A productive morning routine is a key to success. Starting your day off on the right foot can make all the difference when it comes to being productive. While it may seem intimidating at first, there are some simple steps you can take to create a morning routine that works for you. In this blog post, I will share 5 tips to help you create a more productive morning routine.
1) Keep It Simple
I don’t know about you, but if I do too much first thing in the morning, I end up feeling overwhelmed and I hop right back into bed.
My current favorite way to start the day is to remember any dreams I might have had and make a note of anything that stood out. I’m a firm believer that dreams are our unconscious and conscious minds’ way of communicating with each other, so it makes sense for me to start my day like this.
Another habit I’ve incorporated into my morning routine is drinking some water before I get out of bed because I often wake up feeling super dried out.
The key to creating a productive morning routine is to keep it simple. Start small and work your way up from there. This way, by the time you get around to doing more complex tasks, you’ll have already started the day off with a clear head and a sense of purpose. This can mean something as simple as making your bed, or having a cup of coffee and meditating for 10 minutes before diving into the day’s tasks. By starting simply, you give your body time to wake up and your mind time to focus.
2) Focus On How You Feel
Despite what anyone else may say or think, human beings naturally want to feel good emotions and avoid painful ones. If your morning routine makes you feel like a failure, you’re not going to want to follow it.
The first time I tried to write down a morning routine I thought might work for me, I had things on there like exercising, feeding the cats, going for a walk, eating a 600-calorie breakfast, and doing a full face of makeup. It was a lot of work and it made me feel like I wasn’t doing anything right. The second time around, I focused on only two things: drinking a glass of water after I brushed my teeth. After I did those things, I was able to focus on feeding the cats or drawing the perfect winged liner.
When I complete my morning routine, I want to feel motivated, inspired, and confident that I can tackle whatever comes my way during the day. By focusing on how you want to feel as a result of completing your morning routine, you’ll find it much easier to stick with it in the long run.
If you want to feel energized, then think about how you want to start each day. If you want to be productive, then consider what tasks would make that easier for you. By focusing on how you want to feel instead of the actual tasks themselves, it’s much more likely that your morning routine will help bring about those feelings.
3) Start With Meditation
If you’re looking for a simple way to start your day that doesn’t involve leaving the comfort of your bed, meditation is an excellent option. Starting your day with a few minutes of meditation can help you clear your mind and prepare for the day ahead. It can also help you get into a more productive mindset, which will make it easier to tackle the tasks on your list. If you’re looking to add a bit more exercise, try adding some yoga poses into the mix.
You don’t have to do anything complicated; just find an easy pose that takes about 20 seconds to complete, like Child’s Pose or a supine asana like Happy Baby (my personal favorite for staying under the covers).
Something I like to do is extend my meditation throughout parts of my routine. For example, I listen to a gentle lo-fi track when I’m driving to work and I like to hum mantras to myself while I’m getting dressed. I noticed that even if I didn’t get all parts of my routine finished in time, I still felt calm and centered (my number one priority for this routine).
I’ve added this step to my routine for the past month and it has made a huge impact on the rest of my day. I feel calmer, more centered, and more focused than ever before. My anxiety level is way down, and I’m able to accomplish all of my goals each day including working on my business and writing articles like this one.
If you’re interested in learning more about Mindfulness Meditation and how it can help deepen your spiritual practice, check out my article on the topic here.
4) Prepare For Challenges
One of the last things I added to my morning routine was checking my emails and making a to-do list. I used to start my day by checking my emails and making a to-do list. It was a huge mistake because it put me in a reactive mindset right from the beginning of my day, which made me feel like I was constantly chasing problems instead of working on solutions. Now I do this after meditation so that I’m fully present and calm before diving into the chaos of running my business and working a full-time job.
I bought a little daily sticky notepad that has a space for notes and scheduled events as well as my top 5 to-dos for the day. It even has a little space for my gratitude practice and daily mantra. Before I get started with work-related tasks, I take some time to reflect on what needs to get done. If I hadn’t taken the time to slowly start my morning, I might leave something pressing off of my list.
Preparing for challenges does not mean that you should think about all the things that could go wrong in your day; it means that you need to create an opportunity to prioritize tasks that need to happen and leave some room for unexpected things like a last-minute meeting, or, in my case, a parent who needs support with a challenge one of my students is facing.
5) Take Time For Yourself
Your morning routine is a great opportunity to take time for yourself, even if it is only for a few moments. Self-care activities such as listening to music, reading a book, journaling, or meditating are all wonderful ways to start your day on the right foot. Additionally, if you have a partner, children or pets, it’s important to still make time for yourself in the morning.
My mother used to wake up at the crack of dawn and practice her self-care before my father and I woke up. I always thought she was crazy, but now I also find myself waking up before everyone else just to enjoy the peace of my own company. Thankfully, my husband doesn’t have to be up early as well, but my cat and I often sit together and watch the sunrise, or I’ll put on all of my clothes and stand outside with my tea before I do anything else.
Making time for yourself in the morning allows you to clear your mind, get organized, and approach the day feeling calm and refreshed. Taking a few moments to do something that brings you joy can be a powerful way to set the tone for the day.
Conclusion
A productive morning routine can help you stay calmer, less stressed, and more prepared for the rest of your day. In the long run, simplifying your routine, paying attention to how you feel, meditating, preparing for challenges, and making time for yourself can be extremely beneficial. You can intentionally choose how you want to start your day to maintain that positive energy and practice effective self-care.
Shaman Giya Venus 