2019 has been a rollercoaster ride for me.
My morning routine have changed quite a lot this year and when I read How To Create A Morning Routine That Will Make You Thrive earlier this morning, I was inspired to write and share my own morning routine.
I have read a lot of articles about morning routines, productivity, and I’m one of those people who have tried a lot of routines and failed and tried again and failed and tried again. It’s a cycle. But today, I finally realized what I have been doing wrong.
I’ve been following morning routines that work for other people that’s not me. And in order for a routine to work, it should be something that fits to my lifestyle and the kind of work that I do.
Today, my morning looked like this, woke up, checked my phone, said a prayer, read, bathroom time, read a few articles, restarted my headspace meditation, made our daily barley grass tonic, ate breakfast then started working.
But my morning doesn’t always look like that.
I usually wake up very early, go to the bathroom, make and drink our barley grass tonic, read, meditate, write on my journal, plan my day, cook, eat breakfast and check my phone once in a while between doing the previous things I mentioned.
Some days I wake up and check my phone and respond to my workmates’ messages. There will be days when I have to wake up early for our company-wide meetings and it will be the first thing I do in the morning.
It’s ever-changing.
The key in finding a morning routine that works for you lies in your priorities, your lifestyle and your work.
Like for priorities, I highly prioritize my family which is why I love to cook for them. And I have to make time to cook for them in the morning which is why I have to incorporate it in my morning routine.
For my lifestyle, I love to read, write, meditate and do self-care techniques. So I like to do that early in the day because it makes me feel good.
With regards to my work, I really have to work in the morning as I am a full-time writer and social media manager. On top of that, I have a reselling business that is really scaling up, my social media accounts that I have to regularly post on, this blog which I haven’t given my full attention and my other passions that are tempting me to spend time with them.
You might be wondering where exercise fits in the routine. I used to exercise right when I wake up and because most of the morning routines tells us to exercise even if we don’t feel like it, I found that it just sucks up my energy and I end up with less energy than when I started. Although doing HIIT exercises when I wake up definitely pumps me up in the morning. But for most mornings, I like to do simple stretches and getting some sun. And I am really convinced that working out in the afternoon, around 3-4pm works the best for me.
Another thing I’ve read quite a lot is that you shouldn’t check your phone when you wake up. Let’s be honest, majority of us checks our phone when we wake up. I do it to check the time or to turn off my alarm clock. For me, it’s okay to check your phone in the morning as long as you don’t let it take an hour of your morning. Or you’ll end up mindlessly scrolling and long before you know it, it’s already past 9am! You can turn notifications off if you don’t want to get distracted or move social media apps so it won’t be the first thing you see when you open your phone.
You can also use your phone to make your morning routine easier. You can use it as your journal, you can download books or devotionals, or apps like Headspace and Nike+ for exercise. Make your smartphone work to your advantage and download apps that will help you.
So how do you create a morning routine that will work for you?
Get a pen and paper. Write three lists: Priorities, Lifestyle, Work.
Under each list, jot down the things that you would like to do. Doesn’t matter if the list is long. You might be able to create your evening routine while doing your morning routine. 😉
Add time to each point so you will know how many on your list can you fit in your routine.
For example: Priorities – Exercise (30 mins)
Then number each point to level of importance. Like for me, exercise is a priority but I can move that in the afternoon because that works for me. Or for work, if you have to start working at 8am, you will have to adjust your list or wake up earlier.
And don’t just make one morning routine. Make different ones for the weekends (or you can have weekends as your days off so you can do whatever you want in the morning, ahem, sleep in) or for when you didn’t sleep much or for busy days.
The only time I don’t follow my routine is when I’m traveling (fast-paced) or visiting relatives. These are the times when I let myself enjoy the freedom of not having a routine.
But then again, a morning routine should not be something that’s a burden to follow. It should be something that excites you or motivates you and even spark your creativity. It should make your life easier and not harder.
So remember, if you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up. – J.M. Power
