14 Things Successful People Do First Thing in the Morning

"If it has to happen, then it has to happen first," writes Laura Vanderkam, a time-management expert and the author of What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast.

Those among us who have managed to find professional success and eke out a life actively embrace this philosophy. They must set aside their first hours of the day to invest in their top-priority activities before other people's priorities come rushing in.

So what do successful executives and entrepreneurs do when they are rested and fresh? From Vanderkam's study of morning rituals and our own research, we outline the following 14 things that the most successful people do before breakfast. While they might not do all of these things every morning, each has been found to be an effective way to start the day.

They wake up early.

Successful people know that time is a precious commodity. And while theirs is easily eaten up by phone calls, meetings, and sudden crises once they've gotten to the office, the morning hours are under their control. That's why many of them rise before the sun, squeezing out as much time as they can to do with as they please.

They drink water.

Many successful executives reach for water instead of coffee first thing in the morning.

Kat Cole, president of Focus Brands, the parent company of Auntie Anne's, Carvel, and Cinnabon, wakes up a 5 a.m. every morning and drinks 24 ounces of water.

They work on a top-priority business project.

The quiet hours of the morning can be the ideal time to focus on an important work project without being interrupted. What's more, spending time on it at the beginning of the day ensures that it gets your attention before others--kids, employees, bosses--use it up.

They spend quality time with family.

We may exalt the family dinner, but there's nothing that says you have to have a big family meal at night, says Vanderkam. Some successful people use the mornings to invest in family time, whether reading stories to the kids or cooking a big breakfast together.

They connect with their spouses.

In the evening, it's more likely you'll be tired from the day's activities, and time can easily be wasted with dinner preparations and zoning out in front of the TV. That's why many successful people make connecting with their partners a morning ritual.

They make their beds.
This one-minute habit can make you happier and more productive all day long.

In his book, The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg writes that getting into the routine of making your bed every morning is correlated with increased productivity.

Making your bed doesn't necessarily cause you to get more done at work, Duhigg writes, but it's a "keystone habit" that can spark "chain reactions that help other good habits take hold."

They network over coffee.

Especially if you like to make it home for dinner, the mornings can be a great time to meet with people for coffee or breakfast. Plus, networking breakfasts are less disruptive than midday lunches and more work-oriented than boozy cocktail parties,

They meditate to clear their minds.

Type-A personalities typically demand as much from others as they do from themselves, so it can be difficult for them to disconnect from their mental to-do lists and calm their minds. Before they head out the door, many successful people devote themselves to a spiritual practice such as meditation or prayer to center themselves for the rush of the day.

They write down things they're grateful for.

Expressing gratitude is another great way to center yourself and get the proper perspective before heading to the office. Writing down the people, places, and opportunities that you're grateful for takes just a few minutes but can make a real difference in your outlook.

They plan and strategize while they're fresh.

Planning the day, week, or month ahead is an important time-management tool to keep you on track when you're in the thick of it. Using the mornings to do big-picture thinking helps you prioritize and set the trajectory of the day.

One banking exec turned teacher told Vanderkam she wakes at 5 a.m. on weekdays, exercises, reads a few Bible verses, and reviews her tasks for the day before making breakfast. She said this ritual makes her days more manageable and effective.

They check their email.

While time-management gurus may suggest putting off email as long as possible, many successful people start the day with email. In fact, one recent survey found that the first thing most executives do in the morning is check their email.

They may quickly scan their inboxes for urgent messages that need an immediate response or craft a few important emails that they can better focus on while their minds are fresh.

They read the news.

Whether it's sitting in the corner diner and reading the papers or checking the blogs and Twitter from their phones, most successful people have a pre-breakfast ritual for getting the latest headlines.

This story first appeared on Business Insider.