For the majority of life through childhood and adulthood I conformed to getting up at 7 a.m… but I didn’t really enjoy it. I would get up as late as possible, get breakfast on the go, rush to work, and then feel like I was trying to catch up the rest of the day.
This routine took its toll on my physical and mental well-being and majorly impacted my productivity.
Now, I work from home for myself on my business, and I happily wake up around 7:00 a.m. each day. Even on weekends, I am usually up by 7 a.m. It could be that I’m enjoying the work I’m doing so much and am accountable to only myself; but I think it has more to do with the fact that I’ve learned so much about how creating good habits and a morning routine are critical for lifetime success.
One of my goals for the beginning of this year was to get into a good morning routine in order to set myself up for the day. I knew that not having a good morning routine and feeling overwhelmed and disorganized were connected.
I needed to work smarter, not harder, and the first step was to create good habits.
The first thing I needed to do was quit the belief that I was a “night owl.”
Over the past several months I have been working on a way to craft myself the best morning routine that works for me. I created a template called SLAY the day as a way to build new habits into my life. I’ve discovered the personal ritual I have set up for myself has helped put me in the right mindset and offset any morning procrastination.
Another great reason to create a morning ritual it is to avoid mental fatigue.
We only have a certain amount of energy and willpower when we wake up each morning, and it slowly gets drained away with decisions. This is especially true if you’re making lots of small decisions in the morning that mean nothing yet will affect how you make decisions for the remainder of the day. Try to have the first hour of your day vary as little as possible with a routine.
Knowing exactly how the first 90 minutes of my day looks like is powerful, as it helps me feel in control and non-reactive, which in turn reduces anxiety and ensures I’m more productive throughout the day.
You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. — John C. Maxwell
My Daily Morning Routine
Perhaps the most important part of my routine is clearing my mind so that I can gain focus for the day.
I start every morning with a glass of water as it’s important to hydrate right after 7-8 hours of sleep. Then I meditate. Keeping the daily habit of starting my day with meditation has improved my focus, productivity and helped me immensely with my stress levels during the day. I punctuate my practice with some light stretching.
Then I write down my goals. First, I write down a long-term goal that I’m working towards in my journal. I write this down each day to keep me mindful of my direction so that I don’t lost focus. Then, I write down the day’s targets, which are what 3 things I need to accomplish to move me further toward my long-term goal.
Then I begin working…
I don’t look at my phone, emails, Facebook, or Instagram until after I’ve completed that first big task of my day. This is called Deep work, and guarantees I start the day with in a good and productive flow state.
I can’t stress enough the importance of a great morning routine, as it will set you up for a successful day — and life. With that said, what I do isn’t for everyone. I created a morning routine called SLAY the Day that you can get here. I experimented with a few different things on the template and figured out what worked for me. You should do the same. Soon you’ll know what things work for you, and you’ll enjoy starting your day.
