(Who Also Does the Dishes) Let’s get one thing straight: Your morning routine isn’t the secret weapon you think it is—if your night before looked like chaos, doom-scrolling, and falling asleep in a burrito of laundry. Truth is, high-performance starts the night before. Your morning is just reaping whatever mess (or magic) you left yourself with. So if you’ve been obsessing over sunrise gratitude meditations, ice baths, or journaling about your future mansion, pause. Let’s talk about the real power move: A dead-simple evening routine that actually sets you up to win. A dead-simple evening routine that actually sets you up to win. Here are 9 habits that take less than 5 minutes each. You don’t need to do all of them. Pick two. Then maybe a third when you feel cocky. 1. Write Your 3:3:3 Plan (a.k.a. Stop Winging Tomorrow) 1. Write Your 3:3:3 Plan (a.k.a. Stop Winging Tomorrow) This one comes from Oliver Burkeman: 3 hours on one deep, needle-moving task


3 shorter tasks (emails, admin, stuff that keeps you functional)


3 maintenance actions (workout, call your mom, clean the kitchen) 3 hours on one deep, needle-moving task 3 hours on one deep, needle-moving task 3 shorter tasks (emails, admin, stuff that keeps you functional) 3 shorter tasks (emails, admin, stuff that keeps you functional) 3 maintenance actions (workout, call your mom, clean the kitchen) 3 maintenance actions (workout, call your mom, clean the kitchen) No more ending the day wondering, “Did I even do anything?” This defines what a successful day looks like before it starts. looks like 2. Do a Shutdown Ritual (a.k.a. Close the Tabs—Mentally and Literally) 2. Do a Shutdown Ritual (a.k.a. Close the Tabs—Mentally and Literally) No, you don’t just slam your laptop shut and crawl into bed with Slack still pinging. Shutdown ritual = Plug in laptop


Tidy desk


Close your browser tabs like a civilized human


Whisper, "I’m done for today" Plug in laptop Plug in laptop Tidy desk Tidy desk Close your browser tabs like a civilized human Close your browser tabs like a civilized human Whisper, "I’m done for today" Whisper, "I’m done for today" The ritual tells your brain: We’re off the clock. 3. Journal One Good Thing 3. Journal One Good Thing Not five. Not a gratitude marathon. Just one beautiful, small moment from today: A taco that slapped


A stranger that smiled


The fact that you didn’t lose your sh*t in traffic A taco that slapped A taco that slapped A stranger that smiled A stranger that smiled The fact that you didn’t lose your sh*t in traffic The fact that you didn’t lose your sh*t in traffic Write it down. Signal to your brain that it wasn’t all bad. 4. Lay Out Tomorrow’s Clothes (Yes, Like You’re in Kindergarten) 4. Lay Out Tomorrow’s Clothes (Yes, Like You’re in Kindergarten) You are statistically 10x more likely to follow through with a workout if your clothes are laid out. Okay, I made up the stat. But it feels true, right? Decision fatigue is real. Kill one tomorrow by making the decision now. 5. Pack Your Snacks (or Prepare to Be Hangry AF) 5. Pack Your Snacks (or Prepare to Be Hangry AF) Future-you is a monster when they haven’t eaten. Pack a protein bar. Some fruit. Anything that isn’t sugar, sadness, or Uber Eats. 6. Move Your Phone 6. Move Your Phone Not to another room (unless you’re a superhero). Just…out of reach. Set your alarm and drop your phone somewhere that requires physical movement in the morning. It’ll save you from: Scrolling into oblivion at 1:17 AM


Waking up with TikTok in your eyeballs Scrolling into oblivion at 1:17 AM Scrolling into oblivion at 1:17 AM Waking up with TikTok in your eyeballs Waking up with TikTok in your eyeballs 7. Do the Damn Dishes 7. Do the Damn Dishes There’s something weirdly therapeutic about it. Clean sink = calm brain. Also, you deserve to wake up to peace, not a horror show of crusty plates. Bill Gates washes dishes nightly. Be like Bill. 8. Breathe Like a Calm, Collected Human (Instead of a Frantic Gremlin) 8. Breathe Like a Calm, Collected Human (Instead of a Frantic Gremlin) Try 4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for 4


Hold for 7


Exhale for 8 Inhale for 4 Inhale for 4 Hold for 7 Hold for 7 Exhale for 8 Exhale for 8 Repeat 3x. Watch your stress melt like cheese on nachos. 9. Give Your Brain a Job While You Sleep 9. Give Your Brain a Job While You Sleep Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn guy) does this: Before bed, ask your brain something like: "How can I make $1K a month on the side without hating myself?" Then forget about it. Your subconscious will chew on it all night, like a mental crockpot. A Quick Reminder: Don’t be the hero who tries all nine at once and flames out in 48 hours. A Quick Reminder: Pick two. Then stack more as they stick. These tiny 3-minute habits have ripple effects: You’ll wake up calmer


You’ll stop making dumb decisions before coffee


You’ll build momentum You’ll wake up calmer You’ll wake up calmer You’ll stop making dumb decisions before coffee You’ll stop making dumb decisions before coffee You’ll build momentum You’ll build momentum You don’t need a 10-step morning routine. You need one small win before bed. Do it for tomorrow-you. He’s tired of cleaning up your mess. Until next time, Benoit

Finishing the Day Like a High-Performer

About Author

Comments

TOPICS

THIS ARTICLE WAS FEATURED IN

Related Stories

A “Don’t Do” List Can Change Your Life

Everything You've Been Told About Passion is a Lie

My Plan to Make a Million Dollars Writing Online

Standing Out is Overrated: You Should Just Conform Instead

Don't Waste Your Time Watching Sports

The Advice Paradox: Why We Can't Follow Our Own Wisdom

A “Don’t Do” List Can Change Your Life

Everything You've Been Told About Passion is a Lie

My Plan to Make a Million Dollars Writing Online

Standing Out is Overrated: You Should Just Conform Instead

Don't Waste Your Time Watching Sports

The Advice Paradox: Why We Can't Follow Our Own Wisdom

Light-Mode

Classic

Newspaper

Minty

Dark-Mode

Neon Noir

Minty

HN StartUps