How to Fail at Morning Routines

I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, and she was telling me that she feels relief each day when she wakes up. She loves the start of a new day, and she feels relieved when it comes.

This is not something I had heard anyone express before, so when I woke up the next day, I sat there for a minute trying to figure out what it was that I was feeling upon waking up. Was it relief? No, no it was not.

What I was feeling was not much at all. My brain was a little foggy (I promise I wasn’t hungover, but I probably was dehydrated), and I was thinking something along the lines of its another day. It wasn’t an angry or sad it’s another day, just a matter-of-fact one.

So, now, I’m going to get to the actual topic.

Morning Routines… and how to fail at them.

Everywhere you look there is this super impressive entrepreneur or CEO that tells you to get up at 4 am to do a morning routine and you will be successful.

I’ve always liked the idea of that. Like, imagine how much I could get done before others wake up.

However, there is one problem: I hate mornings.

Okay, okay, I don’t actually hate them, but I just really struggle to get up in the morning, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.

That didn’t stop me from trying several different morning routines. One week I went for a run every morning because people tell you to get your exercise done right away because it will get your brain going and you will be super successful in everything you do. My morning running habit lasted for 5 days.

I decided that routine didn’t work because I didn’t want to do the same thing every morning. So, I opted for this idea that you should do a bunch of different things for a morning routine. I started meditating, reading, writing, and writing positive affirmations. That lasted for a week and a half.

Then, I decided to get up and do some work right away in the morning. I was going to be super productive and get things accomplished before I even had breakfast. That “routine” idea made me want to get out of bed even less.

The Problem with Morning Routines

The problem with “the perfect morning routine” and “follow this routine to make yourself more productive” is that morning routines are not a one-size-fits-all approach. Every person is unique and they like different things. What works for one may not work for the other. Which is to say all those people writing about the morning routines I should try don’t know me.

So, you should learn from my morning routine failures. Instead of failing at a bunch of different morning routines, you should get up and spend some time, first thing, doing something you love to do. Draw a picture, write a poem, read a book. Give some time to yourself without the expectations of others.

If you wake up and do something you love, you will have an easier time getting out of bed. You will have something to look forward to when you go to bed at night. You will do at least one thing every day that brings you joy.

You want to stop failing and start succeeding at morning routines?

Do something you love — not something you think will make you successful.