I have been a morning person since I was little, I remember being 13 years old and being the first person to get up at home. I would get up, shower, then wake up my dad. After getting ready I would make my breakfast (usually a bagel and orange juice) and then watch my cartoons for like 1 hour. I had so much time, that’s how early I got up!
Now a days my morning routine looks a whole lot different. But it wasn’t always this way. I went through months and months of feeling pretty crappy and low energy, just went through the motions until I found my mojo. I forced myself to get up early and the first week was pretty hard (not going to lie), but after the second week I was kind of waking up on my own. This caused me to get tired earlier so I would be in bed by 9-10 pm. And so the new morning routine was born.
Today my morning routine looks a little more like this:
Wake up at 5:15-5:30 am
Drinks some water and make myself some herbal tea
Journal from about 5:45 am until 6:15
Work on my blog and write a little until about 6:45 am
From about 6:50-7:15 am I meditate.
7:15 am to about 7:45 I get showered, dressed, get my breakfast and lunch ready to take to work
7:45 am I am out the door to go to work
Seems pretty crazy but these 2+ hours fly by like you wouldn’t believe. I try and squeeze in as time for myself every day, and I find that the morning is the best (and easiest) time.
I find that waking up early and having a routine sets my day off on a good foot. I feel energised and awake by the time I get to work, feeling accomplished since I worked on myself and things I care about.
When you start or create your morning routine just thing about things you always say you “don’t” have time for, the things you wish you had time to do, etc…Stop making excuses and get them done in the morning and make yourself a priority. For some people this might be working out, and for others it might be writing a book, journaling, meditating, pilates, studying or maybe even prepping breakfast and lunch for the day. Wake up earlier and get it done first thing in the morning if you really can’t find time during the day or evening.
You don’t have to get up at 5:00 am, that might be a little too much to start with. How about you set your alarm 15 or 30 minutes your normal wake up time? Maybe you start with just stretching or a short walk in the morning, then progressively start going to the gym (or get in a good home workout?). Or you sit down and have a healthy breakfast before work instead of grabbing a sugary breakfast before you go to the office. Be creative and think about something that you would enjoy and don’t push yourself to much, start slow but start making the habit. Create the habit! Everything else will fall in the place.
Everyone’s goals are different as well so make a list of everything you want to achieve and start with one thing and then add things to your list. This is what I did. I started just journaling, then added meditation, and now I put in a good 30 minutes of work on my blog (writing, creating images, editing, social media, etc). It’s a process and you can create whatever you want, you just have to get clear on your intentions with your morning routine.
Ask yourself the following questions:
What are things I want to accomplish during the day that I feel I don’t have time for right now?
In 6 or 12 months what do I want to have achieved?
What will bring me balance, peace and a sense of accomplishment if I got it done in the morning and out of the way instead of hanging on my head?
What are things I always say I want to do but never really do?
