Are you someone who sets your alarm clock for the very last minute so you can get up and rush to get ready for work? By the time you drop off the kids, and get to work, you’re a bundle of nerves, you’re stressed out, and you think this is the normal way of life. It doesn’t have to be. One of the greatest things you can do for yourself and your loved ones – so that you can have some sanity in your life – is to consider the importance of having a morning routine.
One of the most common traits of highly successful people is their morning routine. It is a ritual, and is not up for negotiation. It happens because it is how they start their day off on the right foot. I wanted to cover some of the key points of how to create a successful morning routine.
With all the moving and change I have been going through, I know I have missed my morning routine. I have had to establish a new morning routine for my new living situation. But I feel better throughout my day when my morning routine is in place. Here are a few ideas for you to start a morning ritual.
When you wake up, take a moment and think of what you are grateful for. It only takes a minute, but thinking about what you are grateful for can set the entire mood for your day. If you wake up and you’re dreading the day, you are setting yourself up for a day that is filled with dread, doubt, and negativity. Why not set yourself up for having a great day!
Meditate. I’ve said it before and I will say it again and again, this doesn’t require anything special. You just need to close your eyes and listen to your breath. You can sit up in bed and close your eyes for just five minutes. I know that if I get out of bed, turn on my laptop or start breakfast, I have a harder time getting back to where I can sit for a few minutes to meditate. Get out of bed and sit next to your bed and close your eyes. Maybe start with the thoughts of what you are grateful for and then slow the breath, listen to your heartbeat, feel the pulse in your fingertips. Just sit.
Make a healthy breakfast. Wake up a few minutes earlier if you have to, but make a breakfast that nourishes your body. A donut doesn’t count! If you start the day off with something healthy you are more likely to eat better throughout the day and you will feel better for nourishing your body the right way.
Move your body. Take a walk, run, unroll the yoga mat, or do some stretches. Move your body in a way that feels good to you. If you exercise first thing in the morning you are more likely to stick to an exercise routine. I know it can be difficult to find the time, but find it. When I had to be at work at 6 am, I was at the gym at 4 am and I worked out for 1 hour. Showered there and went to work. It takes planning in the evening, I had to go to bed early, but I felt better during the day and it was my routine.
Get organized. If your morning is going to run smoothly, you need to be organized. If you have kids that you need to get out the door, and get yourself ready in the process, it takes some organization on your part. You can’t be looking for your car keys in the morning and think you will get out the door without some stress.
Think about what your mornings look like right now. Do you get up at the same time every day? Do you wake up and feel rushed and stressed? When was the last time you weren’t racing out the door?
Try some of these and see if your mornings run more smoothly and you feel better during the day.
With Gratitude,
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