a thought hit me: “If I don’t start now, I never will.”
And so, it began. In September 2025, I started writing my first book. It was about how I moved from Rome to London. I wrote a couple of chapters, but one morning I thought: “This is so boring. If I wouldn't read this, why would anyone else?”. So I stopped. In November 2025, I started my first novel instead. I finished it just a few months later, in July 2026. While I am writing these words, the manuscript isn’t fully ready yet—it still needs a deep review, which will likely take me a few months.
But my book isn’t the point here. The morning routine is about protecting a window of time that gives you the focus and energy to pour into something you really want to achieve. From my own experience, I suggest you try it. Start with just 30 minutes. Dedicate it to something you love, a goal, a real dream. Believe me, it will change your life.
