Morning exercise is a daily habit of many successful leaders. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, the owner of lifestyle company Goop, says that she works out every morning after checking emails. Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates likes to multitask during his morning treadmill workouts by watching DVDs while exercising, according to The New York Times. As Niki Leondakis, the CEO of the luxury lifestyle brand Equinox, who regularly does morning yoga, puts it, "I've always known that you have to be physically healthy and strong to be mentally healthy and strong. It's all connected."

Sometimes the best way to have a productive morning is to get a head start the night before. Many successful people spend their evenings getting ready for the following day because it frees up their mornings to get a jump on meaningful work. Former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault ends his evenings by writing down three things he wants to accomplish the next day. Creating a to-do list at night is more time efficient, reduces morning stress and marks a definitive end to the day resulting in greater work-life balance

Self-reflection in the morning can set you up for success the entire day. No one knew this better than the late Steve Jobs. Too often, we go through our lives on autopilot, only to realize later that we've lost sight of our values, goals and passions along the way. Steve Jobs avoided this scenario by asking himself one fundamental question in the mirror every morning: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? If the answer is no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something." This self-awareness technique is genius.