Ankur Warikoo, 45, shares morning routine: ‘Up between 4.30-5 am every day’

4 min readNew DelhiJun 22, 2026 10:59 AM IST

Ankur Warikoo opens up about his morning routine (Photo: Ankur Warikoo/Instagram)

Entrepreneur and author Ankur Warikoo recently detailed his lifestyle routine, which involves waking up at 4.30-5 am every day, including on weekends. “I wake up between 4.30-5 am every day (including weekends). The first thing I do is sip a glass of water for 10-15 minutes. This allows me to wake up slowly. To set the day’s rhythm (which is to avoid feeling rushed),” he revealed in an Instagram post.

Then he meditates for 30 minutes. “This is to listen to my thoughts, not control them. Before I listen to or attend to anyone, I attend to myself. Haven’t missed a day for 6 years now,” added Warikoo, 45.

Then, he reads for 30 minutes. “This is to feed my mind the right diet. Then I get my kids ready for school (30 minutes). This reminds me of the most precious role I play in my life. This is followed by an hour of tennis and an hour of weightlifting at the gym. To wake my body up and strengthen it. I come back and read the newspaper for 15 minutes. I freshen up and start my work around 9.30 am,” he mentioned, adding that one should aim to “build a routine that works for you”.

In the caption, he continued, “A morning routine is NOT about productivity. It is about being with yourself before you attend to the world. Before the world’s urgency becomes yours. This routine is not supposed to work for you. Build a routine that works for YOU. A routine that feels effortless to repeat. And you will notice the difference!”

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.

Consultant dietitian and fitness expert Garima Goyal said this post highlights a principle often underestimated in health and productivity: consistency beats intensity. “While many people look for complicated wellness hacks, routines like his are built around repeating simple habits every day,” said Goyal.

From a clinical perspective, structured routines help regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that influences sleep, energy levels, metabolism, digestion, and hormone release. “Consistent wake-up times, meal timings, and exercise habits create predictability for the body, which often translates into better physical and mental performance,” said Goyal.

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One of the biggest advantages of a fixed routine is its impact on decision fatigue. “When healthy habits become automatic, less mental energy is spent deciding whether to exercise, eat well, or sleep on time. This increases the likelihood of maintaining those habits over the long term,” said Goyal.

Do you stretch? (Photo: Freepik)

His routine also reflects an important lesson about habit stacking, where multiple small healthy behaviors compound over time. Whether it is movement, reading, hydration, mindfulness, or focused work periods, the benefits accumulate gradually rather than appearing overnight, Goyal noted. “From a nutrition standpoint, routines can also improve eating patterns. Regular meal timing may help manage hunger cues, reduce impulsive snacking, and support better blood sugar regulation. While the exact timing varies between individuals, consistency often matters more than chasing the ‘perfect’ schedule,” Goyal asserted.

Another important takeaway is that successful routines are usually “personalised rather than copied”.

“What works for a busy entrepreneur may not work for a parent, shift worker, or athlete. The value lies in creating a structure that fits one’s own lifestyle and responsibilities,” said Goyal.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.