This is my favorite topic- I feel so strongly about this that it’s hard for me to know where to start. I fully believe that having an intentional morning routine has improved almost every aspect of my life: health, confidence, career, relationships and even my patience as a mom.
While I’ve always been a morning person and prefer to get my workouts and to-do list done really early, it wasn’t until the past year or so that I truly unlocked the power of a morning routine. Morning routines are not a new concept but I was most recently inspired by listening to Hal Elrod’s Miracle Morning on Audible, which I highly recommend. When Jay Shetty was a guest on the Ed Mylett podcast, he referred to a morning routine as “putting on your armor” for the day, which makes so much sense. Taking time for your mind and body before you do anything else, sets you up to better handle the day ahead and I feel this everyday. When I start the day grounded in who I am and where I’m going- things just feel easier to handle throughout the day.
What’s great about this is you can customize your morning routine to work for you. You can do a 5 minute stretch, take 3 minutes to to do the gratitude app and listen to a podcast while brushing your teeth or making coffee. It doesn’t have to be lengthy to make an impact in your mindset. Here are the three things I do every morning.
- MOVE: This looks different for everyone. I usually go to the early Orangetheory class. Other days, I do a Peloton ride or 30 minutes of weights or yoga. On rest days, I might just stretch for 5-10 minutes to take that moment for myself. This can be literally anything you want to do to move your body for a few minutes.
- MINDFULNESS: This takes me about 3-5 minutes each morning. I use the app “Morning- A 5 Minute Journal” You input three things you’re grateful for, three things that would make your day great, and one daily affirmation. There is an option to go back at the end of the day to add in some reflections. I’ve noticed a big change in my outlook by taking this quick pause to feel gratitude and set my intention for the day.
- LISTEN OR LEARN: I round out my morning routine with listening to a podcast or book on Audible. It’s usually either a personal development book, or podcast on a topic I’m interested in learning more about. Sometimes it’s about nutrition, career growth or finances, sometimes it’s about what happened on The Bachelor or parenting. I love my job, but I think it’s so important to develop yourself and learn things outside of the job you do every day. Most of the time, I learn things that benefit my personal and professional life. It brings a different kind of perspective to my days.
I know some people are really against getting up early, but you could do all of this in 10-15 minutes- and you could do the listen/learn part while you are doing other things. If you have kids, you may need to do this before they get up. I have been really clear with Eric about what kind of time and space I need in the morning in order to feel ready for the day so he gladly takes on the early-morning parenting so he doesn’t have to deal with a wife who is full of rage. (Kidding, but maybe not).
What’s your morning routine? Anything you plan to try?
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