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As a kid, I was always instructed to make a pit stop at the breakfast table before running to school or playing with friends. The old adage “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” was expressed daily. After quickly munching on a few bites of Weet Bix or Vegemite on Toast (yes, Aussie kids, you know what I mean), I was out the door and on my way to catch the 8:04 train from Clayton Station to my high school in Oakley.
Fast forward to adulthood, and I’ve realized that it’s not just about sitting at the metaphorical breakfast table and having breakfast. It’s about using the first few moments of the day to collect myself and formulate some intentions. It is during this time that I spend performing my daily morning ritual that the magic happens.
Finding the right morning habits takes practice. I used to believe that my routine had to be a meticulously followed step-by-step program. I thought it would have to include green juice, journaling, gratitude, meditation, exercise, prayer, coffee, visualization, etc. This belief has worked particularly well for me in 2020. The pandemic era allowed me a whopping 3 hours a day to do the following:
- 30 minutes of journaling
- 10 minute meditation
- read 30 minutes
- 10 minute visualization
- affirmations
- Brush teeth
- skin care
- Pray
- Journal of Gratitude
- Go to the coffee shop
- have coffee
- to have breakfest
Also see: 10 Morning Routine Hacks for Happiness and Productivity
It’s 2023 and that has changed. Things have changed in my personal life over the last three years as my business has grown and with the whole reorientation back into the studio I’ve been re-evaluating what’s feasible. My morning routine today looks more like a 5-step plan than a 12-step:
- hydrate
- Train
- Go get coffee
- Journal of Gratitude
- Meditate for 10 minutes
The world around me has changed, but I’ve made sure the value I get from my morning routine each day has stayed the same. When the routine was no longer feasible in 2020, I shrunk it down to the essentials. And even if there are days when I only do one of those five things, that’s a win for me. As long as I give myself the time and space each morning to feel centered, I know I’m setting myself up for success.
Why is a morning routine so important? Many successful entrepreneurs swear by a familiar approach to the first few hours of the day. There is science to back this up. A 2011 study examined the routines and habits of a customer service team to see how their morning behavior affected their workday. It found that “…those who started each day happy or calm typically stayed that way throughout the day and interacting with customers tended to further improve their mood.”
The study also revealed the consequences of not taking the time to find your morning groove. It continued, “By contrast … people who started the day in a terrible mood didn’t really come out of it and ended the day feeling even worse — even after interacting with positive customers.”
These results also showed a significant association between morning positivity and productivity. It states: “Employees who were in a positive mood provided better quality service: they were more articulate on the phone with fewer “um” and verbal tics and used more correct grammar. Employees who were in a negative mood tended to take more frequent breaks from their duties to deal with the stress and get through the day. Those small breaks piled up and resulted in a productivity loss of more than 10%.”
See also: How to Restructure Your Morning for More Energy During the Day
Taking the time to embrace and enjoy a morning ritual will give you the building blocks for a better day. Your interactions with colleagues and customers will be more positive; You’ll feel sharper, better mentally prepared, and more productive. The only thing left to do is decide what you value and how to turn those values into a workable routine.
If you’re not sure what your personal morning routine should look like, here are some tips from some of the world’s top achievers. In My Morning Routine: How Successful People Start Each Day Inspired Authors Benjamin Spall and Michael Xander surveyed 342 writers, creatives, and entrepreneurs about how they start their mornings.
See also: 5 ways to overcomplicate your morning routine
No two people are exactly alike in their morning routine because there is no perfect routine for everyone. Just as we have all had to adapt to the circumstances of the pandemic and then re-adapt when we returned to the office, giving yourself permission to be flexible to your needs and circumstances is crucial. Start with your core morning activities and add what you need more as needed.
The essence of a morning routine isn’t to do the most, and it doesn’t have to be extreme. It has to be doable on a daily basis. It is your opportunity to organize the very first part of your day in the best possible way just for you. Mastering your morning routine is key to living a more positive, productive, and value-based life.
