4:00 AM: Wake Up
The brahma muhurta -- the auspicious time before dawn. The world is quiet, the mind is fresh, and the atmosphere is sattvic. This is the most productive time of the day.
4:30 AM: Chanting
Sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra on japa beads. This takes about two hours and is the foundation of everything else. Without this, the rest of the day lacks center.
6:30 AM: Reading
Thirty minutes of Shrila Prabhupada's books. Currently working through the Shrimad Bhagavatam. The depth of these texts reveals new insights with every reading.
7:00 AM: Deep Work
The first block of coding starts here. No email, no messages, no meetings. Just pure, focused work on the most important task of the day. This block typically runs until 10 AM.
Why This Works
By 10 AM, I have completed my spiritual practice and three hours of deep work. The rest of the day can absorb meetings, emails, and interruptions without derailing what matters.