Why You Need a Morning Routine and How to Create Your Own
The question that I get asked THE MOST: How do you get so much done in a day? My "secret" is not really a secret at all: I prioritize my morning routine, because it truly sets the tone for the rest of my day.
My morning routine gets me in the right frame of mind. It allows me to go into the day with a positive attitude. I choose gratitude over being a grump!
This space is where I start almost every morning. My morning routine is sacred to me and doing it somewhere that is inspiring and beautiful to me is part of it. In total, my routine takes about 30 minutes. Are there some mornings when I would rather get an extra 30 minutes of shut eye? ABSOLUTELY. But I know that when I spend that 30 minutes setting myself up for the day that I am more productive, more encouraging, and just a better human being in general to be honest.
So how can YOU create your very own morning routine? I'm here to help a sister (or brother) out!
STEP ONE. FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH TIME YOU ARE WILLING TO INVEST.
Like I previously mentioned, my morning routine takes me around 30 minutes. That includes making my coffee, choosing my essential oil blends, meditating, journaling, and reading. On my days off, my morning routine can take me MUCH longer, but on the days that I need to get out of the house, I choose to invest 30 minutes. And yes, friend, it is an investment!
Think about starting with just 5 minutes (because we ALL have 5 minutes to spare if it is going to be an investment in ourselves). Once you notice how much better your day is because of those 5 minutes (and you WILL notice) you can ramp it up to 10, then 15, and so on.
STEP TWO. MAKE A GAME PLAN.
Decide how you want to spend the time that you laid out in step one. If you don't go into this with a plan (at first, anyway) you could either a. wake up and just fumble around for 5-30 minutes trying to decide how to spend your time or b. go back to sleep because you don't know what you're doing.
I personally journal, meditate, and read during my morning routine. These are things that light me up. You have to find what lights you up and incorporate them into your routine. Maybe your morning routine is going for a 15 minute jog. Or doing a 20 minute yoga flow. Or walking your pup for 10 minutes. Or doing a face mask while painting your nails. I don't care what ya do, but just know what it's going to be ahead of time.
Side note: these are the kinds of books that I like to read in the morning!
STEP THREE. GO TO SLEEP AT A DECENT HOUR.
Wait, what? Why is this relevant? Because if you don't get enough sleep, you are NOT going to want to wake up. We're all different and require different amounts of sleep but just make sure that you're getting what you need before expecting to pop out of bed to embark on your morning routine.
Think of it this way: your morning routine really starts the night before!
STEP FOUR. COMMIT.
If you hit snooze, that's your choice. But don't expect to reap the benefits of a morning routine if you're only stepping up to the plate 2-3 days a week. Commit to your routine every day to see and feel real changes.
Here's the thing y'all - your morning routine is ON YOU. Keeping your promise to yourself is ON YOU.
Since implementing a morning routine in my life, I can without a doubt say that I am more productive and happier. It is easier for me to choose gratitude throughout my day when I wake up and write in my gratitude journal every morning.
I'd love to hear about something that you do to get your morning started!