7 Ways to Start the Day Off on the Right Note

What you do when you first wake up in the morning will determine the course of the rest of your day.

A. Work on Personal Development

I try and stick to a morning routine, which includes meditating, reading, writing and a gym session. There was a time when I hated the mornings. I’d wake up and check my iPhone, essentially putting myself on someone else’s schedule. I knew it was all wrong. I was a slave to my devices, not spending any time on my personal development. Now, I choose to take that time to myself. – Steven Picanza, Latin & Code

A. Watch SportsCenter

The first thing I do is watch SportsCenter. It allows me to not feel like I have to jump on the phone right away, and instead eases me into my day feeling much more relaxed and ready to approach whatever it brings me. – Thomas Edwards, The Professional Wingman®

A. Eat Breakfast

Taking time to give yourself what you need allows you to give more to others throughout the day. I eat breakfast every day because it has been shown to aid in a more nutritionally complete diet, improve concentration and performance, give you more strength and endurance physically, and lower cholesterol levels. In addition, it helps with problem solving and hand-eye coordination. Eat breakfast before making any big business decisions. –Jessica Baker, Aligned Signs

A. Meditate

I wake up a half hour before I technically need to, and spend that time meditating and listening to music. It’s something to look forward to — which gets me out of bed more effectively — and it helps me mentally prepare myself for whatever I might face once I leave the house. – Steven Buchwald, Buchwald & Associates

A. Read and Journal

Every morning, I read and write in my journal. It helps to focus the mind, inspire and set broad goals and specific objectives. – Jack Glasser, Glasser Images

A. Hold a Team Stand-Up

A few weeks ago, we found ourselves unmotivated. We weren’t communicating and were buried in our own projects without thinking about the greater business needs. A shift in tone was greatly needed. To better our internal communication and to help us come together on projects, we set a mandatory 10:00 a.m. stand-up. The goal of this is to discuss exactly what needed to be done that day, and mobilize as a team to get it done. – Adarsh Pallian, Trippeo

A. Listen to Music

Alarms, vibrations, notifications and city noise are constant distractions. We’re not just visually and mentally overstimulated — we’re also in a very noise-polluted environment that’s so hard to avoid. Playing a song you love while the rest of the world is muted, even for four minutes, is like meditation. A great song will set the right tone and start your day with a positive mental state. – Mike Sheffer, First Dynamic

These answers are provided by members of FounderSociety, an invitation-only organization comprised of ambitious startup founders and business owners.