Building the Ultimate Morning Routine - and Sticking To It.
I never really saw the point in having a morning routine when I was younger. The same exact thing, every morning? Boooorrrrriinnnnggg. I know what I need to do in the morning. Why does it have to be so specific? But as I got a little older, I started noticing something - all of the various rich and successful people that I look up to have a SOLID morning routine. It was the one common denominator connecting brilliant actors, politicians, entrepreneurs, writers, you-name-it.
So began years of trying to create the perfect morning routine for myself. I watched countless "My Morning Routine!" videos. I read up on the morning routines of celebrities I admired. I made countless lists of exactly what my routine was going to be. I timed everything until it was perfect.
And none of it stuck.
I would create a routine, do it for a few weeks, and feel great! I feel amazing! I have a morning routine! Success is sure to follow!
But then my routine would... just kind of fall off. What gives? What's the secret?
After years of searching, I think I finally figured out a few secrets for creating the perfect morning routine and actually sticking with it.
Create your Nighttime Routine first.
Check out my last blog post for the step-by-step. If you don't get a good night's sleep, the morning will be 10x more difficult.
Write it down.
Following the formula from my Ultimate Nighttime Routine post, you can in the same way create the Ultimate Morning Routine. Make sure you actually write everything down and post it in all of the rooms you will be in during the morning - especially beside your bed! If it is the first thing you see when you wake up, your sleepy brain can't skip any steps.
Get away from screens.
Your phone should sleep in a room far away from where you sleep. There is no need to look at your phone until your morning routine is completed. Do not check your emails. Do not scroll through social media. You don't need anyone else's thoughts in your head besides your own.
Journaling
Many people like to journal in the morning to get all of their thoughts out of their head. I tend to only journal when I have a pressing issue on my life I want to flesh out with myself. At the very least, I would recommend setting your intentions for the day and writing a line or two of gratitude.
What are your intentions?
Part of your routine should be getting intentional for the day ahead. If you didn't already do so the night before, write down what tasks are most important for you to accomplish. If you have any difficult tasks on your to do list - write those first.
Move your body
If you have a great exercise regiment that works for you scheduled for later in the day - fantastic. But if you are like me, every hour between waking up and working out = more hours I have to convince myself that I don't need / have time to work out that day. So I try to move my body as soon as I wake up. It is also the perfect way to clear my head and wake my whole body up!
MEDITATE!
I can't stress this enough. Even if it is for just five minutes, meditation is a game changer when setting yourself up for success at the beginning of each day.
Make it a ritual
Sequence your routine in a way that feels good to you and make it COZY. As I write this, it is fall in Portland. That means the sun doesn't come up until AFTER I am done with my morning routine. So part of my routine is making myself a lovely cup of tea and lighting some yummy candles.
Stick to it
Once you have created your routine, don't forget to be gentle with yourself. If you don't get to it everyday - that's okay. There is always next week. Your routine will inevitably change as your life does, so allow yourself to try out different things to see what feels the best. However, after sticking to one routine for a month or so, you will find your day just isn't the same without this intentional time for yourself in the morning.
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