A few non-radical suggestions for getting unstuck every day
There is nothing better than a good morning. I know that monks, self-development gurus, and many popular CEOs and business owners have been writing about it for decades, but it really is true. A slow, but productive and meaningful morning is all that you need to kickstart a good day.
“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” — John C. Maxwell
And oftentimes a good morning can serve as a touchstone for you to fall back on as you navigate the wild twists and turns of the day. No matter how overwhelming, crazy, and stressful it becomes, you can think back to the good morning that you had, and find your own new beginning in the time at hand. The question is, how do you build a better morning routine? What are the essential habits to slowing down, while not foregoing getting things done with the precious hours of the sun rise? Here are some of my timeless suggestions…
Learn More
Read also: How to speed up your mental processing ( must read)
1: Find a favorite podcast or audiobook to hype you up each day
A podcast or audiobook in the morning from someone I inspire is just what I need to kickstart my day. If I were to tell you about some of my favorite morning routines, it would all center around what I was listening to that morning. Maybe this is because I’m an auditory learner and associator, but I think it has something to do with the power of someone speaking truth and motivation over you in the morning.
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” — Albert Einstein
During the height of the pandemic, I remember the first good morning routine I’d had in a while came during a day where I got up and worked out and was listening to Jess Connolly’s You Are The Girl For The Job. I can still tell you exactly what chapter and part of the book I was listening to, too. Then there’s the Fight Hustle, End Hurry podcast I listened to driving to class every morning of my junior year of high school. That’s a podcast and two speakers and writers I turn to today for inspiration and information.
To build a better morning routine, try finding a podcast that really lifts your spirits. I’ve also used Jeff Sander’s The 5AM Miracle and NPR’s Up First show to give me a good start to my day. Find what works for you, and become a faithful listener to brighten up your mornings.
2: Watch the sunrise
There is something about seeing the sun come up each day that is truly amazing. Any day where I watch the sunrise, I feel a different sort of connection to the day and the rhythms of it, more on track. Whether it’s on the beach, sitting on a blanket with my little brother, at a retreat with close friends, on the back porch of my house or out my bedroom window, watching the sunrise is the single most grounding habit I try and practice regularly.
“There’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them.”― Jo Walton
Everyday, the sun rises. Even if the clouds obscure it, you can still watch the world light up in an almost magical day. It reminds you that every day is new, that some things can be counted on, and it helps you find peace and quiet joy at the beginning of every day. I would highly recommend.
3: Be mindful
It’s very easy to wake up every morning and immediately begin hustling. We start the day trying to conquer everything, get every project and task completed, and bulldoze through what’s on our plate. While that’s great, it often gets away from us and we are unable to really accomplish anything as we get ahead of ourselves and push ourselves too hard.
“Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
Instead, in order to have regular great mornings, stay mindful. Keep an eye on what’s going on in your life everyday, from a birds eye perspective, and note how things are going, ebbing, and flowing. Pay attention to how you’re feeling, whether you’re following your north star and purpose, and doing what you’re supposed to be doing in life — before you hit the ground running trying to do it all.
4: Sequence your tasks, preferably in an app
The real secret to a morning routine is just that…actually having a routine, or at least a rhythm, of what you’re going to do every day. What’s great is that this can be something that you came up with, or can be something you adapted and/or adopted from someone else who has a good morning routine you admire and aspire to.
“Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character.” ―Stephen Covey
I use the app Routinery to sequence my tasks for different routines, from morning and evening routines to cleaning my house. This is an amazing, super cheap app that I’ve loved using. And even if you don’t use this particular one or any of dozen apps like it, getting into the habit of doing things in a certain order can be ridiculously helpful for staying on track and for freeing up your mind for different things.
Read also: 8 upgrades for your best year yet (read this now)
5: Make time for your biggest priority
If this is your family, make time for them. If right now it’s your novel, write your novel. In their book, Make Time, the authors talk about how it’s not that your family is less important than your book, but it’s abut what area of your life needs the most attention. If your deadline is coming up or you want the project done by a certain month, then that project might need to be high on your priority list — and your sole priority in the morning.
“Action expresses priorities.”― Mahatma Gandhi
Having special project time for what matters most to you can be just what you need not only to spice up your morning routine, but to make you feel fulfilled in your work, both at work and while away from work at home. This also helps you gain a feeling of accomplishment first thing in the morning, in a way which doesn’t involve checking email or getting a head start on what matters at the office.
Remember, a morning routine wasn’t built in a day. Morning routines are built day by day as you figure out what works best for you and what habits cater to you and your lifestyle the best. I wish you the best, and hope that your morning routines are improved by these suggestions.
Kindly, Katie
For more information and updates join our WhatsApp group HERE
Follow us on Twitter HERE
Join our Telegram group HERE