As Cebu business owners, this got us thinking: unsaon man nato ni pag-apply diri sa atong daily grind? Running a business here can be unpredictable — from client demands to supplier delays, to traffic that eats up half your morning. But this routine actually makes sense for us too.
1. Waking up early
Brooks wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to catch the sunrise. While that might be too early for us, the idea behind it is solid — start your day before everyone else does.
In Cebu, we know how peaceful early mornings can be. Before the noise, before the messages, before the stress. Maka-reflect ta, maka-plano, ug makarelax gamay before we face the chaos.
2. Move your body
He starts his day with exercise. It improves mood and focus — and honestly, we need that energy.
We may not always hit the gym, pero bisag 20-minute walk sa barangay or quick stretching before opening the store or laptop, okay na. Makalimpyo ug huna-huna and helps us handle the day better.
3. Reflection time
Brooks includes prayer or meditation in his routine. For us, that could mean different things — praying, journaling, or just sitting quietly with our morning coffee.
Ang importante, we take a few minutes to be still and thankful. Being grateful for another day to run our business reminds us why we started in the first place.
4. Delay the coffee
He suggests waiting a bit before your first cup. Murag lisod ni gamay para sa uban nato — pero makes sense. Let your body wake up naturally before caffeine takes over.
Instead of gulping coffee while checking messages, maybe enjoy it slowly while reviewing your goals or to-do list. It’s a small change, pero maka-improve sa mood ug focus.
5. Eat a real breakfast
Brooks recommends protein-rich food to keep your energy stable.
For us, it could be itlog, tuna, rice, ug prutas. Nothing fancy. Basta dili lang puro kape ug biscuit. When we eat right, we think right — and that affects how we handle our teams and customers.
6. Protect “focus hours”
Brooks reserves his first hours for deep work — no meetings, no distractions.
We like that idea. In our businesses, once you start answering everyone’s messages early, wala na’y chance to think strategically. Maybe we can dedicate 8–10 a.m. as our “focus time.” Kana nga hours, walay chika, walay meetings — puro lang quality work.
Why this matters for us Cebu entrepreneurs
Doing business here requires clarity, consistency, and energy. Kung sige ta’g burnout, walay pulos ang hustle. Brooks’ six steps remind us to build better mornings so we can handle everything that comes our way — from irate clients to late payments — with calm and confidence.
And honestly, we realized nga success isn’t just about how early we start working… it’s about how intentionally we start living.