Stuck in a Rut? A/B Test Your Morning Routine

It’s no secret that some of the most successful business people in history have their morning routines down to a science.

Why do they value the morning hours so highly? Well, perhaps they’re taking advantage of increased brain function, or perhaps they cherish the spiritually symbolic fresh-start a new day brings.

More likely, they simply have a huge amount to accomplish and finite hours to do so.

So how can modern business people ensure their first hours are as productive as possible? The answer could be as simple the humble A/B approach.

  

What is A/B Testing? 

A/B testing (also called split testing) is exactly what the name implies; taking two versions of something and seeing what works best.

It’s a simple testing method most often used in marketing. For example, marketers may have two versions of a web page, one with blue text and one with red text. Aside from colour, the content of the web page is identical. Half of the website visitors will see the blue-text version, and the other half will see the red version.

If there’s a significant difference in how each version performs, you may consider revising your strategy moving forward. Simple, yes. Highly effective? You bet.

  

How Does A/B Testing Relate to My Morning Routine? 

Chances are you’ve hit the hay earlier than usual and felt great the following day. There’s also a chance you decided to continue this revised bedtime in light of your newfound morning-after energy. Well, in essence, you’ve just A/B tested your night-time routine. 

You identified that a 10pm bedtime performed better than 11pm, and adjusted your strategy accordingly.

This same simple principle can apply to your morning rituals. We have approximately 68 years as an adult, and 25,000 mornings during that time, which is ample opportunity to get them finely tuned.

 

What Parts of My Morning Should I Test?

There are a lot of moving parts in a successful morning. Not just what you tackle when you reach the office, whether you disregard emails until your more pressing tasks are taken care of, or at what time you grab your first flat white.

Some of the most successful people in modern business agonise over a stringent morning routine. Tim Armstrong, CEO of AOL, swears by exercise, reading and chatting with one of his early-rising children before tackling the day’s work.

Consider drafting a rough schedule of your morning routine as it happens now. This could be a 6:30am start, a quick shower and breakfast, replying to pressing emails followed by a train ride with the morning’s news read on a tablet.

For the following week, play with one element of this routine and gauge any change in productivity when you reach the office, or enduring energy levels throughout the day. For example, wake 15 minutes earlier and use that time for a brisk walk around the block before your shower.

Alternatively, wake 15 minutes later and forgo the emails until you reach the office.

  

Morning Routines and Business Success

Change is key to driving innovation. Few businesses strike the next big idea by repeating the same thing they’ve done for the past 10 years, and business people themselves are no different.

Even the simplest changes in your day-to-day routine can arm you with the energy to push your thinking to new heights. Or you may even unearth opportunities you’d not seen before.