Andrew Wilkinson’s Daily Routine

Wake-up

• If my kids wake me up, then it’s usually between 5:30-6:30am.
• If I wake up naturally, between 7-8am.

Morning Hydration + Coffee

• Drink a big glass of water with electrolytes.
• If sunny, I make an AeroPress coffee, black and sit outside on my back patio for a few minutes.
• If overcast/raining, I use the Retimer.
• Check my Oura Ring sleep score.

How Andrew Wilkinson likes his morning caffeine

• First thing when I wake up, I have a black AeroPress americano and Caffe Fantastico Causeway blend is my daily driver.
• I use a Niche Zero grinder, as recommended by James Hoffmann.
• As I drive to work or start working I will typically have a lemon original Mateina Yerba Mate.

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Daily Journal and Habit Tracking

“I do a daily journal/brain dump using Reflect.

I use a daily note template that encompasses:

1. Gratitude

2. Brain dump – whatever is on my mind

3. Most Important Tasks – projects that are itching at me

4. Habit tracking:

• Sauna/Cold Plunge
• Time in Nature
• Exercise
• 5-10 min focus time with each kid”

Things Andrew Wilkinson avoids in the mornings

1. Checking my email/phone – I usually try to avoid looking at my email or anything stressful for the first hour or two.
2. Reading news.
3. If with my kids, I try to put my phone away and get at least 5-10 minutes fully engaged with each kid.

For more insights on how to make journaling a meaningful part of your daily life, check out our article on Journaling Routine.

Shower + Morning Skin Care

• Hair Care: I use NewWash, which enhances my hair’s quality. Reason: Unlike shampoos with sulfates that strip natural oils, NewWash preserves the hair’s natural barrier.
• Cleansing: I cleanse with Zein Obagi Cleanser daily. Reason: It eliminates dirt and sebum, preventing clogged pores and maintains skin pH.
• Serum: I apply Osmosis MD’s Rescue and then Clarify (retinol). Reason: Serums penetrate deeply, and retinol boosts collagen and cell turnover, reducing fine lines.
• Moisturizing: I use BIOLOGIQUE RECHERCHE’s Creme Dermopurifiante. Reason: It locks in hydration, ensuring skin remains supple.

• Skin Enhancement: Occasionally, I use the Omnilux laser facemask. Reason: Photobio-modulation stimulates cellular activity, boosting collagen and skin quality.
• Hair Growth: I use the Hairmax band 3x weekly. Reason: Its low-level light therapy potentially stimulates hair follicles for growth. (Hairmax Alternative)
• Oral Care: I brush with a Philips IQ toothbrush using Sensodyne with Novamin. Reason: Novamin helps remineralize tooth enamel, strengthening teeth. For interdental cleaning, I opt for the Philips WaterPik. Reason: It effectively cleans between teeth, replacing traditional flossing.

Breakfast

For breakfast, Andrew Wilkinson often has blueberries, pistachios, and either steak or chicken. Blueberries boost cognitive function with their rich antioxidants, while pistachios promote heart and eye health. The steak or chicken ensures he gets quality protein, essential for muscle repair, along with vital vitamins and minerals. Andrew Wilkinson is currently taking part in a muscle building challenge with his friends and has a high-protein diet.

Morning Supplements

• Minoxidil: Used for hair loss prevention. Scientific Reason: Minoxidil is a vasodilator that can promote hair regrowth by increasing blood flow to hair follicles.
• Pravastatin + Zetia: Taken for familial cholesterolemia. Scientific Reason: Pravastatin inhibits an enzyme essential for cholesterol production in the liver, while Zetia reduces the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines, together managing high cholesterol levels.
• CoQ10: Consumed to counteract potential statin side effects. Scientific Reason: Coenzyme Q10 supports cellular energy production. Its levels can be reduced by statins, so supplementation may help mitigate muscle-related side effects.
• SlowMag: A magnesium supplement. Scientific Reason: Magnesium plays a crucial role in numerous enzymatic reactions in the body, from energy production to muscle function.
• BROQ (Sulforaphane): For its antioxidant properties. Scientific Reason: Sulforaphane, derived from broccoli, activates the body’s detoxification pathways, potentially offering protection against various diseases.
• Quercetin: Taken during seasonal allergies. Scientific Reason: Quercetin is a natural flavonoid with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties, making it effective in alleviating allergy symptoms.
• Magnesium L-threonate: Consumed throughout the day. Scientific Reason: This specific form of magnesium is known to better penetrate the blood-brain barrier, potentially supporting cognitive function.
• Zinc L-carnosine: Taken every day or two. Scientific Reason: This compound can promote gastric healing, offering protection against stomach irritation.
• Carlson Vitamin D + Vitamin K2: For bone and cardiovascular health. Scientific Reason: Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption while Vitamin K2 directs calcium to bones and teeth, preventing arterial calcification.

If low on sleep:

• L-tyrosine: To support neurotransmitter production. Scientific Reason: L-tyrosine is an amino acid precursor to neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine, which can be depleted due to stress or lack of sleep.

In cases of extreme sleep deprivation (2-4 hours):

• Modafinil (occasionally): To enhance wakefulness. Scientific Reason: Modafinil is a central nervous system stimulant that can increase alertness and prevent sleepiness in individuals with disrupted sleep.

Tracking and Measuring Health

To monitor the effects of his supplements, nutrition, and workouts, and track his overall health, Andrew Wilkinson tests his blood and various bio-markers via InsideTracker, a company that offers comprehensive tests, to track and monitor his health, and provide customized recommendations based on the results.

Some Options for InsideTracker:

• Essentials
• Foundation
• Ultimate Plan + DNA Kit + InnerAge 2.0 calculation

Andrew Wilkinson also works with Dr. Kyle Gilett at Gillett Health.

Workout Routine and Nutrition

Workout Schedule:

• I engage in powerlifting sessions 4-5 days a week at 9:15 AM, right after dropping my kids off at school.
• Additionally, I enjoy playing pickleball with friends on my home court several times a week.

Pre-Workout Nutrition:

Before working out, I consume L-citruline.

I also drink multiple protein smoothies daily, made of:

• Now Pea Protein (unflavored)
• Kirkland Almond Milk
• Ice
• Frozen organic blueberries
• Cinnamon
• 2 Brazil nuts
• Allmax L-Leucine
• ½ cup of rolled oats
• I blend everything using my Beast blender.

Exercises included in my routine:

• Deadlifts
• Squats
• Benchpress
• Rows
• Overhead press
• Bicep curls
• Tricep curls
• Ab roller

Additional Training Insights:

• I recently had a Dexa scan and am awaiting my InBody 270 for at-home measurements.

Post-Workout Nutrition:

• I aim for 1.7g of protein per KG of bodyweight.
• I strive to consume over 2500 calories daily, predominantly from:
• Wonderful Shelled Pistachios (lightly salted)
• Olive oil
• Perfect Protein bars

Why Pickleball?

“I find pickleball more accessible than tennis. While I love tennis, it can be challenging to play with less experienced players and is less social. Pickleball is enjoyable and suitable for players of all levels.”

Lunch

“Usually a salad with a ton of chicken and avocado.”

Andrew Wilkinson

Structured Work Routine

• “I typically will start by trying to get to inbox zero”
• “I use David Allen’s GTD system for productivity and Omnifocus to manage tasks – it is the worst until you’ve tried all the others. Only thing that has ever worked for me.”
• “I use OmniFocus Workflows.”
• “As I’ve gotten more into investing and less into day-to-day productivity my worklife has shifted to calls and meetings, which I don’t actually like. I’m working hard to block my time and now limit my day to 1.5 hours of scheduled work (meetings, lunches, etc) with occasional longer days for board meetings and other mandatory things.”
• “I don’t generally find I have more than 5-6 hours of output per day.”
• “Most of my work day is “routing” tasks and delegating vs. doing work myself or emotional labor—negotiating/decision making/getting alignment.”
• “I don’t really work after 5pm anymore, it was ruining my sleep, so usually once I’m home I’m not working.”

Flow State

• 3-4 hours of open time
• A closed door
• A big screen, he mentions, “I have a Mac Studio + Apple Display XDR.”
• Amazing speakers or headphones, usually playing Radiohead or something electronic
• A clear set of tasks – I have a “Deep Work” tag in Omnifocus for tasks that require more thinking/deep dive and I usually save them for when I have the right setup for a flow state

Prioritizing And Task Delegation

“I use Missive to delegate my email.

My assistants see all my emails first and triage it, only showing me the stuff I need to see.

They sort it by:

1. Urgent – needs response
2. Needs Response
3. FYI – read-only
4. Pitches – people sending me deals, opportunities, and philanthropic tasks.
5. Newsletters (my favourite ones below)

I either assign emails to people or I tag “Waiting on” in Omnifocus so I remember to follow up

I generally try to get a task fully out of my brain once I delegate it and accept that it may get done not the way I want, and that is the cost of delegating.”

Andrew’s favourite Newsletter

1. Capital Daily (obv)
2. Whitney Tilson’s Daily (finance)
3. News Items (INCREDIBLE daily world news roundup)
4. Farnam Street Brain Food
5. Readwise (shows me old kindle highlights – great way to remember what I’ve read)

Thoughts on Meetings

We asked Andrew some questions on his thoughts and structure around meetings.

What are your perspectives on daily meetings? Are fewer meetings better?

• I hate any recurring meeting that happens more than once a month
• I find even scheduled phone calls dumb – I often tell people to voice note me – turns a 30 min call into a 3-5 min thing

How do you and Chris determine your meeting schedules? Are these spontaneous or planned? How often do you both meet to discuss Tiny?

• We use Anti-Goals (see my medium post) to avoid stuff we hate
• We meet once a month as exec team to discuss business performance and strategy
• Once a month to discuss more operational deep dives with our president
• I also meet once a month with my family office to review personal finance stuff
• Batching things into a monthly meeting avoids a lot of day to day meetings and emails because unless critical everyone knows they can save it for that

How do you prefer to structure your meetings? In-person, over lunch, in a sauna?

• If with a friend or someone I’m getting to know, casual lunch or sauna/cold plunge is always fun
• If for business, I try to do audio only calls but my preference is almost always to meet people in person when it’s something important. I hated COVID and zoom so now I avoid video like the plague.

Post-Work Unwinding Rituals

• Sauna/cold plunge
• Dinner with kids
• Pickleball/chess/movie with kids
• If no kids, dinner with Zoe
• Put kids to bed: For some reason they fall asleep really well to the Dohm analog white noise machine, which I now use in my room too.
• Zoe and I usually read on our Kindles in our den in front of the fire until bedtime, or sometimes watch a movie in our home theater (I can get you all the specs, projector, screen, etc). When watching TV at night, I use the same accessibility shortcut as I do on my phone to turn my screen red so I can sleep after watching TV.

Sauna and Cold Plunge

Sauna and Cold Plunge Cycle:

I usually do a sauna + cold plunge cycle around 3-4pm to wind down from my day and do a little reset.

Equipment:

• For the cold plunge, I use the Cold Plunge XL, which I believe is from coldplunge.com.
• My sauna is equipped with a Huum Sauna furnace.

To learn more about incorporating cold plunges into your routine, explore our article on The Cold Plunge Routine.

Parenting

We asked Andrew Wilkinson if he has any unique practices to raise outstanding kids. here is what he had to say:

• Jury is out, but the #1 thing I focus on is not letting them win / have things go well when they’re behaving poorly.
• Behave well – nice life
• Behave badly – boring life (not punishment, I just won’t do any fun things or give them treats)
• One thing that has been fun is getting them into chess, which we often play in the mornings before school

Dinner

Heavy on protein, usually steak or chicken. I generally try to eat paleo as I had really bad acid reflux for years and it seems to solve it.

Evening Wind-Down Routine

Screen and Light Adjustments:

• I put on blue light blocking glasses (custom from lenscraftersr)
• Turn off and dim most of the lights in the house.
• I have a Philips Hue bulb next to my bed.
• All my sleep tips here.
• If I’m feeling stressed, i’ll take ashwaghanda around 6pm.
• My phone automatically changed to “zen” mode, a focus state where I have no apps on my home screen, the screen is dimmed, and all texts from anyone other than family + my girlfriend + close friends is filtered out.
• I also use the accessibility shortcuts to enable “red tint” screen – google how to do this.
• I also use screen time aggressively – I limit my ability to read news / social media / anything distracting to 1-5 min per day before they lock and my girlfriend has the password so it’s super annoying to try to break out.
• When I feel really stressed, I only wear my Apple watch Ultra with cellular out and about, which means I can still do basics but I can’t text/email which helps a lot with stress.

Reading:

• I read on my Kindle Oasis on the warm setting / dark screen mode / very low brightness usually for between 5 and 30 minutes before bed

Supplements for Sleep (as needed):

• Life Extension DopaMind.
• Inositol.
• Phosphatidylserine.
• For travel or jet lag, occasionally take 300 mcg melatonin from Life Extension, emphasizing a low dose.

Skincare:

• Follow the same routine mentioned earlier for both morning and evening.

Family Time:

• I use Chat GPT to craft entertaining stories with embedded lessons for my children, often focusing on business concepts or prior discussions.

Reflection:

• Incorporate the “Storyworthy – Homework for Life” methodology into my daily reflective notes. This concept, introduced by Matthew Dicks in his book “Storyworthy”, is an approach where one reflects on the most memorable moment of every day. This practice not only serves as a tool for improving one’s storytelling skills but also enriches the appreciation of daily experiences, however ordinary they may seem.

Sleep:

• Track sleep patterns with the Oura ring, typically achieving a score of 80-90.

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