So, I do not press the snooze button, I know right! I’m one of these lucky people that when the alarm goes off, I’m up. When we start talking about incorporating a morning routine, the non-snoozers are probably more excited about this than our friends who love the extra Zzz’s. We have all heard about the importance of daily routines. It can for example boost our mood and productivity, decreases stress, and we are less likely to forget things. Cool hey! I have been experimenting with a morning routine for a long time now, I like researching it too, all these articles “Morning routines of successful people” “Why you should have a morning routine” “Life-changing morning routines” are very fascinating. But there is one thing missing, how can you make it work for you!?
The Key To Consistency
Over the years my morning routine has changed and to be honest, this might be the success of a consistent approach. Each day is different, our energy changes over the course of the week, so why have the same routine each morning? Our priorities change, so our “tasks” should change too. Seasons change, so adjust your routine to make it convenient. While some parts of the routine remain consistent, such as having a cup of tea, a skincare routine, or having breakfast, others vary. You might think, don’t we have to do the same thing over and over for it to become a habit? Let’s reframe this, we do a routine each morning which is the habit, but the elements are different which doesn’t interfere with the habit formation. Once you allow flexibility within your routine, consistency follows.
Planning Your Morning Routine
Now, to create this consistent approach we should plan our mornings ahead. I know, crazy, a planning session for the mornings? But believe me, planning ahead will make sure that you don’t rush out the door all stressed. Your morning sets the tone for the day, make it powerful. There are 4 steps to define your perfect morning routine. It is important that you create your own, doing exactly what “successful” people do in the morning won’t make you successful. Running around, trying to do whatever Beyonce does in the morning might just not work for you. Tailor it to your needs. Also, you need to be aware that you don’t add too many things into your routine, remember it is morning, *Yawn*! You still have your evening routine to achieve those elements you want to do daily.
The 4 Steps To Define Your Morning Routine
1. Choose Your Morning Key Word
Think about what you want your morning to look like. What do you want to achieve before your day officially starts? Chose 1 word to define your morning. This word can be different each day! Think about the energy of the day, Monday might need a different approach than Wednesday. Some examples are Calm, Motivated, Energised or Organised. Don’t rush this step, you gotta really sit with it, this is important. Once you identify this word, you know what elements are a must to incorporate within your morning routine.
2. Pick Your Elements
Start thinking about the elements you want to incorporate within your morning routine. I’m talking about drinking a cuppa, meditation, workout, skincare routine, reading, etc. When you pick your elements, they need to be in line with your chosen word for the day. For example, if your word is organised, prioritising your task will be a good element to add to your routine. Need some inspiration on elements? I have listed a whole bunch in my worksheet which you can find in my resource library.
3. Determine Your Timeframe
Now that you are aware of the wanted elements, you can determine a timeframe. How much time do I have in the morning? How much time do I spend on each element? Be realistic, don’t stress yourself out! Remember, the morning sets the tone for the day, use this to your advantage. Give yourself 5 minutes spare each day, this will ensure that you can calmly apply all elements without the rush! Try it out for a couple of days and make any adjustments when necessary.
4. Specify Your Morning Routine
Lastly, we need to prioritise elements. What elements will I do daily? What shall I do on my busiest day? This is the fun part, organising all elements into a flow that suits you and would make you happy! Make sure that you keep your schedule of the week in mind. Remember that these elements are there for you to achieve the word of the day! To help you be consistent and define your own routine, I have created a worksheet. It will guide you through the 4 steps with specific questions to ensure you find the answers true to you!
Remember, a morning routine is a tool to help you feel in control of your day. Basically, it guarantees that you prioritize yourself, allowing you to spend ME time before anything else! Once you make self-care work for you, it will enable you to look after others. Often your evening routine might not happen because work was stressful or something came up. But with your morning routine, it is YOU time and not one person can take that away from you, #feelingempowered! Make sure to use my worksheet to determine your morning routine with purpose. Use the prompts provided and see how you can transform your morning!! What does your morning routine look like?
Wake up and make things happen!
– unknown
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