Morning Routine Made Easy
Morning is a divisive time of day. There are those out there that love it, and those that loathe it. Regardless of which side you fall on, it cannot be argued that it is an important time of day.
Much like a 100m sprint at the Olympics, the start to your day can change everything. It is often the difference between a great day and a terrible day, the difference between hitting your goals, and missing them entirely.
For the ‘night owls’ out there (like me) we need to be more purposeful in our approach to our mornings. We need to think about them and develop a plan.
Here I will outline 10 things you could/should do before 8a.m. each day that may just change your day for the better.
Plan the night before
In my single days I could get away with waking up a little later, having a quick shower, get my things together and run out of the door to make it to work on time.
These days I no longer have that luxury. Come to think of it, if I had planned the night before in my younger days, my life would have been a whole lot easier.
Anyhow, to create a strong start to your day, put a little time and effort in the night before. Prepare your lunch, choose your outfit, and iron your clothes, develop your daily checklist of what you would like to accomplish.
No matter your job or routine, creating time for yourself in the morning to relax and have a coffee, rather than be rushing about is never going to be a bad thing. Approach your day from a position of calm, rather than chaos.
Ditch the phone
We are all guilty of it. We are on our phones until the moment we go to sleep, and fire it up the moment we wake up. Our attachment and reliance on technology is a problem.
Before you go to bed, leave your phone charging in the kitchen. I know I know, but it’s your alarm clock right. Well, have you seen how cheap alarm clocks are these days? Go old school. Buy one. Allow a real clock to wake you.
Now that you’re awake, try to avoid your phone for a minimum of two hours (if your daily schedule allows of course).
Not only does your phone keep you awake later, but it can also take away that peaceful environment you have created for yourself each morning by planning the night before.
You snooze you lose
Keep your newly purchased alarm clock just out of arms reach. Don’t allow yourself to smash the snooze button the moment your alarm goes off.
You want to start your day out strongly. Wake your ass up right away! Hitting the snooze button countless times steals your time in the morning.
Remember you want that relaxed start where you ease yourself into the day. Heading off to work (or whatever it is you do) with a clear mind, in a great mood.
The snooze button is the enemy of your strong morning routine.
Make the bed
What? How can this possibly make my day better? Yes, your mum has been right all these years. Making your bed each morning is important.
It sets the tone for your day. Starting out with messiness, with laziness is not how you want to approach the remainder of the day.
Begin strong. Make your bed, let yourself know that today (and every day) you mean business.
It may seem trivial, but it creates a sense of pride within yourself, it encourages you to be better, it proves that you can be productive. Check out the book “The Power of Habit” by Charles Duhigg. He outlines many benefits of making your bed.
Don’t wait, hydrate
Many of us drink nowhere near enough water (I am guilty of this). Starting your day with just a class of water (more is better of course) can do so much for you.
Not only are you hydrating, which of course you should know the benefits of by now as a grown adult. But you are helping your body to relieve itself of toxins.
It helps to wake you up, it’s refreshing. Believe it or not it can help with diet throughout the day as well, helping you to reduce unnecessary calorie consumption.
Stretch
This is an area I need to take my own advice. I wish I had been doing this for years. I have experienced terrible Achilles issues for over a decade now from overuse. Something I may not have experienced had I stretched often.
Anyhow, after waking we are tight. Starting the day as we mean to go on is important. Our bodies need a little push to ease into the day. A quick 10–15-minute stretch will help to alleviate stiffness.
Stretching also helps to reduce stress. Again, we want our mornings creating that blissful environment before we head into the tumultuous world.
Exercise
If you have the time, get outside for some fresh air. Go for a walk or a morning run. Fresh air in the morning is great for the soul. If you live somewhere with Arctic conditions like me, have a quick workout in your house, or head to the gym.
It has been proven countless times that exercise increases energy, it wakes you up, it helps you to focus, and helps your mood.
I don’t know about you, but I have never regretted a workout. No matter what kind of day I have had, a workout, a run, playing some football. It all helps me to be in a great mood.
Now, apply this first thing in the morning so that your day starts off on a positive note.
Read
You have already made a commitment to leave your phone alone for a while. You want that serenity in your morning. Why not read something you enjoy. Maybe learn something new.
It does not really matter the content. Whatever it is you enjoy reading, pick it up and get some done. Try it for 15 minutes. It’s not a huge time commitment at all.
Again, developing a strong morning routine, we want to develop good habits. 15 minutes of reading over highlights wrecking your peace. Why not? We all have an endless supply of content to look at right here on Medium.
Prioritize your day
Perhaps you created this the night before. If not, while the day coming up is fresh in mind. Write down what your top priorities are for the day.
We can often get bogged down with work, and what our bosses demand of us. But, beyond our paycheque (which is hugely important of course), our bosses do not live our lives, or at least they shouldn’t.
What are three things that YOU would like to achieve today. Write them down. Tackle the biggest or toughest one first, then work your way through the list as they day progresses.
Much like a great story, having a plan is important. This can make your day a successful one.
That’s it, that’s all. That’s all I have for you.
There are some items on here that I have to take my own advice on. For me, when the toddler and baby arise, peace is out the window! But having certain things in place before the madness awakes helps me to have a strong start in my day.
I hope you have found this helpful. I can’t wait to connect.
Talk soon.
Dad Bod
