Do You Have A Morning Routine?
(From archived lianprice.com blog, circa 2015.)
Hi Fly Tribe!
Do you have a morning routine? How do you typically start each day?
Does it revolve around the acquisition of coffee and chocolate-injected croissants? Or is it a bit more complex? Does your morning routine have a pre-meditated purpose or outcome, other than to just keep your eyeballs propped open?
It is said that the first task a person completes each day are directly proportional to their level of success, both professionally and personally.
In her book What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast, Laura Vanderkam writes, “Seizing your mornings is the equivalent of that sound financial advice to pay yourself first.”
I like this. It got me thinking. It got me Googling.
My initial findings:
The morning routine of a traditional Buddhist starts before dawn and involves deep meditation.
Beethoven woke up at dawn every single day, drank a cup of coffee and would compose music until mid–afternoon.
Michelle Grass, the president of Starbucks, has gone running every morning at 4:30am for the past 15 years. She attributes her morning routine to helping her be more happy and to having tremendous success in her career.
Earnest Hemmingway only wrote in the morning. He placed great importance on utilizing the height of his creative energy and discipline first thing in the A.M.
Tony Robbins does some “Priming” each morning. He calls the first hour of the day his “Hour of Power” and during this time he plays uplifting music, stetches, visualizes the success of the day ahead, and does cold shock therapy as well.
By comparison, the morning ritual of Steve Jobs contained only one steadfast component. He stated:
“For the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been no for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.”
Hmmm. So a common thread amongst these legendary people is that they each had a set morning ritual, and they didn’t let anyone or anything mess with it! (Of course I’m sure with a few rare exceptions like a super early plane flight, sickness, etc.)
Conclusion:
Our mornings are a very precious commodity. Utilizing them the best way we can will aid us in the attainment of both our short-term and long-term goals.
Actionable takeaways:
– It doesn’t matter what your routine is, just have one in place. One that is individualized to your needs and goals.
– Create a brief ritual that is results–oriented.
– Make sure to stick to it and don’t let anything else get in the way.
Does this relate to fitness? You bet! If you are finding it really difficult to find the time to exercise, then get it out of the way first thing. Start each day strong. It is a proven fact that will power is highest first thing in the morning.
This translates to healthy eating as well. If it has been hard for you to stay on track with your nutrition, nail down breakfast first. It is so much easier to avoid tempting garbage–y food later in the day when you have already filled yourself with nutrient-dense, energy-producing food.
Mark Twain said it this way: “Get big work done early.”
So what does the first hour of your day consist of? If you don’t have anything substantial going on yet at that waking hour, that’s okay! You can start now. I am here to tell you that my mornings used to be horribly un-inspiring! I am going to be 100% transparent with you right now:
Here is what my routine used to look like:
– Roll out of bed 20 minutes before go time.
– Drink a glass of water.
– Floss and brush.
– Grab an energy drink and I’m out the door.
I was always wondering why I couldn’t get more accomplished each day, why having a positive, productive mindset didn’t come more naturally to me and why I wasn’t hitting all of my goals.
Fast forward, here is my routine now:
– Wake up, drink water, feed and walk Jeter.
– While on our walk, I make a list in my head of all the things I am thankful for today.
– Play music or a podcast, jump rope and do push–ups, dips and pull–ups.
–Then I strap on ankle weights and do various leg lifts and donkey kicks for glutes and abs.
– Cold shower, eat breakfast, floss, brush, drink more water
…and off I go!
Trust me, from someone who has been on both sides, getting a goal-oriented task or two accomplished first thing in the morning is the best way to set your whole day up for success. The positive vibes just flow through you all day! It is scientifically proven that when you say the word “done” after checking off a task on your day’s itinerary, there is a release of serotonin in the brain, causing you to feel confident, capable, happy and strong.
I would love to hear about your morning routine! Please leave a comment below.
Talk soon, make it a great week!
– Lian