Save the Day with a Powerful Morning Routine

We build our life upon routines and habits.  Day after day, week after week…how are you starting your days?  I would propose that wherever you are in life right now is at least in part due to your habits and routines.  One of the most important aspects of this that I love to talk about is the MORNING ROUTINE!

It can set you up for a powerful and productive day…or can set you up for stress, frustration and anxiety.

How do you start your day?  Snoozing the alarm 3 times and then checking social media while you scramble to the bathroom to get ready for work?  No time for breakfast, trying not to be late for work as you navigate traffic…And sometimes we wonder why the day feels heavy and chaotic.

As W. Clement Stone says, “Little hinges swing big doors.”  Even small upgrades to your morning routine can have a huge impact.

I have set my life up so that most days, I have a long morning routine that I love….but your morning routine doesn’t need to look like mine.  It probably shouldn’t.  The goal of this first few minutes to few hours that you have in the day is to set you up for maximal peace and success.  

This could include:

• Deep breathing
• A brisk walk
• Exercise 
• Prayer, scripture reading or some sort of devotional
• Playing with your kids
• Sipping tea while you read a book
• Making a nourishing breakfast and/or lunch
• Drinking water (The Second Most Important Substance on Earth: Water!, 9 Simple Ways to Increase Your Water Intake)
• Taking supplements
• Meditation
• Education via reading, podcasts or other programs
• Journaling
• Writing a love note to someone you care about
• Getting organized (could include reviewing your schedule, planning your day or making a list so you don’t forget things)
• Anything else that’s important to you or that you want to prioritize

But here’s the 2 caveats that most people aren’t talking about…

First, you can’t do EVERYTHING so it’s important to pick a few things that are most important and get consistent with them.  When you try to do everything, you end up doing nothing, especially in the long term.

Second, and perhaps most important, your morning routine starts AT NIGHT!  Yes, you read that right.  How inspired are you to pop out of bed and workout or meditate or spend time making healthy meals, when you’re exhausted?  This gets more into the importance of the evening routine…we’ll save that for another day but for now, just know that if you’re having trouble with your morning routine, start by ensuring a good bedtime that gives you adequate sleep.  No matter what you want your morning to look like, you’ll be more successful if you’re rested.  Good sleep is associated with better brain function, more energy and more.¹  For more on sleep, click here.

Where do you start?  Pick one or two habits that you’d like to consistently incorporate into your morning.  Get clear about what you are doing and when and where you’ll be doing it.  (I don’t recommend trying to meditate in bed for obvious reasons).  Commit to it for 30 days.  After 30 days, evaluate how that routine has helped you.  If you love it, keep it up and even add to it if you’d like.  If you don’t feel great about it, choose another routine to test out.  

If you just need help figuring out what’s best, we’d love to help you in your journey to radiant health.  Reach out by calling the clinic at 269-204-6525.

Reference:

1. Okano K, Kaczmarzyk JR, Dave N, Gabrieli JDE, Grossman JC. Sleep quality, duration, and consistency are associated with better academic performance in college students. NPJ Sci Learn. 2019;4(1). doi:10.1038/s41539-019-0055-z

Nothing said or implied in this post is intended to treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any disease.  It does not take the place of a qualified health care practitioner and is intended for educational purposes only.