The best morning routine for maximum productivity
For most of my life, my mornings have been filled with dread, laziness, and of course, countless smashings of the snooze button. The thought of leaving my bed was almost annoying and most mornings began with me staring at my phone screen for hours until I absolutely HAD to get up. Overtime, I became more and more frustrated with this “stay in bed as long as possible routine” because it completely destroyed my productivity and energy levels for the rest of the day. Not only that, but I realized that choosing to stay in bed all day is choosing to not go out and live my life (something none of us should be choosing!).
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As I came to these realizations, I had also been watching motivational videos of YouTube to get hyped up for workouts and my summer goals – coincidentally, they all mentioned that the most successful people are those who attack the day early and with clarity as to what they will do when they get up.
After reaping the benefits myself, I have compiled some of the best habits you should develop in the morning to have an exponentially more productive and energized day, while at the same time pushing you towards living the life you have always dreamed of.
Habit one: Make it routine to wake up early
I love to sleep in right up until the moment I absolutely have to get up just as much as the next guy, however, to consistently wake up at 5,6, or 7 a.m. will completely change your life. Trying to develop this habit in a world full of buzzing night life and chaotic schedules will be no easy task, so I recommend working on reprogramming your sleep cycle to teach your body to automatically wake up early in the morning feeling energized and ready to go.
The easiest way to go about this is to simply go to bed at a consistent time each night (shoot for no later than 10:30 if possible), keep electronics off and out of sight the hour before bed, and if you can, don’t set an alarm clock – allow your body to wake up on its own when it feels fully rested.
After about a week of following this routine, you’ll find yourself being able to easily wake up in the early hours of the morning without the immediate stress and buzz of an alarm clock. Once you’re up, I find it helpful to drink a glass of filtered water and brush my teeth to get any inclination of heading back to bed out of my head.
Habit Two: Start the day off with gratitude
As soon as I get out of bed each morning, I write in a gratitude journal called, “The Five Minute Journal”. Rather than starting the day off with negative thoughts that come about from subconsciously comparing myself to others as one might check on various social media platforms, I am thinking about the positives of my life and all that I am thankful for.
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I write down at least three things that I am grateful for, three things that would make my day great, and some affirmations(saying things like I am… confident, engaged, aware, health, happiness, rich, etc). I’m a big believer in the saying that you become what you believe and these journal entries help empower me to become who I want to be.
Habit three: Practice calming the mind with meditation/yoga
Along with gratitude, it is absolutely essential to prepare and de-clutter the mind for the upcoming day. Immediately after I write in my journal, I go through a short but comprehensive yoga routine to strengthen, tone, and stretch my muscles so that I am all warmed up.
With my body warmed up and feeling good, I then sit for about 20 minutes and practice mindfulness meditation – the act of being completely engaged in the present moment by sitting in silence and being aware of your thoughts and senses. I let all future or past anxieties just dwindle away as I absorb myself into the silence.
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It’s also extremely beneficial to visualize. Visualize the person you want to become, who you want to be surrounded by, what you’re doing, what you feel like, where you are living 1, 5, 10 years down the road. The more you visualize, the more you will attract that life into reality.
Habit four: read
Reading for entertainment and learning seems to have become a chore in our modern society where information is available with a few clicks on a screen. But creating a habit of reading each morning is absolutely crucial to becoming a life-long learner and getting the brain primed for more daunting tasks later in the day. Read books that help you hone in on your craft and expand your perspectives.
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For even just 10 minutes a day, you will start to recognize how many areas of your life have improved from reading. Just like it is absolutely necessary to regularly exercise, we need to be actively working and expanding the mind as well.
Habit five: Do the hard things first
Early morning are the perfect time to get to work on the things that you would otherwise push to later in the day (where they again probably won’t get done due to afternoon laziness). It may not be the funnest thing in the world, but just get it done. Keep in mind, that if you followed habit one, you’ll be able to finish your must-get-done tasks before noon!
The whole rest of your day is yours to pursue any passions, go explore or adventure, and just live your life. If you have to leave for work early in the morning, strive to get up a little earlier to get this kick-starting morning routine and other brain-intensive work done; you will undoubtedly be more content and calm at the office and excited to start living as your best version.
Did I miss anything?
Of course these habits will be tricky to set in stone at first, but if you stick with it for just a few weeks they will become ingrained into a part of who you are. If things don’t go as planned (And remember, they usually don’t) stick to the 80-20 rule. Stay on track 80% of the time and allow yourself to fall short when necessary the other 20%. Just know that you can easily get right back on track and get back to that energizing morning routine that will kick-start your drive and passion for the rest of your day and life!
Be sure to comment which habit/s you are looking forward to the most!
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