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2000 Year Old Secrets to a Successful Morning Routine [Seneca]

By Effluo | Published July 29, 2022 | No Comments

One tree by itself never calls for admiration when the whole forest rises to the same height. – Seneca

We look to people who have risen above the rest, those who have shaped history. We study their lives and teachings to understand what made them great. Because lives consist of different routines and habits, we will take a look at the steps to a successful morning routine based on the study of one of the most popular Stoics. 

We will take a look at the teachings of Seneca, who was a major political figure during the time of Roman Empire, and remains a very influential Stoic philosopher until today. 

Seneca lived from 0004 BCE to 0065 AD, right at the turn of new era.   He was a philosopher, statesman and an orator.  His work Letters from a Stoic have not only survived the last two thousand years, but have influenced other great minds that in turn shaped our history themselves.  These great minds include but are not limted to the likes of William Shakespeare, Dante and Benjamin Franklin.  

His work, Letters from a Stoic, consists of a collection of 124 letters that deal with moral and daily issues pertaining to human existence.   Given that this is an excellent resource into the thought process of the people of that time, let us dive into the lessons that they teach about setting a successful morning routine.   

Seven Steps to a Successful Morning Routine According to Seneca

1  Wake Up Early

2  Practice Gratitude

3  Personal Care and Eat Breakfast

4  Develop Your Intellect – Read

5  Set Your Daily Intention

6  Prepare For The Unexpected

7 Plan Your Day

1  Wake Up Early

We are more industrious, and we are better men if we anticipate the day and welcome the dawn; but we are base churls if we lie dozing when the sun is high in the heavens, or if we wake up only when noon arrives; and even then to many it seems not yet dawn. – Seneca

Seneca spent a whole letter devoted to the discussion of the importance of getting up early.  Letter CXXII begins stating that if you get up early you will have enough time to complete things you intend to complete, because you ‘rise with the day’.  

He then progressed to discuss the dangers that people put themselves in when they choose to sleep in, and reverse the night and day functions.

In short, getting up early in the morning is one of the best things you can do for yourself to have a great productive day.

2  Practice Gratitude

Unhappy is the man, though he rule the world, who doesn’t consider himself supremely blessed. –  Seneca

According to Seneca, gratitude is the key to happiness.   Stoics were strong proponents of moderation in living, shying away from too much luxury and extravagance.   Their teachings continually pointed out that having more will not make us happy, but gratitude for what we already have will.

In this specific quote Seneca said that even if you rule the world, but do not consider yourself blessed, you will be unhappy.  Therefore, feeling blessed, a.k.a. grateful, leads to happiness.

We should try by all means to be as grateful as possible. – Seneca

Seneca devoted a whole letter LXXXI to the benefits of gratefulness.   He elaborated that it is something that you do not do for the sake of others, but for yourself. 

Practicing gratitude is truly one of the best things you can do for yourself in order to live a happy life.

I feel grateful, not because it profits me, but because it pleases me.  – Seneca

3  Personal Care and Eat Breakfast

Our motto, as everyone knows, is to live in conformity with nature: it is quite contrary to nature to torture one’s body, to reject simple standards of cleanliness and make a point of being dirty, to adopt a diet that is not just plain but hideous and revolting.  – Seneca

It doesn’t matter which Stoic teaching you are reading; you will always find their motto.  

Living in accordance to nature.  

This simple yet profound phrase truly embodies the teaching of Stoics.   

In this specific case Seneca elaborated on the meaning of this motto that perfectly fits the steps to a successful morning routine.

Living in accordance with nature means learning to listen to your body and responding to its needs.  This means keeping to simple standards of cleanliness and movement. 

As to the diet, listen to your body for what it needs.   It knows better than you, however you do need to learn to trust it.  

Stoic Diet Tips

There are many, to quote Seneca, ‘hideous and revolting’ diets that are sold today.  Apparently nothing really has changed in this regard over the last few millennia.  Too many rules exist about what you should and should not eat.  

Here is a summary of a Stoic diet. 

If you are hungry eat, if you are not hungry do not eat.  If you wake up hungry do not wait for many hours before you eat, and if you wake up not hungry do not force yourself to eat.

Live according to nature. After you eat, notice how the food made you feel.  If you have energy and are ready to take on the day, excellent, you are living according to nature. Your body is getting exactly what is needed to thrive.  If you feel sluggish and sleepy after eating, consider trying something different next time.

There is in our day a diet that would be Stoic approved and that is called an Intuitive Diet. It is great because it is exactly in line with what Stoics were teaching thousands of years ago. Why not go with the time proven method of what worked in the past and implement it in your life today.

4  Develop Your Intellect – Read

And reading, I hold, is indispensable—primarily, to keep me from being satisfied with myself alone, and besides, after I have learned what others have found out by their studies, to enable me to pass judgment on their discoveries and reflect upon discoveries that remain to be made. – Seneca

Seneca was an ardent reader.   In this specific letter to Lucius he explained his reasons for reading.  

First, you learn from the great minds that came before you.   In other words, there is no need to reinvent the wheel.  

Second, you take what you learn and build on with new ideas.  Meaning, you take the wheel and make it into a bicycle.  Or take the bicycle and make it into the motorcycle. 

Reading propels you into new heights. 

So always read well-tried authors, and if at any moment you find yourself wanting a change from a particular author, go back to ones you have read before. – Seneca

Time is valuable, and even at the time of Seneca the number of books were innumerable.   Quantity of these books have increased exponentially.  Seneca recommended finding good and trustworthy authors whose work elevates your thinking, and sticking with them.  Otherwise, you may get caught in consuming too much intellectual junk food. 

5  Set Your Daily Intention

After running over a lot of different thoughts, pick out one to be digested thoroughly that day. This is what I do myself; out of the many bits I have been reading I lay hold of one. – Seneca

After Seneca would spend his time reading, he would pick something to meditate on throughout the day. Similarly, as you do your reading in the morning, select a thought to focus on throughout the day. Write it down in your planner, journal, phone, memo or note and refer to it throughout the day. 

Doing this exercise will help you get out of the busyness of everyday life, and will make you think of something beyond the mundane.

6  Prepare For The Unexpected

Now I bear it in mind not only that all things are liable to death but that that liability is governed by no set rules. Whatever can happen at any time can happen today. Let us reflect then, my dearest Lucilius, that we ourselves shall not be long in reaching the place we mourn his having reached. – Seneca

Stoics lived by the motto of ‘memento mori’.  Meaning that you should always remember that you will die.   This may sound dismal and depressing, but in reality it gives you a new perspective on each individual day.  

It makes you think of the best way to spend the day, because you do not know if its your last. You will be naturally inclined to make the most out of it.

Seneca also pointed out that bad things will happen to everyone.  You cannot escape this fact.  No one’s life is without hardships.  To face these hardships he recommended the following approach.

Escape them you cannot, scorn them you can. And scorn them you will if by constant reflection you have anticipated future happenings. Everyone faces up more bravely to a thing for which he has long prepared himself, sufferings, even; being withstood if they have been trained for in advance.

Those who are unprepared, on the other hand, are panic-stricken by the most insignificant happenings. We must see to it that nothing takes us by surprise. And since it is invariably unfamiliarity that makes a thing more formidable than it really is, this habit of continual reflection will ensure that no form of adversity finds you a complete beginner. – Seneca

Seneca’s recommendation to face hardships is not only to anticipate them, but be prepared for them. 

Make it part of a successful morning routine. Try to anticipate hardships so nothing takes you by surprise and therefore disarms you. 

i.e. Have you ever found yourself in traffic jam irritated and running late. Well Seneca would recommend that you anticipate the traffic jam and prepare for it ahead of time.

 Do not be like the people who are ‘panic-stricken’ by the most insignificant happenings. 

If you do find yourself utterly surprised with a situation, take time to reflect and determine if this is something that could have been anticipated.  If so, learn from the experience and anticipate it next time.

7 Plan Your Day

Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind. – Seneca

Finally, the last but not the least part of a successful morning routine is to plan your day. If you do not plan your day someone else will do it for you.  And like the winds that can carry a ship to any harbor, someone else’s plans will most likely not bring you closer to your dreams.      

There’s some end at last for the man who follows a path; mere rambling is interminable. – Seneca

If you do not plan your day and are not intentional on how you intend to spend it, you run the risk of being very busy without accomplishing anything important.    Mere rambling is never ending. 

If you ever find yourself being very busy with tasks and never-ending to do lists, stop and see if you are actually working towards a specific goal or dream.

With me no day is ever whiled away at ease. – Seneca

Make sure to take account of your time spent during the day, set daily goals, prioritize your tasks and stay in control of your day.

Summary of the Seven Steps to a Successful Morning Routine According to Seneca

Successful morning routine can mean different things to different people. Use the information learned from Seneca as a guideline for creating your perfect routine. Remember the main motto of stoics, to live according to your nature. If you find that something you are doing is going against your nature, realize that it is in your power to stop doing it.

1  Wake Up Early

2  Practice Gratitude

3  Personal Care and Eat Breakfast

4  Develop Your Intellect – Read

5  Set You Daily Intention

6  Prepare For The Unexpected

7 Plan Your Day

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