I followed Barack Obama's morning routine for a week, and it taught me a valuable lesson about mental toughness

As the 44th president of the United States, a day in the life of Barack Obama can involve everything from receiving classified briefings from his staff to strategizing global affairs with other world leaders.

But his morning routine is pretty simple - and generally the same every single day.

Reggie Love, Obama's personal aide from 2009 to 2011, told Business Insider that Obama generally starts every morning with a workout.

He alternates between strength and cardio training, WebMD reports.

Love also told Business Insider that Obama hardly ever drinks coffee in the morning. Instead, the president opts for water, orange juice, or green tea.

Obama spends his evenings catching up on work as well as the news, and he gets about five hours of sleep every night, the New York Times reported.

When I decided to experiment with Obama's morning routine, I thought it would be pretty easy. I'd already taken on Jack Dorsey's and Arianna Huffington's morning rituals, both of which involved morning workouts.

But it was harder than I expected - particularly without coffee.