Mornings are a great renewal.
A chance to be better than you were yesterday.
During this time you have the power to not only set the tone but to make it last all day long.
In this post, we’ll be discussing how to create an effective morning routine for more peaceful, productive days.
How to Create an Effective Morning Routine
Creating a morning routine is perhaps one of the best things you can do for your overall well-being.
There’s plenty of science behind the benefits of starting your day off on the right foot, but did you know that not having one in place could contribute to daily stress and anxiety?
Many experts believe that stress contributes to 75-90% of all diseases. Therefore, it’s crucial to prioritize inner harmony and take steps to manage stress
Cultivating a morning routine that works for us will help.
Start Your Morning Routine with Solitude
When designing an ideal morning routine, consider your lifestyle.
Begin by identifying the amount of time you have from the moment you awake to when you commence your workday.
Think about the people who need your attention such as your partner or children.
Pets count too!
Then ponder how much of that time you can steal for yourself.
If the answer is none, perhaps you could get up earlier. For example, if your day starts at 5:30 am, maybe set the alarm for thirty minutes before.
The idea is to spend at least some part of the morning alone for self-discovery and reflection.
During this period, you may choose to pray, meditate, journal, read, etc,… it’s entirely up to you.
Worry tends to taint our thoughts the second we open our eyes.
Thus, interrupting this pattern to focus on you will fill your heart with a sense of peace and a renewed resilience to tackle the day.
Establish a Schedule
Living spontaneously can be exciting, but having an orderly plan or schedule to follow may put your mind at ease.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you must follow a strict itinerary.
Yet, having a general disposition of when you want to complete a task and start another makes the time you do have less stressful and far more productive.
Particularly for those with busy mornings.
Here’s another example:
5:30-6:00 am (me time)
6:00-6:15 (shower/bush teeth)
6:15-7:00 (get dressed /make breakfast)
7 am (wake kids up for school)
7:45 (take kids to school)
This is just a sample. The important thing is to make your schedule work for you. Also, allow some room flexibility.
Prepare the Night Before
Building an effective morning routine that is both productive and reliable begins long before it’s even started.
Many experienced joggers will tell aspiring joggers to place their running shoes and clothes by the door the night before.
This piece of advice saves the novice time in the morning and also helps with accountability as it forces the person to follow through. Plus, it takes out a lot of the guesswork.
The same logic can be applied to our morning routine.
During the evening, get everything ready.
Set your alarm clock.
Place a journal by your bedside.
Premake your breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Set up your yoga gear in the living room.
Go to sleep earlier.
You’ll find that with this proactive approach, it’s easier to stick to your schedule and meet all your expectations for the day.
Eat a Balanced Breakfast
Food has an amazing ability to affect our mood. Consuming a well-balanced meal filled with whole foods will ensure that you feel fuller longer and more energized.
Eating highly processed and refined foods may cause blood sugar levels to rise. This can leave you depressed or irritable with low bouts of energy to get through the day.
Yet, once you’ve improved your diet you’ll actually feel the difference physically.
Try it for yourself.
Go a couple of weeks on a balanced diet.
It should include vegetables and or fruit, protein, fiber, and unrefined carbs.
An example would be almond-buttered whole-grain toast with banana slices.
Make Your Morning a Routine
In order to achieve lasting benefits from your morning routine, you must turn it into a habit.
You don’t need to repeat your entire schedule in strict order every day. Remember, flexibility.
Sometimes things change, however, there are certain aspects of your morning that should remain consistent.
These aspects include when you awake, your period of solitude, the time you eat, and so on.
Humans thrive off of routine. It is reliable, efficient, and offers us a sense of tranquility.
Looking for Suggestions?
The morning routine you develop should be tailored to your interests and lifestyle. With that said, if you’re looking for a couple of things to add to your schedule try this:
Do something inspirational. There are so many options with this. You could listen to a podcast, read a book, or recite affirmations.
Affirmations are great for placing yourself in a positive mindset and getting you pumped for the day.
They’re also potentially very powerful as they deal with your belief system allowing the alteration of any limiting beliefs that you may be harboring.
Take time out in the morning to exercise. Many people, including myself, prefer working out in the early morning hours.
And why not? It’s quiet so you’ll likely not be interrupted.
Moreover, you’ll get it out of the way so you don’t have to worry about doing it later, plus you get to eat afterward! This is always a win for me.
Regardless of what you choose to incorporate into your plans, make sure it’s something you genuinely enjoy because that’s the ultimate way to start off your day!
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