What’s your morning routine?
Let’s talk morning routines! What does everyone do to set themselves up for the day?
I’m always keen to learn new ways to get the most out of my day, so I’ve decided to research the morning routines of highly successful people and trial some of their habits for a week.
After scrolling through the internet, I realised there are SO many to choose from and obviously not all are going to be a good fit for everyone. There was one habit that several high achievers swear by and that’s ‘Don’t set an alarm clock’ - as someone who sleeps like a log, that one is definitely not for me!
So, here are my top 5 that I’ve picked from Forbes, that I will adopt over the course of next week:
Get Up An Hour Early
I love sleep. I wish I could be one of those people who can get by on 5 hours but I’m an 8 hours a night kind of gal. The thought of setting my alarm an hour early fills me with dread but, if Michelle Obama can wake up early every day and be fabulous then I can at least try doing this for a week.
Starting from tomorrow, I will be setting my alarm for 5:30am (eek!) but what I am going to fill this precious hour with? Read on to find out…
Visualize!
Apparently early morning is the best time to reflect and map out your to do list for the day. According to research, spending just two minutes visualising positive outcomes can improve your mood and clarity for the entire day ahead. I’m a bit sceptical about this one but I am going to try my best to manifest those positive vibes first thing!
Say Bye-Bye To THAT One Big Task:
I’ve heard the phrase ‘eat the frog’ quite a lot recently - the image my mind conjures up when I hear this phrase is quite disturbing however, it simply means ‘get the big task out of the way, otherwise you’ll end up procrastinating it the whole day’. I totally agree with this concept but like most things in life, it’s easier said than done! I’m looking forward to the challenge and I’m interested to see if ticking off that big task first thing in the morning does actually give me a sense of achievement and increase my overall productivity throughout the day.
Get Moving
When I was in my early twenties, I used to go for a morning run at least three times a week and I absolutely loved it - I felt energised and ready to take on the day. I fell out of the habit but it’s something I would like to get back into. So, tomorrow I will get those endorphins racing and go for a run!
Declutter Your Mind
I’ve adapted this one slightly as the Forbes article refers to decluttering actual items. I’m going to focus on decluttering my mind because I am a constant worrier and have struggled with anxiety for most of my life. I often ruminate over little things without trying to rationalise them first and then before I know it, I’ve catastrophised the WORST POSSIBLE THING EVER. I start freaking out and can’t focus on anything else, which throws my day off course.
I am going to spend 15 minutes at the start of each day writing down and challenging my anxious thoughts. I’m most interested to see how this one goes and if this process helps me to clear my mind and focus on the day ahead.
Make sure you check out next week’s blog to see how I get on. Wish me luck!