Morning routines.
We’ve all heard about them. Many of us have one in some form, and there are a multitude of ways to actually run them.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with many variations of morning routines ranging from virtually no structure at all (which ended up being rather chaotic because I’d just do whatever I felt like in the moment) to those with a definite wakeup time, order and structure. The latter style has definitely proven to be more beneficial because as much as I like spontaneity, when I’m left totally up to my whims I’m less likely to get the important things done.
As much as I kinda hate to admit it, I thrive on at least some predictibility in my day. When I don’t have to use my mental bandwidth to figure out what I’m going to do next (because I’ve already pre-determined what my routine will look like in advance) I actually free that energy up to be utilized in other areas of my life.
Out of all the routines I’ve had, I’ve discovered some common threads that have marked my most successful ones and I want to share them with you today. The great thing about them is that you can adapt these components to suit your current lifestyle and needs.
My top 3 must-haves for any successful morning routine:
- A spiritual component—fuel your spirit! Pray, meditate, worship, or read something inspirational.
- An emotional (mindset) component—fuel your mind! Journal, practice gratitude (which could also fall into the spiritual category), write down your top goals, plan your day. Do something that puts your mind in a positive state of intention and focus.
- A physical component—fuel your body! Go for a run, stretch/do yoga, do a YouTube HIIT workout for 10 minutes, drink a glass of water or make yourself a smoothie. Do something that sends your body the message that it’s worth nourishing.
When I’ve incorporated a holistic approach that feeds my spirit, mind/emotions, and body in my morning routine, that’s when I’ve had the most consistent success.
As you can see, it’s not complicated. Whether you have 15 minutes or 90 minutes to devote to your morning habits, you can easily adapt both the number of steps and the duration of time you spend on each. What’s most important is that what you’re doing actually fuels you and that you’re able to do it consistently. Better to do a few things regularly than trying to tackle ten things that you can’t maintain.
Looking for some more ideas to add or upgrade your Morning Routine in this season? Download my free PDF of 26 Morning Ritual ideas by scrolling down to the bottom of this page and clicking on the freebie.
Here’s to successful days that begin with intentional habits!
P.S. Wanna join my FREE Facebook group dedicated to establishing healthy habits in 2020? Click here to join!
