Yes or no? Your morning sets the tone for the day.
Do you hit ‘snooze’ when the alarm goes off? Are you rushing to get dressed and get out the door? Do you check your messages right away and receive some bad news that puts you in an undesirable mood?
Or maybe during Covid times you lie in bed scrolling through social media before your brain has even had the chance to recognize what day it is.
Either way, a solid morning routine that allows you to focus on your intentions for the day can help you control your schedule as opposed to your schedule controlling you.
When you focus on the tasks ahead without added distraction or limited time, you tend to have a more productive and successful day.
Here is my 7 step morning routine for a successful day…
STEP 1: JOURNAL ABOUT YOUR DAY
Are you guilty of journaling only during bad times? I know I am! But after I tuned into an interview with Matthew McConaughey on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, my mindset completely changed around the idea of only journaling when I was feeling down.
McConaughey explained that journaling about each day – good or bad – allowed him to reflect on his life and to see that he always made it out of the bad times.
Naturally, I began to journal each night before bed. This allows me to create my intentions for the next day and play out the next day of my life before it even happens.
I also found that journaling eases my anxiety. By getting all of my anxious thoughts down on paper, my mind feels free and my sleep is better.
STEP 2: WAKE-UP NATURALLY
A great day often starts with a well rested mind and body. When was the last time you fell asleep without setting your alarm and woke up when your body was naturally ready to begin the day?
Do you even know how much sleep you need to be your best self? This may take some experimenting as each person is different, but for myself, I have the best mindset and work ethic when I get 9 hours of sleep.
In complete transparency, prior to Covid I would get anywhere from 4-7 hours of sleep each night and use a pot of coffee to “power” me through the day.
In reflection, those were the days when I would skip from one project to the next; I would do busy work but never really complete a task to the best of my ability.
To this day I still use an alarm to wake-up, but am working towards a more natural wake-up.
McConaughey explained that journaling about each day – good or bad – allowed him to reflect on his life and to see that he always made it out of the bad times.
Naturally, I began to journal each night before bed. This allows me to create my intentions for the next day and play out the next day of my life before it even happens.
I also found that journaling eases my anxiety. By getting all of my anxious thoughts down on paper, my mind feels free and my sleep is better.
STEP 3: CHECK-IN WITH YOURSELF
After you wake, take a few minutes to check-in with yourself. Here are a few questions to ask yourself…
- How do you feel physically, mentally and emotionally?
- How do you see your day playing out?
- What intentions will you set for the day?
- What are your top 3 priorities?
One of my favorite quotes from Buddha is, “What you think, you become. What you feel, you attract. What you imagine, you create.”
If you feel good – then great! If not, what can you do to change that? Maybe you can boost your endorphins with a 10-minute workout or ease your mind with meditation.
STEP 4: READ
Before you overload your mind scrolling through a social media feed, set it up for success by diving into a book for 10-15 minutes. Choose a book that inspires you or one that you can learn something from and apply to your day.
These are a few of my favorite reads…
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
- Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
- Think Like a Monk by Jay Shetty
STEP 5: DRESS FOR HOW YOU WANT TO FEEL
A client once told me that some cultures in South America will dress up on the days they feel down, and they’ll dress down on the days when they feel great. There’s a reason for this!
When you don’t feel your best, dress for how you would like to feel. If you’re feeling blue, wear bright colors or an outfit that makes you feel unstoppable. Take the time to do your hair or in my case, put on some make-up. Set the tone for your day!
STEP 6: NOURISH YOUR BODY
A healthy mind and body go hand-in-hand. To have the best start to your day eat a healthy breakfast and drink at least one glass of water that will nourish your body.
Breakfast literally breaks the overnight fast and restores your glucose levels to boost your energy levels.
Here are some of my favorite breakfast recipes that give me the best start to my day…
- Everything Avocado Toast
- Dragon Fruit Smoothie Bowl
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
- Maple Almond Overnight Oats
- Vegetable Tofu Scramble
- Coconut Zucchini Bread
If you are limited on time, eat a piece of fruit – it’s simple and doable.
STEP 7: LET THE REST OF THE WORLD IN
It’s the time you’ve been waiting for!
When all prior steps have been completed, give yourself permission to let the rest of the world into your day. This includes checking your email and social media notifications, replying to texts you received throughout all hours of the night, etc.
Since you have already set your intentions for the day and prepped your mind, you can have a successful and healthy day despite what may come your way.
Remember: Control your day and don’t let the day control you. You’ve got this!
Do you already have a morning routine that helps you set great intentions for the day? I would love to hear what works for you; share your routine with me in the comments!
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