How Morning Routines Can Transform Your Life & Your Biz
On average most of us have around 25,000 mornings as an adult. So it might be worth figuring out how best to optimize these mornings for a productive day ahead.
Lets take two scenarios.
Scenario 1:
Its 7:30am and the alarm on your smart phone is blaring. You hit snooze. 10 minutes later the alarm is blaring again and so you roll over, turn it off, and start checking facebook and email while lying in bed. You start to stress as you see the list of urgent emails sitting in your inbox. You better get up and get going fast! You jump in the shower and just have to time to grab a coffee and a granola bar as you rush out the door.
Scenario 2:
Its 6:30am and your alarm goes off. The house is quiet as everyone else is asleep and so you get up and head over to the lounge area where you start with some light yoga and stretches. You then spend 5 minutes writing in your 5 minute journal before you complete 10 minutes of meditation followed by a 7 minute workout. You then have time to have a hot shower and with you coffee in hand you sit down to put together a list of your 3 most important action items for the day ahead. You feel calm and ready to attack the day as you head out the door.
Who do you think is going to have a more productive, successful day? Scenario 1 or 2?
Often we underestimate how much of an effect the activities we do in the morning can have on our entire day. However some of the most successful people in the world all have a morning ritual that works for them and prioritize it no matter how busy they get as they realize its value.
Whether that includes exercise, journaling, yoga or meditation or reading, a morning routine can really set you up for an awesome day. What you do in the morning can really affect how your whole days goes, so getting into a habit of starting out right in the morning can skyrocket productivity and transform your life and business.
Morning Routines
Everyone will have a different morning routine that works for them. Click HERE to find out more about Hal Elrod’s miracle morning that completely transformed his life.
So what are some tips for setting up a morning ritual that works for you?
1. Start with an anchor and build consistency.
Start with just one ritual that you are going to do each day when you wake up, whether this is journaling using something like the 5-minute journal or a 7-minute workout. Keep it simple and just start out with one activity that you can build on for the first month to really get used to starting out your day with this one ritual. Over time you can add things to your morning ritual to really maximize your day, but starting small can help build consistency, which has been found to be significantly more important than what you actually do throughout your morning ritual.
2. Make your bed
Charles Duhigg in “ The Power of Habit” outlines how making your bed every morning is actually correlated with increased productivity. It’s a keystone habit that can help other good habits develop and is easy to implement.
3. Do something for your body
Exercise has so many benefits for your body and mind and so can be a great way to start the day. When Richard Branson was asked for his top productivity tip he answered “exercise” and so incorporating some movement or stretching can be a great way to start your morning.
4. Do something for your mind
Get your mindset right for a stellar day by including some meditation or journaling in your morning ritual. Just 5 minutes of meditation or journaling can have a profound effect on the rest of your day especially if you include a practice of gratitude into your meditation or journaling exercise. According to Harvard research your brain is actually significantly more productive when positive than when neutral, negative or stressed. Extra incentive to get that mindset right before you get into your workday.
5. Do something for your vision
What’s your vision or long-term focus for your business or life? Spend even just a few minutes focusing on affirmations or play some music while focusing on your vision board. You will be amazed at how much of an impact this has on your progress towards your goals.
6. Do something to set up your day for productivity
Before you start your work for the day, identify your three top tasks that are non negotiable for the day and then manage your energy not your time. Identify when do you have the most energy? Is it first thing in the morning or do your energy levels peak later in the afternoon? Determine what task you do and when dependent on your specific energy levels and plan out your day accordingly.
Morning Routines for Success
Information is nothing without action and so my challenge to you is starting tomorrow just wake up 15 minutes earlier and start with just one activity to kick-start your morning routine! I just know its going to transform your business and help you on your way to becoming superhuman!
To find out more about your health and whether a customized approach is the way to go for you, take our High Performance Quiz. Click below!
