A morning routine can be your most reliable and valuable habit. But establishing any new habit depends on the four Rs.
- Reason: Your ‘Why?’ What motivates you to change?
- Reminder: The trigger to remind you to do it – and not just talk about it, but remember to do it.
- Routine: The precise steps to guarantee it is part of what you always do.
- Reward: The benefit you gain from persevering with the habit. Maybe the ritual itself is a pleasure, but often it’s a means to an end.
One of my favourite and most effective habits is a positive morning routine. Here are eight things you can do before 8 a.m. to supercharge each day – and your life!
[1] Quality sleep
Sleep repays you with energy, clarity and focus, increases your productivity and helps you feel happier. It also contributes to better health and a stronger immune system.
[2] Rise early
Early mornings allow you to ease into the day and (if you like) work on personal stuff. You can get an enormous amount done and achieve things you never thought possible. A single hour of creativity in the morning can change your life.
[3] Hydrate
Getting fluids into your body upon waking up helps to flush out toxins first thing. Brain tissue is 75% water. When you’re not properly hydrated, your brain operates on less fuel, and you can feel drained, or experience fatigue or mood fluctuations.
[4] Meditate
A few years back, I started meditating for just 2 minutes a day. It has fundamentally changed my life. Meditating helps you to focus on what matters to you, not others. You begin to create more value with less effort and little stress. You enjoy increased productivity, are happier and more able to help others.
[5] Eat healthily
Try a green smoothie of OJ, avocado, spinach, kale, pineapple, spirulina, mint and protein. You will feel strong and vital and will have fewer energy slumps later in the day.
[6] Spend time with family
Have a good laugh with or a long hug someone you love. You never regret any moment with family. Loving others is why we are here. Spending time with loved ones doesn’t just happen – you need to prioritise it. Make it part of your morning routine.
Tune out to tune in
[7] Exercise
Walk. Run to see a sunrise. Stretch. Have a dip in the ocean. Cycle to work. Do anything without being plugged into devices. Your mind will be uncluttered, enabling more focus and increasing productivity. Meditate or go outside at lunchtime to reset.
[8] Create or Plan
Grab a coffee and go to a favourite spot. Create something. Jot down anything. Writing is therapeutic and this ritual of reflection allows you to continually improve. Having a purpose is as important in life as experiencing pleasure.
At the very least, spend 10 minutes planning your day – this will supercharge your productivity. Most of us feel busy or stressed because we are not proactive about designing our day.
Never react to a day.
Feel grateful for an awesome start to the day. Not every morning will be like this. But most days will improve by trying to establish a morning routine before even thinking about ‘work’. You don’t need to create any extra time. Just watch less TV and use this evening ritual to set you up for a great day tomorrow.
P.S. If all the above is too easy, try a cold shower! Take deep breaths as the cold water hits your skin. This has surprising benefits!
Thinking about your Morning Routine?
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The Morning Routine below a winning morning and the benefits of each practise.
James Parnell is the founder of The Wellbeing Gym, which provides online wellbeing, performance and productivity programmes to individuals and corporates.
The AWE Programme is designed for motivated people to make the most of 2022, together. Applications open.
He is also creator of The Wellbeing Academy with micro-courses and mastermind programmes such as the Productivity Mastermind.