Top Of the Morning To You

Creating a strong routine in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day

…I rise early almost every morning, and sit in my chamber without any clothes whatever, half an hour or an hour, according to the season, either reading or writing.”

No, that’s not me. It’s Ben Franklin. And while I’m not suggesting that we all start our day sitting in the office naked for an hour, I do suggest you develop a strong morning routine.

Successful creatives, entrepreneurs, and artists all have particular morning routines, so why can’t you? All of their routines are different but they lay down a foundation for great results.

My morning routine is not too complex. I make some coffee, take the dogs outside so that I can meditate and write down my daily goals for the day. Exercise is important but I have to be flexible and wait until our puppy Lenny is pooped and in the crate. I also spend a few minutes thinking or writing for this little newsletter here. After accomplishing all of that, I’ve got a great jump on the day.

Morning routines are great at calming the waters. We all have projects that we dread, stresses at home, and trash to take to the street 300 yards away (well, I do). Maybe we are changing jobs or not looking forward to shoveling 12 inches of snow. Whatever the reasons, a morning routine gives you a sense of normalcy at the beginning of the day which help handle all the curve balls that come later.

Need a few ideas for what to add to your morning routine?

Meditate - For me, it’s the best way to calm my mind and eliminate all those normal morning thoughts we have about what is ahead. Just fifteen minutes, and it’s like wiping the slate clean to allow the mind to swat away any defeating thoughts throughout the day.

Exercise - I love breaking a sweat first thing and getting the heart pumping. Whether you are getting on the peloton or just simply going for a walk with the dogs (mine are available), there’s nothing better than getting moving in the morning before sitting at a desk all day. And who doesn’t love that post-workout coffee?

Read - Simply sit down and read a few pages first thing in the morning. It’s been shown to reduce stress and anxiety and reduce the chance of dementia. And, a good book can put a smile on your face.

Write down 10 ideas – James Altucher, an author and entrepreneur, has a daily ritual of writing down ten ideas. Just whatever 10 ideas pop into his mind. It could be topics for a science fiction book, or ten new recipe ideas, or your next big idea. Think of it as stretching the brain to handle the rest of the day’s action.

Stretch - Similar to the brain, our body needs stretching too. We all have tight muscles in the morning. Make it a goal to do a simple stretch routine and increase flexibility to counter all that sitting and staring at a screen. (I recommend stretching a few times a day.)

Take Cold Showers - Every single morning, Tony Robbins plunges into a 57-degree Fahrenheit (13- degrees Celsius) cold-plunge pool. Maybe you don’t have a pool, but a quick 10-minute shower will certainly wake you up, improves your mood, boosts immunity, and is good for the skin.

Connect With Friends - Take a few minutes each morning to email, text or write a note to someone. Reaching out has tremendous benefits.

Set Daily Goals - I like a checklist first thing in the morning of goals for the day. This gives me a sense of calm and a better understanding of what I need to tackle that day.

Make Your Bed - It will be your first completed task of the day and give you a sense of pride, and reinforce the importance of the small things in life. And it will make the significant other happy.

There is no right or wrong routine. Just set one with a few small items and you’ll feel confident, organized, positive and you’ll have done more before most people finish their breakfast burrito.

“Having a routine is great, but only if it serves your goals. If it’s not doing that, it’s called a rut” - Josh Lajaunie

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I also have a Twitter account called @thegogetter2020 where I share articles I like about personal growth. Go ahead and follow if that’s your thing.

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