Building an Effective Morning Routine
How you start your day sets the tone for the rest of it. A morning routine can help you stay organized, increase productivity, and reduce stress. I always say that a bad day usually starts with a bad morning.
There is no one way to build an effective morning routine. Many of your choices will be determined by the goals you have for your morning routine. I use mine to prevent bad days and to set me up for success.
Others I know use theirs to become more productive in the morning. Some use it as a chance to take some time for themselves and center themselves. Many use it to become more organized in how they attack their day.
Once you have your goal, you can choose the elements you feel best to suit your needs. Regardless of the goal you choose, many components are often shared.
One of the key components that most effective morning routines share is waking at the same time each morning. This will help regulate your body’s internal clock and ensure that you have enough time to complete your desired activities.
Some prominent psychologists believe that the simple act of waking up at the same time each day can relieve many anxiety issues that people suffer from. One key facet of this practice is that you get up at the same time regardless of when you go to sleep the night before. It is not as difficult as it sounds and likely will become automatic over time.
Another common component is getting outside and taking in the morning light while moving by walking, running, riding a bike, etc. This fully awakens and energizes your body for all that follows.
Drinking a hot beverage of your choice, soon after awakening is a third component found in many morning routines. This helps wake up your body and hydrate you after a night without much or any liquids.
The above three suggestions are the bedrock of creating a successful morning routine. If you start with those and add a few that are so obvious, they do not require mentioning (but I will), like staying off of your phone, email, and social media and eliminating all distractions. You will be on your way to creating an effective morning routine.
Most importantly, have fun building your routine and adjust and revise it over time. There’s no shame in dropping the elements that do not work for you. It’s also fun to try adding things, but be careful not to add too much unless you are subtracting at the same time.
Give it a go… and start making every day a great day!
You can follow Sam on Twitter @SuperTaoInc
