I began to experience the morning routine effect back in 2006. I’ve been hooked ever since. If you want more clarity, inspiration and self-trust in your life, it’s time to harness the morning routine effect (even if you aren’t a morning person).
My morning routine started small and it was slow going in the beginning. Because of my schedule and lifestyle, I barely had any extra time in the morning. I knew if I wanted to build this new habit, consistency was more important than intensity. I was used to fast and furious habit change that rarely lasted so I had to change the way I change. Slow progress is still progress and it’s the kind that sticks. I had tried starting a morning routine before. I’d wake up an hour early and work on my morning routine for an hour. It did not stick. With my gentler approach, it went like this:
- Set alarm 10 minutes earlier than I normally wake up and practice morning routine for 5 minutes. Only 5 minutes. Usually I didn’t have time for more but even when I wanted to do it longer, I didn’t. I stuck with 5 minutes a day for the first week
- The following week, I set my alarm for 15 minuts early and practiced for 10 minutes.
- On the third week, (you guessed it), I set my alarm for 20 minutes early and practiced for 15 minutes. My morning routine consisted of 5 minutes each of 3 activities I enjoyed at the time (writing, yoga and mediation).
- For the following few weeks, I added one minute to each activity each week. Slow? Yes. Effective? Also, yes. In this example, there were a few teeny-tiny steps I repeated and increased slowly. If you discover you are struggling to make progress, check on the size of your steps. Chances are, they are still too big.
I share these slow, teeny-tiny steps as a reminder that you don’t need lots of time to get started. You can begin your morning routine and start to enjoy the morning routine effect anytime.
The Morning Routine Effect (what to expect)
When you become more intentional about how you start your day, things begin to shift on the inside and the outside. This shift is the morning routine effect. I started a morning routine a few months after my MS diagnosis. Taking this time for myself was a daily reminder that I was prioritizing myself, that I was important and that I knew myself better than anyone else. Here’s what you can expect from a consistent morning routine.
1. Harness the morning routine effect for better focus and clarity.
You’ll feel less scattered and more focused all day long when you give yourself time first thing to settle into the day. While it all contributes, the meditation component of my morning routine helps me come back more quickly when I do get distracted.
2. Thanks to the morning routine effect, you’ll have more patience all day long.
Learning to under-react is one of the best parts of the morning routine effect. You’ll learn to pause, to consider your words and to remember not to believe everything you think.
3. You are more open to ideas and creativity.
When I move my body, still my mind and journal my thoughts in the morning, I set the stage to welcome new ideas and I feel more creative. So much of my book and blog writing starts during my morning routine.
4. The morning routine effect allows you to experience more light.
This isn’t as woo woo as it sounds. Your morning routine will add a sense of lightness to how you feel and how you see the world. If you practice your morning routine early, you may experience more sunrises too. There is something magical about starting the day with the rising light of the sun.
5. Prioritize what’s important with more ease.
So many things clamor for your attention on a day to day basis. By practicing a morning routine you show yourself that you can prioritize what’s most important to you. Take that into your day and your to-do list. Notice what you care about and what you don’t care about. Do less of everything and more of the important things.
6. Learn how to fuel yourself.
A meaningful morning routine can fuel your heart, soul, body and brain depending on the activities you choose. By trying different things during your morning routine, you can better understand what works for you and what doesn’t. You can fuel up with food too by including a yummy breakfast during or at the end of your morning routine.
7. Encourage connection to yourself and others.
Your morning routine will help you become more of the real you. You’ll learn to trust yourself more. The connection you are making with your own heart will encourage better connections with the people you around you too.
The Morning Routine Effect (How to Get Started)
In my book, Soulful Simplicity I share the exact steps and time-table I used to start my morning routine to help you implement your own. The steps below will help you get started.
1. Stop saying you aren’t a morning person. It’s a great excuse but it doesn’t matter. Start your morning routine whenever your morning starts, even if it’s in the afternoon. Call it a wake-up routine if it helps you get over the morning obstacle.
2. Be grateful.
Wake up and write down three things you are grateful for. If you can’t think of anything, remember what made you smile yesterday, the first person you thought of when you woke up, or the last thing that made you laugh.
3. Stretch in bed.
Wiggle your toes. Roll your hips from side to side. Reach your fingers to the ceiling. Stretch your lungs too and take a few deep breaths.
4. Hide your phone.
Do whatever it takes to be digital free until you’ve enjoyed your morning routine. Eventually you may want to use a meditation app or other tool on your phone during your morning routine, but start without it so you aren’t tempted to check email, news, or other apps.
5. Make a list of morning routine activities.
Eliminate the painful process of making decisions when you first wake up. Instead, make a list of what you’d like to include in your morning routine and choose two or three to start with.
6. Create a morning not to-do list.
You may have more clarity on how you want to spend your morning minutes after clearly identifying what you don’t want to do. Make a list of the things that don’t add value to your mornings. I share more on not-to-do lists in my book, Gentle: Rest More, Stress Less and Live the Life You Actually Want.
7. Put pen and paper nearby.
Journaling is a great way to leave your worries on paper, work through an issue or release some of the excess thoughts clouding your mind.
8. Create accountability.
Challenge a friend to 10 days of practicing a morning routine. Agree to text each other a simple, “I did it” after your practice.
9. Turn on the music.
Quiet background music can help to keep you engaged and present in your morning routine. Create a 5-minute playlist (or listen to this morning playlist) and practice your morning routine for as long as the music lasts for the first week. Add a minute or two to your playlist and routine each week.
10. Show up.
Even if you don’t do anything during your morning routine, show up for it every morning for a week. Dedicate 5 minutes to getting on your yoga mat, sitting at your kitchen table, on the floor next to your bed, or wherever you’d like to be. Just show up.
Take a little time for yourself each morning (or when you wake up) to prioritize your self care. It will be a reminder to your heart each day that you are important to you and that you know what’s best for you. You deserve that.