“The morning is the wisest time of the day. Then, before the confusion of the day begins, one can take stock and set priorities. — Seneca

How you start your day often dictates how the rest of it goes.

It determines the tone for your mood, productivity, and overall well-being.

“Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it,” says a logician, philosopher and economist, Richard Whately.

Hitting the snooze button a few too many times, rushing through your morning routine, or taking the time to focus on self-care significantly impact how you feel and perform throughout the day.

If you want your day to be successful, start on the right foot by creating a routine that energizes and motivates you.

You can do that by setting clear intentions for the day ahead. How you spend your morning is how you spend your day.

The first hour of the day is the wisest time to stack knowledge and insights for life.

Whether reading a book, reflecting on what worked yesterday, listening to a podcast or meditating, dedicating the first hour of your day to learning and personal growth can set the tone for a productive and fulfilling day ahead.

Hal Elrod, the author of The Miracle Morning, explains it beautifully:

“How you wake up each day and your morning routine (or lack thereof) dramatically affects your levels of success in every single area of your life. Focused, productive, successful mornings generate focused, productive, successful days — which inevitably create a successful life.”

I use the first-hour rule to gather more wisdom for life. I immerse myself in a great book, post or personal daily brew (using the Mailbrew app).

It gives me complete control over how I start my day.

You can choose to do whatever makes you come alive. I prefer intellectual compound growth. It’s the best way to stack knowledge for life.

Before rush hour kicks in, your mind is fresh, and your energy is high, making it the perfect time to engage in activities that require focus and concentration.

The first hour of the day is an optimal time for learning and retaining information due to the brain being more alert and focused after a good night’s rest.

Some people also find that they have more energy and focus in the morning before the demands of the day take hold.

Investing even half an hour in yourself every morning can help you grow intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.

Cultivate wisdom for life.

You can improve your knowledge, skills and mindset first thing in the morning. Take advantage of the morning hours to learn something new.

Whatever you choose to do, make sure it will help you focus, relax, and set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

Make your mornings work for you by getting up an hour or half an hour earlier: the more time you will have to spend on your priorities.

Avoid distractions. Turn off your phone, computer, and TV, and find a quiet place to work or relax.

“The biggest task in the morning is to try to keep my headspace from being invaded by the outside world,” Austin Kleon said.

Focus on your intellectual growth goals

The morning allows us to create a better version of ourselves, and when we take advantage of this opportunity, we are setting ourselves up for success.

It’s the reason many productive people are early risers.

Many successful people are early risers because they know the early morning hours are the most productive time of day. They can get more done in the quiet of the morning than they can at any other time.

Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States, famously woke up early and spent time each morning reflecting on his values and goals.

Warren Buffett, billionaire investor and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, reportedly spends up to 80% of his day reading, often starting his day with several hours of reading in the morning.

Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo, is known for her habit of waking up at 4 a.m. and reading before starting her day.

Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, wakes up at 5:00 a.m. and begins his day with a workout followed by meditation and reflection.

Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, starts his day by reading news and emails and then spends time reading a book or article on a topic that interests him.

If you want an “indistractable” time to stack knowledge for life, try waking up early. You may be surprised at how much you can accomplish.

The first hour of the day may be a great time to kickstart and maintain a lifelong learning mindset, but it should be viewed as just one part of a larger commitment to continuous learning and personal growth.

“Your morning routine generates a 10x return for good or for bad. Make it good,” says Todd Stocker, the author of Becoming The Fulfilled Leader.

Every morning can provide mental stimulation, relaxation, and inspiration to start the day off on the right foot. Make it work for you.

Ultimately, the key to creating a better version of oneself is to identify and prioritize your intellectual growth goals and to take intentional steps toward achieving them.

Whether that happens in the morning, afternoon, or evening is less important than consistently taking action toward personal growth and improvement.

This article originally appeared in Medium.