James Clear’s Daily Habits and Schedule

Wake-up

• “Typically I just wake up when I feel rested.”
• Drinks 1 glass of cold water
• Recommends Circadian Optics Light Therapy Lamp, it helps alleviate symptoms of seasonal sunlight changes, improves mood, increases energy levels, and regulates sleep patterns. It is designed to mimic natural sunlight and is ideal for work-from-home settings.

Recommends EUFY BodySence Smart Scale, “Affordable smart scale to track weight, body fat, and BMI”

Morning Good Habits

“I think a morning routine should be simple and repeatable (at some point, if you add too many pieces to the mix, you’re not really doing a morning routine anymore, but simply a daily routine).”

“Here are the strategies that I’ve found to be most effective for getting the most out of my morning ritual.”

• Manage your energy, not your time.
• Prepare the night before.
• Don’t open email until noon.
• Work in a cool place.
• Sit up or stand up.
• Turn your phone off and leave it in another room.
• Eat as a reward for working hard.
• Develop “pre-game routine” to start your day

Hydration + Caffeine

• Recommends Great Lakes Supplement, “Add to your morning hot or cold drinks for collagen boost “
• Consumes a lot of water throughout the day
• Recommends Instant Coffee Powder by Four Sigmatic, infused with lion’s mane and chaga mushrooms and organic coffee for mental focus. “your go-to morning beverage to support productivity, focus, and, creativity.”

Coffee product recommendations

• Coffee Beans Kicking Horse Whole Bean Coffee “Rocky Mountain roasted, bold and organic coffee”
• Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker. “Pure and particle-free micro-filtered coffee maker”

If coffee or tea isn’t your thing, consider starting your day with a refreshing smoothie using a green powder like AG1. It’s a great way to stay hydrated and fuel your body with essential nutrients for energy and focus.

Journaling

Dedicates 10 minutes to practicing gratitude journaling on a regular basis. Here are some journals that are a part of James Clear’s daily schedule.

Uses and recommends

• “The Clear Habit Journal is designed to give you everything you need and nothing you don’t.”
• Panda planner “Daily calendar and gratitude journal to increase your productivity and time management “
• The Five Minute Journal “A simple effective thing you can do every day to be happy”

Gratitude Journaling

Gratitude journaling offers a multitude of advantages, including enhanced mood, decreased stress levels, and heightened optimism. Clear underscores the significance of establishing precise daily goals, as they provide guidance and a feeling of achievement. According to Clear, “You start to realize how insignificant monetary things are for your day-to-day happiness.” Additionally, he suggests, “It is a really good idea to force yourself into a positive frame of mind at least once per day.”

James Clear on Habit Journal

“The Clear Habit Journal will both keep you on track and make customization a breeze. You can do it all in one multipurpose journal. No need to carry multiple notebooks. No need to buy another notebook, journal, or planner again.”

“I’ve tried dozens of other notebooks and methods in the past. The habit journal is designed to resolve many of the common problems that plague other notebooks and journals on the market.”

If you want to add journaling to your daily routine, check out our extensive article on a Journaling Routine.

Morning Meditation

James Clear on Meditation

“I’ll usually sit in silence and do some deep breathing for a minute or two before I start reading my twenty pages.”

“Meditation is like fasting for the mind. The practice clears your mental digestive tract.”

If you’re looking to start meditating daily, consider checking out our in-depth Daily Meditation Routine article. You can also try the Yoga Wake Up app for quick, guided sessions that make meditation easy and energizing!

Reading

• Engages in a daily reading habit of at least 20-30 minutes.
• “Regardless of what happens during the rest of the day, I still get my 20 pages each morning.”
• Reads E-books on Kindle Paperwhite
• He uses a book stand to pause and type notes while reading.

Recommended Reading List from James Clear’s routine:

• The Simple System I Use to Read More
• Book Reading Strategies

Importance of Reading In James Clear’s Schedule

“Here’s why I think this pattern works: 20 pages is small enough that it’s not intimidating. Most people can finish reading 20 pages within 30 minutes. And if you do it first thing in the morning, then the urgencies of the day don’t get in the way. Finally, 20 pages seem small but add up fast.”

Enhancing Knowledge Retention

“Knowledge will only compound if it is retained. In other words, what matters is not simply reading more books, but getting more out of each book you read.”

“I highlight passages on my Kindle Paperwhite and use a program called Clippings to export all of my Kindle highlights directly into Evernote.”

“I type my notes as I read. If I come across a long passage I want to transcribe, I place the book on a book stand as I type.”

Skips Breakfast

• Practices Intermittent Fasting
• Follows the 16/8 fasting method
• “I typically eat most of my meals between 12 PM and 8 PM. The result is that I get some additional time in the morning to do focused work rather than cook breakfast”
• “I have a lot of mental clarity in the morning when I fast”

Intermittent Fasting Quickstart Guide

12 Lessons Learned from 1 Year of Intermittent Fasting

The Beginner’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting

James Clear on Skipping Breakfast

“I practice intermittent fasting, which means that I eat my first meal around noon each day. I’ve been doing this for almost two years. There are plenty of health benefits. But health is just one piece of the puzzle. I also fast because it allows me to get more out of my day. Take a moment to think about how much time people spend each day thinking, planning, and consuming food. By adopting intermittent fasting, I don’t waste an hour each morning figuring out what to eat for breakfast, cooking it, and cleaning up. Instead, I use my morning to work on things that are important to me. Then, I eat good food and big meals as a reward for working hard.”

“Now that I’ve started fasting, I want food less. I’m not addicted to it. I’m not a victim of my diet. I eat when I want because I want to, not because my body tells me I have to.”

Does Deep Work

• Incorporates regular breaks every 60-90 minutes
• Uses tools such as Evernote, Trello, WordPress, Fantastical, Google Docs, and Gmail
• Disables push notifications and minimizes social media apps
• Creates a productive work environment in a cool setting
• Clear suggests sitting up or standing while working, as it allows the lungs to expand and contract fully, enabling better oxygen flow to the brain.
• Utilizes full-screen mode to minimize distractions during work

“My creative energy is highest in the morning, so that’s when I do my writing each day. By comparison, I block out my afternoons for interviews, phone calls, and emails. I don’t need my creative energy to be high for those tasks, so that’s the best time for me to get them done.”
James Clear

Recommends:

• Philips GoLite BLU Energy “Blue light naturally improves your mood and energy levels “
• Philips Hue Go “Portable wireless lighting to help you be creative”

Social Media

• Delays checking email until noon
• Avoids social media throughout the week
• Engages with Twitter and Instagram
• Enhances productivity by delaying email until noon

“Every Monday, my assistant would reset the passwords on all Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, which logged me out on each device. All week I worked without distraction. On Friday, she would send me the passwords. I had the entire weekend to enjoy what social media had to offer until Monday morning when we would do it again.”
James Clear

First Meal

• Eats a balanced diet that includes protein, healthy fats, and plenty of vegetables.
• Prepares meals ahead of time to avoid making unhealthy choices when hunger strikes.
• Suggests using small plates for portion control.
• Recommends using high-contrast colored plates to enhance the visual appeal and mindful eating.
• Implements tin foil for wrapping unhealthy foods and plastic wrap for healthier options.

Recommends

• Omega Juicer “Industry-leading juicer with dual-stage extraction with adjustable settings”
• NutriBullet “600- Watt blender that works with fruits, vegetables, superfoods, and protein shakes”
• “I eat good food and big meals as a reward for working hard.”

James Clear on His First Meal

“Surprisingly, since I’ve started intermittent fasting I’ve increased muscle mass (up 10 pounds from 205 to 215), decreased body fat (down 3% from 14% to 11%), increased explosiveness (set a personal best with a clean and jerk of 253 pounds a few months back), and decreased the amount of time I’ve spent training (down from 7.5 hours per week to 2.5 hours per week).”

“When you eat a small portion off of a large plate, your mind feels unsatisfied. Meanwhile, the same portion will feel more filling when eaten off of a small plate.”

James Clear on Grocery Shopping

“When I go to the grocery store, I only walk around the “outer ring” of the store. I don’t walk down the aisles. The outer ring is where healthy food usually lives: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, and nuts. These are items that grew or lived outdoors. That’s what I eat.”

Resumes Deep Work

James Clear maintains a highly productive daily routine by focusing on various habits, . These practices not only enhance his efficiency but also contribute to a balanced and effective workday.

• Work Intervals: He works in focused intervals of 60-90 minutes, taking short breaks in between to recharge.
• Break Benefits: These regular breaks help maintain high levels of concentration and prevent burnout.
• Evernote and Trello: He uses Evernote for note-taking and Trello for task management, keeping his work organized and streamlined.
• WordPress: For managing his blog, he relies on WordPress to handle content creation and updates.
• Fantastical: This calendar app helps him keep track of his schedule and appointments efficiently.
• Google Docs: James uses Google Docs for drafting and collaborating on documents in real-time.
• Gmail: To manage his email communications, he prefers Gmail for its robust features.
• Disabling Notifications: James disables push notifications to maintain focus and reduce interruptions.
• Minimizing Social Media: He minimizes the use of social media apps to avoid unnecessary distractions.
• Cool Setting: James works in a cool environment, which helps him stay alert and comfortable.
• Sitting or Standing: He alternates between sitting and standing while working, ensuring better oxygen flow to his brain and improving focus.
• Full-Screen Mode: Using full-screen mode helps him minimize distractions and stay concentrated on the task at hand.

Fitness Routine

• Works out for 45 minutes
• Lifts three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
• “ I tend to have my best workouts in the late afternoon or early evening”
• Recommends BeetElite Canister (pre-workout supplement), “Concentrated Beed Crystals: an endurance superfood”
• Having built a home gym, he ensures that there are no excuses for missing workouts and amusingly exclaims, ‘I’m becoming this equipment hoarder.’
• Maintains and tracks his pushup routine

He recommends focusing on a select set of essential exercises, which can be counted on two hands. These include the Clean and Jerk, Snatch, Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, Pushups, Pullups, and Sprints.

Recommended Home Gym Equipment:

• Assault AirBike Classic, “A modern take on old, traditional air resistance bikes”
• Peloton Bike, “A private indoor cycling studio in your home”
• ProForm 505 CST, “A treadmill that is easier on joints and muscle “
• Concept2 Indoor Rowing Machine, “Get a low-impact workout that engages all major workout groups”
• Metrixx E-Coat Kettlebell, “The gold standard in “hardstyle” kettlebells”
• Core Fitness® Adjustable Dumbbell Weight Set, “Easy weight adjustments from 5-50 lbs each”
• Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro, is “Great for doorway pull up, or for situps and pushups”
• XYLsports Jump Rope, “Improve your flexibility and develop core strength”

Recommends and Uses Smart Sport Watches:

• Fitbit Flex 2, “Basic activity and sleep tracker from Fitbit for a small price”
• Fitbit Charge 3, “Popular heart rate, activity, and sleep tracking wristband.
• ‍Garmin vívosport“Smart activity tracker with wrist-based heart rate and GPS”

Benefits Of Working Out

“I get the benefits of the workout, sure, but also, I tend to have that post-workout high for an hour or two where I get this good period of concentration. I tend to eat better when I’m training, it’s like I don’t want to waste it. It’s actually when I’m not training that I get lazy and start eating whatever I want. I tend to sleep better at night because I’m tired from the workout, which means I wake up the next day and I have better energy. At no point was I trying to actively build better sleep habits or nutrition habits or whatever, but it just came as a natural by product of getting that one habit of a good workout in”

Building a Home Gym for Convenient Workouts

“Over the last year or two, I’ve built a home gym. All I have to do is get down to the basement and I can just work out there. I’m gradually accumulating more and more equipment, I’m becoming this equipment hoarder, but now I have enough stuff that I don’t have any excuses. All I have to do is just walk downstairs and I can be doing that exercise in 15 seconds.”

Importance of Tracking Workouts and Optimizing Energy

“The workout journal tracking system that has worked best for me. Naturally, I use the Clear Habit Journal. I like this particular one because it is the perfect size and it has a firm cover that doesn’t bend or tear with repeated use.”

“I prefer to write out every set I’ll do, including warm-up sets, because it makes the process of working out even more mindless and automatic. Once I have a plan, I can just pick up the weights and go.”

James Clear’s Approach: Prioritizing the Most Important Exercise Everyday

“I pick one goal for the workout and do the most important exercise first. Everything else is secondary. For example, right now I’m working out Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I do two sessions each day. Upper body in the morning. Lower body in the evening. But I’m only doing one exercise each time (pushups in the morning) and squats or deadlifts in the evening. If I feel like it, I’ll finish my evening workout with kettlebell work or bodyweight stuff (handstands, front levers, and so on).”

Spends Time with Loved Ones

Recommendations if you have a baby

• BABYBJORN Baby Carrier “Provides essential closeness and contact, with added safety built-in “

“I’ve loved spending time with my kids and I’m fortunate to have a job where I’m flexible enough to be able to do that”
James Clear

Dinner

Uses and recommends

• Instant Pot Pressure Cooker “7-in-1 multi-use pressure cooker”
• Zojirushi Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer “Make perfect tasty rice every time”

Practicing Gratitude Before Dinner

“For over two years, I have used a preceding event to stick with a daily gratitude habit. Each night, when I sit down to eat dinner, I say one thing that I was grateful for that day.”

Power of Nutritious Dinners

“The benefits of good nutrition are obvious: you have more energy, your health improves, and your productivity blossoms.”

Preparation Routine

• Engages in proactive planning for upcoming tasks and responsibilities
• Devotes 10 minutes every night to creating a detailed plan for the following day
• Prioritizes important tasks and sets clear objectives for increased productivity

Efficient Daily Routine Planning

“I’ll outline the article I’m going to write the next day and develop a short list of the most important items for me to accomplish. It takes 10 minutes that night and saves 3 hours the next day.”

Prepares for Bed

• Reads, stretches, or meditates before bed
• Sleeps at the same time, preferably for 8 hours
• Avoids using electronic devices for at least an hour before bed
• Keeps his bedroom dark, quiet, and cool
• Avoids consuming caffeine or alcohol in the evening
• Uses blackout curtains and a white noise machine to mask any outside noise.

Good Sleep Routine:

“A quiet space is key for good sleep. If peace and quiet are hard to come by, try controlling the bedroom noise by creating “white noise” or use earplugs.”

Importance of Sleep:

“Sleep is the foundation on which everything else is built. It is the unsung hero of health and productivity. The research is clear that even small amounts of sleep deprivation hinder our ability to perform at our best.”

Stress Relief:

• Practices 3-1-5 breathing pattern, 3-5 times: Inhale for three seconds, hold for one, exhale for five
• Practices Yoga NIDRA. Uses Nidra Deep Rest “Lightweight comfortable sleep mask for light elimination”

“I’m trying to get better about noticing when I am holding tension in my body and experiencing stress. When I do notice that I’m feeling particularly stressed, I’ll use this emotional state to cue a deep breathing habit.”

• Blackout blinds” These shades block up 99% of incoming light”
• Xtreme Comforts Pillows, “The perfect bed pillows available, according to Wirecutter”
• The best sheets, “Wirecutter researched bed sheets so you don’t have to “
• Sleep Master Sleep Mask, “Satin sleep mask for light elimination and noise deduction”
• NAYOYA Neck and Back Neck Pillows “Mat and pelow to relieve stress, back, neck and sciatic pain”
• LectroFan White Noise Machine, Mask disruptive noises, get a good night’s sleep!”,
• Sleep Cycle, a sleep-tracking app  to monitor his sleep patterns