Disclaimer: I am not a morning person.
I feel it’s important to state that I actually loathe waking up early to dispel any thoughts of, “Oh, she’s just a morning person. This must come easy to her.
It doesn’t.
Establishing a morning routine has been one of the biggest struggles I’ve faced as an entrepreneur. With no forced structure in place, it’s been hard, but oh so necessary!
Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, we all start our day at some point. For me, that point used to be 10 am, after the rest of the working world had downed three cups of coffee, caught up on email and water cooler conversations. I felt perpetually behind.
I soon realized the only way I was going to end the day feeling accomplished, organized and on top of my business was to establish a morning routine that worked for me. One that didn’t involve sitting around until noon “tidying up”, then answering some emails, and before I know it, half of my precious day is gone.
If like me, you’ve struggled with getting your day off the ground in a productive and focused manner, here’s a guide on how to start your day right. Not all of these suggestions may work for you. I invite you to tips that resonate and come up with your own perfectly tailored routine.
1. Don’t check email or social media for at least 60 minutes after waking up
Many of us wake with a desire to find out if anything has happened work-wise overnight.
However, when you check your e-mails first thing, it sends a message to your brain that your work problems are never-ending. Reading just one negative email could lead you to report having a bad day hours later. The same goes for reading stressful or negative news. Before you check your email or the news, put yourself in the right frame of mind by taking two minutes to draft a positive email or note to someone you appreciate.
2. Listen to or read uplifting content
Science shows just five minutes of negative news can impact your mood all day, and you don't need to keep up with every headline to stay informed. Positive information benefits us emotionally, physically, and mentally. It can contribute in a meaningful way to a happier and healthier life. Here are some examples that will help you accomplish this, read a book, listen to a podcast, take in a TED talk, or read a blog post/article. This will get you motivated and energized to tackle the day!
One of my favorite podcasts to listen to is Rise Together, by Dave and Rachel Hollis. My fiance and I enjoy listening to an episode together in the morning. It helps us stay connected to the relationship that matters most (ours) and be more intentional about putting each other first throughout the day. I highly recommend it for couples who struggle with work/life balance!
3. Journal anything that comes to your mind
Write by hand anything that comes to your mind related to your #1 goal or #1 problem you’re trying to solve. By journaling in the morning, you make sure you start the day on a positive note. By including a goal-setting and -reviewing component in your journaling practice, you make sure that every single day you are aligned with your intentions. Journaling can also reduce stress, clarify your thoughts and priorities, and improve mental well-being.
4. Write your big picture vision/goals down
You’re more than 42% more likely to achieve your goal by writing it down as countless studies have shown this to be true. This helps by visually reinforcing your goals and holding you accountable to them. Having a physical reminder of your goals can give you encouragement to keep going and not lose focus. The perfect time for you do to this is during your journal session. Each morning, it helps to sit down and review some of your more foundational thinking and goals. By doing this, you are able to start your day focused on your core beliefs and plans so that everything you do will align to serve them.
5. Spend 15-45 minutes in intensive physical fitness
Exercise is great for your mental and physical performance. More recent research indicates that the amount of exercise you need to achieve this is astonishingly small. Even a few minutes of training at high intensity your maximum capacity produces molecular changes within muscles comparable to those of several hours of running or bike riding. Even just standing up starts positive processes in the body and brain.
I personally do not enjoy working out in the morning, but I do enjoy the boost in energy that comes from getting moving. My preferred method is to get in a few reps of an activity first thing in the morning, followed by a longer gym session after work. For me, that looks like going for a walk, short run or doing a series of 50 squats and push-ups in the morning to get the blood flowing.
6. Spend 60-90 minutes in focused activity on a big project
Chipping away at a big project in the morning is a great way to gain positive momentum in your day. Research has found that your willpower is highest when you first wake up, and your brain is most attuned to creativity. The day has a hidden pattern: a peak, a trough, and a recovery. And doing the right work at the right time can lead to dramatically better results. The morning may be the time when you produce your best and most important work. Using this information to your advantage can give you a far larger bump in performance than you probably imagine.
7 .Consume 30 grams of protein
Consuming this first thing in the morning prevents a mid-morning blood sugar crash and keeps your metabolism humming all day. It also helps build lean muscle mass, which means the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn sitting at your desk. To avoid that roller-coaster ride, studies have shown that eating a high-protein breakfast helps prevent body fat gain, increase weight loss, reduce cravings and hunger hormones and even decrease the temptation to snack at night.
A great recipe with 40 grams of protein is this green smoothie….
1 cup of mixed frozen berries (I buy the berry blend from Costco - 20 grams of protein)
1 scoop of Vega One vanilla and greens protein powder
2 scoops of Vital Protein Collagen Peptides (18 grams of protein)
2 cups of mixed greens
Sometimes I sprinkle in chia seeds, lemon juice or other fruit for flavor. But this is an easy, go-to recipe in our house.
8. Spend 15-16 minutes on a big picture goal or passion project
A passion project is something that you feel excited about working on but isn't necessarily spelled out in your job description. It helps you build new skills or hone existing ones. Plus, you can use your creativity, imagination, and resourcefulness in all kinds of new ways. A good passion project will be uplifting, and you'll likely want to spend more time on it than you realistically have. Don't let your other obligations slip, or your passion project could have a counterproductive impact.
A passion project I am working on this year is creating a marketing training program with my partner. It’s something we’ve been talking about for YEARS and are finally working on together.
The perfect morning might look a little different for you. Maybe it includes breakfast and 30 minutes of quality time with your children. Maybe you want to squeeze in a full hour gym session or a coffee date with your husband. These are general guidelines that have worked for me and are used as a starting point to help you start crafting your own system. I’d love to hear in the comments below what your morning looks like?
XO
Hello!
I’m Kat,
My job is to help busy entrepreneurs share their personality, creativity and big ideas with the world.