Win the Morning, Win the Day: How to Take Back Control of Your Time and Your Life

Every day, there are countless tasks demanding my attention. Emails, texts, calls, meetings — all of it coming at me like a relentless downpour. And if I’m honest, it’s only gotten worse as the years have gone by.

Think about it. Thirty years ago, almost no jobs required email. No one was glued to their phone, and text messages didn’t even exist. There was no social media, no direct messages, and certainly no streaming services to binge-watch. It's hard to even imagine a world without these things now, but somehow, we lived it.

Fast forward to today, and every ding, ping, and notification feels urgent. Everything demands to be addressed right now. And if you’re like me, it’s easy to feel like the day has slipped away before it’s even begun.

So, how do we fight back? How do we reclaim our days and stop feeling like we’re drowning in “stuff” that doesn’t seem to matter?

The answer is simple, but not necessarily easy: Cut through the noise, focus on the most important tasks first, and get them done before 11:00 AM.

The Power of the 80/20 Rule

This idea isn’t just a motivational catchphrase — it’s rooted in a concept called the 80/20 rule (also known as the Pareto Principle). You may have heard of it, but here’s a quick refresher.

Back in the late 1800s, an Italian economist named Vilfredo Pareto noticed that 80% of Italy's land was owned by just 20% of its people. Curious, he started looking for similar patterns in other areas, and what he found was stunning: this 80/20 distribution wasn’t just true for land ownership — it applied to all sorts of things.

The insight? 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort.

This principle has since been applied to everything from business and sales to fitness and relationships. In a typical business, 20% of your customers drive 80% of your revenue. 20% of your daily tasks create 80% of your progress.

It’s not that the other 80% of tasks are worthless, but they don’t move the needle in a meaningful way.

So, what if you could identify that crucial 20% of your work — the essential, results-driven tasks — and obsessively focus on them first thing each day? What if, instead of tackling a never-ending to-do list, you got your most impactful work done before 11:00 AM?

Win the Morning, Win the Day

Imagine it: By 11:00 AM, you’ve already accomplished the most critical tasks of your day.

Instead of feeling like the day is slipping away, you’d feel in control. Instead of getting bogged down in “busy work,” you’d know you’ve made tangible progress. By noon, you’d have the kind of momentum most people don’t feel until 5:00 PM — if at all.

Here’s the beauty of it: When you focus on the big stuff first, the smaller stuff either falls away or becomes much less stressful. You approach it with a sense of calm, not anxiety. After all, you’ve already won the day before most people have had lunch.

And that frantic, "I’m behind" feeling? Gone.

How I Win the Morning

For me, "winning the morning" isn’t just about work. It’s about my entire approach to the day. If I can get four key pillars in place before 11:00 AM, I know the rest of the day will take care of itself.

Here’s what my morning focus looks like:

1. Move My Body
   My physical health drives my energy for the rest of the day. If I don’t get a workout in, I feel sluggish and distracted. When I do it early, I have more stamina, clarity, and motivation.

2. Connect With My Family
   My family is my reason for everything I do. If I’m too "busy" to hug my kids or chat with my wife, I’m out of alignment. For me, it’s as simple as being present for drop-off at school or making sure I connect with them in the morning. This grounds me in my purpose for the day.

3. Build My Foundation
   I need to be spiritually grounded, or everything else wobbles. For me, that means prayer. This is the space where I regain perspective and confidence. It’s where I remember that no matter how chaotic the day becomes, I’m not alone.

4. Make the Calls That Drive My Business
   My business is built on relationships, and relationships are built on conversations. I commit to making 15 connection calls every morning. These aren't cold calls — they’re relationship calls. People in my network, former clients, people I want to serve. If I make those 15 calls, I know I’ll have meetings and appointments. If I have appointments, I close deals. If I close deals, I grow my business. It’s a simple equation.

These four pillars are my 20%. If I get them done by 11:00 AM, I can be confident the day is already a success. If I don’t? I’m playing catch-up, feeling scattered, and usually ending the day wondering where the time went.

How You Can Win Your Morning

Winning your morning doesn’t have to look like mine, but it does require clarity. Here’s how you can create your own 11:00 AM "win list."

1. Identify Your 20%
   Ask yourself: Which tasks have the biggest impact on my day? If you run a business, it might be client calls, sales follow-ups, or content creation. If you're focused on health, it might be working out or meal prep. Identify the small handful of tasks that drive the biggest results.

2. Schedule Them Before 11:00 AM
   Don’t just "hope" you’ll get them done early. Schedule them. Block your calendar. Set a deadline for 11:00 AM, and treat it like a sacred appointment. Most people spend their mornings checking email or reacting to fires — don’t be that person. Start proactive, not reactive.

3. Create a Ritual That Fuels You
   High performers have morning rituals. Your version might be a quiet cup of coffee and 20 minutes of journaling before your kids wake up. It might be an early morning walk. But if you just wake up and “wing it,” you’ll get swept away by the demands of the day.

4. Get It Done, Even If It’s Messy
   Done beats perfect. Too many people let perfectionism get in the way of progress. If your 20% task is to write a proposal, don’t wait until it’s flawless. Get it to 80% and send it. If your goal is to make 10 calls, don’t stop at 8 just because it feels awkward. If you win the morning, the day is already yours.

The Shift That Changes Everything

If you want to feel in control of your days instead of feeling like you’re constantly chasing them, this is it. Win the morning, win the day.

Here’s the truth: Most of us don’t need to do more — we need to do less. Less of the meaningless busywork. Less scrolling. Less email-checking. More of the things that move the needle.

When you make this shift, something amazing happens: You’re no longer chasing progress. You’re creating it. You’re no longer fighting fires. You’re building momentum. You’re no longer a passenger. You’re the driver.

Your Move

Take a moment and visualize it. Imagine it’s 11:00 AM and you’ve already won. Your most important tasks are done. Your health, family, faith, and business are in motion. Imagine how different the rest of your day would feel. Imagine the peace of knowing that no matter what comes next, you’ve already won.

What would your 20% be?
What would your life look like if you committed to this shift?

I’ll leave you with this challenge: Win the morning, win the day.

Your future self will thank you.