When I was a young boy in the Karoo, one of my tasks was to prime the water pump. I had to push a lever down several times to prime the pump with water so that it would function properly. In essence, I was kickstarting the pump so that it could produce water all day long. Humans are like water pumps. We need to prime ourselves so that we can be effective throughout the day. This is where morning rituals and habits become invaluable. The only time when I'm selfish is the first two hours after waking. This is when I spend time on myself only. I've realised that spending time on myself is not selfish but rather, self-preserving. That time alone centres me so that I can tackle each day with vim and vigour. Here's a snapshot of my ideal morning routine. I said 'ideal' because in many instances I miss it by a mile. I know when I miss my rituals my day's off-kilter and I'm not as sharp as I could be. 05h00: Salat prayer (before sunrise) 05h10: Meditate for 20 minutes 05h30: Coffee and a rusk (catch up with news and social media on mobile device) 06h00: Run for 1 hour 07h10: Jump into swimming pool for 6 minutes (supposedly helps with weight loss) 07h20: Shower and dress 07h30: Morning pages - type 750 words (based on Julia Cameron's, The Artist's Way) 07h55: Five Minute Journal 08h05: Breakfast