I start each day nearly the same way. I’ve come into this routine over the course of the past decade, and pieces have come and gone. I’m sharing this in the hopes that other people (who don’t yet have a morning routine) will form one, as this series of habits has been a major contributor to my health, happiness, and productivity over the past few years.
- Wake up. Don’t hit the snooze button, though it’s tempting.
- Do 50 pushups. This gets your blood flowing.
- Drink a glass of water. You get dehydrated at night
- Take a shower. Because hygiene matters. With this routine, I lay out everything I’m going to use (beard trimmer, deodorant, comb) and once I’ve put everything away, I know I’m done.
- Do 50 sit-ups & 12 pull-ups. I’m working toward doing 3 consecutive muscle-ups, so I need to build some arm and core strength. Plus, when it’s cold in my 100-yr-old drafty house, this is some nice internal warmth after the shower.
- Get dressed. I make all my clothing decisions 1 week ahead of time, using a system of containers as a visual control for what I should wear today, and when inventory is low and I need to do laundry. I can call a morning audible if something special is needed for that day. It helps that I can get away with jeans and a button-up shirt most days.
- Eat breakfast. Most days I eat: 2 eggs over medium, 1/4 avocado, 2 strips of bacon, 2 pieces of toast with PB and jam). For the curious, here’s the estimated nutritional info for that. Occasionally, I’ll swap for oatmeal with fruit and nuts, or a Clif Bar in a pinch. I also take a multivitamin and a fish oil tablet.
- Brush teeth for 2 minutes. My current sonic brush runs for 2 minutes, so that keeps my pace. But that new Beam Brush looks really nice. I floss about every other day.
- Read daily Bible readings. I use the Laudate app, and read the (usually 2) daily Mass readings (thanks to Mollie and Fr. Steve for encouraging this).
- Practice Rubik’s cube. Last year, this was practice juggling. Next in line is practice guitar. What’s important to me is that it’s both mentally and physically engaging, fun, and is something that you can get better at every day.
- Pack lunch. I make my lunch in batches, or take leftovers to reheat at the office. My go-to lunch is rice with frozen vegetables and chicken.
- Bike/walk/drive to A-Inc. That’s in order of preference. I enjoy the bike ride the most, and it also allows for quickest transport to other meetings around downtown Lexington / UK campus area. Walking is good for the peaceful exercise, but it’s kind of slow. I avoid driving when possible.
I’m not perfect, and sometimes this routine includes checking my email and Facebook, both of which can be morning time-sucks. I also spend time the night before planning for the next day, so I know what I need to do and where I need to go, as I often have off-site meetings. I usually set my alarm for 8 hours after I go to sleep, which makes the waking up part much easier. Thanks to a challenge by Matt, I’ll be timing this routine soon and adding in that data. It currently takes me about 90 minutes to do this. I’m curious if I can get it under 60 by cutting down the transition time, which was also the weakest part of my first triathlon.
If you want help establishing or maintaining your morning routine, let me know, or check out Coach.me for help from an expert.
