Balance Before Business: Ralph Caruso’s Morning Routine and the Habits of Mindful Founders
In the fast-paced world of startups and scale-ups, many founders burn out long before they break even. Amid back-to-back meetings, investor pressure, and endless problem-solving, what separates successful entrepreneurs from those who unravel?
According to seasoned entrepreneur Ralph Caruso, the answer lies in the first 90 minutes of the day.
Caruso, a tech founder known for scaling multiple ventures without compromising mental health, believes a structured morning routine is a startup founder’s most underrated asset. In this post, we’ll unpack Ralph Caruso’s personal morning routine—and explore habits shared by other high-performing, mentally resilient founders.
Why Morning Routines Matter More for Founders
Running a business means you’re constantly putting out fires. From customer issues to cash flow hiccups, the founder’s day is unpredictable. A morning routine acts as an anchor, providing a sense of control and clarity before the chaos begins.
Ralph Caruso puts it this way:
“If your mind is scattered, your startup will be too. I treat my morning as the most sacred part of the day. It’s when I reconnect with my ‘why’—before the rest of the world starts making demands.”
Ralph Caruso’s 90-Minute Morning Blueprint
Caruso doesn’t believe in overly rigid routines—but he does believe in intentional rituals that nourish the body and sharpen the mind. Here’s how he starts his day:
1. Wake at 5:45 AM — No Screens
Caruso avoids his phone completely for the first hour of the day. He wakes naturally (no snooze button) and leaves his phone in another room.
“Email is other people’s priorities. I need my own priorities first,” he explains.
2. 10 Minutes of Gratitude Journaling
Using a simple notebook, Caruso writes:
- 3 things he’s grateful for
- 1 win from yesterday
- 1 intention for the day
This practice, inspired by both Stoic and mindfulness traditions, helps him avoid tunnel vision during the high-pressure moments of leadership.
3. 20-Minute Movement
No heavy lifting here. Caruso prefers a short, efficient workout: bodyweight circuits, yoga, or a walk while listening to a podcast (he recommends The Knowledge Project or How I Built This).
“You can’t scale your business if you can’t even get your blood moving,” he jokes.
4. 15 Minutes of Meditation or Breathwork
Caruso uses apps like Waking Up or Oak for guided meditation. On high-stress days, he opts for 4-7-8 breathing to calm his nervous system.
5. Review of Top 3 Priorities
Lastly, he scans his calendar and identifies his 3 most important tasks—not necessarily the most urgent. This helps him lead with intention rather than reaction.
What Other Mindful Founders Are Doing
Caruso isn’t alone in leveraging early-morning rituals. Many successful entrepreneurs swear by their morning time to stay grounded:
- Arianna Huffington practices digital silence and meditation for the first hour.
- Jack Dorsey walks 5 miles to work and journals.
- Melanie Perkins (Canva) reportedly uses “no-meeting mornings” for deep creative focus.
Common threads? Stillness, simplicity, and space to think.
How to Build Your Own “Founder Flow”
Not a morning person? That’s okay. Caruso advises against copying routines blindly. Instead, start with one small win:
“Don’t overhaul your life. Pick one habit that gives you energy and do it consistently.”
Here are three quick-start tips:
- Time block your first hour like a meeting—with yourself.
- Start the night before by preparing clothes, a water bottle, or a to-do list.
- Track how you feel, not just what you do. Energy is the metric, not productivity.
Final Thoughts: Protecting Your Mental Bandwidth
In the high-stakes world of entrepreneurship, mental clarity is a competitive edge. Founders like Ralph Caruso don’t just chase scale—they design lives that are sustainable.
A good product won’t save a bad mindset. But a great morning routine might just help you build both.
So tomorrow morning, before you scroll, pitch, code, or lead—pause. Take a page from Ralph Caruso’s playbook. Balance isn’t a luxury. It’s a leadership tool.
