What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast

A Short Guide to Making Over Your Mornings—and Life

By: Laura Vanderkam

Narrated by: Laura Vanderkam

Length: 1 hr and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

Mornings are a madcap time for many of us. We wake up in a haze—often after hitting snooze a few times. Then we rush around to get ready and out the door so we can officially start the day. Before we know it, hours have slipped by without us accomplishing anything beyond downing a cup of coffee, dashing off a few emails, and dishing with our coworkers around the water cooler. By the time the workday wraps up, we’re so exhausted and defeated that any motivation to accomplish something in the evening has vanished.

But according to time management expert Laura Vanderkam, mornings hold the key to taking control of our schedules. If we use them wisely, we can build habits that will allow us to lead happier, more productive lives.

Drawing on real-life anecdotes and scientific research that shows why the early hours of the day are so important, Vanderkam reveals how successful people use mornings to help them accomplish things that are often impossible to take care of later in the day. While many of us are still in bed, these folks are scoring daily victories to improve their health, careers, and personal lives without sacrificing their sanity. For instance, former PepsiCo chairman and CEO Steve Reinemund would rise at 5:00 a.m., run four miles, pray, and eat breakfast with his family before heading to work to run a Fortune 500 company.

What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast is a fun, practical guide that will inspire you to rethink your morning routine and jump-start your life before the day has even begun.

©2012 Laura Vanderkam. (P)2012 Gildan Media LLC

Great quick listen!

Parallels 168 hours in some ways but still great advice for making the most of your day by focusing and stream lining your morning.

Great from the start

Even though most of the tips I've hear before, it was a great reminder and motivator to redesign my mornings. It's good to hear great books like this over and over because it helps us consciously make the decision to either finally change or change where we have become complacent. Great book. Also, just because you've heard something before doesn't mean that you've mastered it. We often complain that books like this say the same things. The truth is, if we all had productive mornings then these books wouldn't be written. We all need a refresher course on how to stay on our "A" game. This book is a guide to have a successful, productive, and great morning. It comes with great examples of the mornings of various leaders too. I also love how the author has clearly done her homework and researched the numbers. Awesome job!

Very helpful book!

I really learned so much and am ready to start making changes in my morning routine.
The content made me continue listening to the narration- which was not stimulating at all.

Good book but narration is a bit flat

I found the book to be interesting and helpful for time management and habit making. I also felt that the narrator could have been more enthusiastic. Since it’s the author of the book, I had hoped she would sound more natural instead of sounding like she was literally reading a book.

Valuable

A great value for the short time investment. Simple and practical, I definitely recommend it

Clear Strategy For Improving One's Productivity

This was concise and to the point. This book provides a clear way to better utilize your time. The effect of adopting these strategies will make an individual more efficient through effective time utilization.

Useful and Entertaining

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, I'm already recommending this audiobook to my friends. This book really added a new option to my life. I've discovered the joy of early morning! Too many times I've ended a day saying "what have I accomplished?" but the suggestions in this very succinct reading really have gotten me into better habits and I'm getting more done in every day. Rather dragging myself ourt of bed - I celebrate the "me" time allowed every day!

What other book might you compare What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast to and why?

I'd compare this book to Stephen Covey's 7 Habits books, but with more emphasis on implementation, rather than the principals behind it.

Which character – as performed by Laura Vanderkam – was your favorite?

Doesn't apply as this shares some ways to improve your life.

What’s an idea from the book that you will remember?

Go to bed earlier and get up earlier so you have those quiet hours to yourself!

Any additional comments?

An excellent buy - reasonable price but something I've already listened to several times - from start to finish..

Time Management How To

Get the most important tasks done first thing in the morning. I liked her repeated mentions of using that time for prayer. Short listen with some repetition, worth listening to. Looking forward to more from this author.

Quick easy listen.

Great book for motivation to change your morning routine. Totally recommend if you're looking to change your morning routine or find "me time."

Short, simple and to the point.

I enjoyed the length of this book. The author states message without overkill but does enough to inspire.