Many of us are not morning people. Getting up is a struggle; we would rather spend a few more hours in bed than get up and get going with another day.
But the morning is one of the most important times of the day. Even if you are not a morning person, getting up a bit earlier and having a consistent morning routine can help you get your day started properly and set you up for a productive and fulfilling day.
Here we’ll look at some of the key benefits of having a morning routine in place, along with how to get started with your routine.
8 Benefits of a Morning Routine
Here are eight great reasons why having an effective morning routine is such a great idea.
1. Prepare for the Day
A solid morning routine helps you prepare mentally and physically for the day.
How you spend your time during the first few hours of the day will greatly impact it. If you roll out of bed and drag yourself out the door or feel rushed or stressed at the start of your day, the rest of the day may follow this lead.
However, if you get on track when you wake up, you will set yourself up for a successful day in the right frame of mind.
2. Get a Productivity Boost
Using the first few hours of the day with a perfect morning routine can be a great way to boost your productivity.
You won’t waste your time when you have a good routine in place. For example, you don’t want to get up early just to watch the news. You can spend time reading, exercising or preparing for the day.
It sets you up properly for the day ahead and helps you maintain the feeling that you are not wasting your precious time. You can get more focus in the morning and during the rest of the day so you can focus on your tasks and control your schedule.
3. Improve Your Health
One of the great things about morning routines is that they can help you to get into healthier habits. With a healthy morning routine that you follow regularly, there will be no more rushed breakfasts as you run out the door, and you can eat a healthy breakfast to start your day and boost your energy levels.
Many exercise as part of their morning routine to pump their heart rate. You could head to the gym or just at home and develop a healthy habit that you can stick to. Your routine is something you will do for months and years to come. Good morning routines focusing on exercise are great for your physical health, and they help to give you more energy so you can have a more productive day.
It also gives you a great feeling of accomplishment when you do a workout before you get to work, and it will put you in the right frame of mind to live a healthier lifestyle during the rest of the day. You’ll also put more thought into what you eat and your daily activity levels.
4. Get Control Over Your Day
A daily morning routine can help you to feel more in control because you are not allowing the alarm clock to dictate your morning, and you will have control of the time instead.
We lead busy lives with lots of commitments, both personal and business. Constantly rushing through tasks and never feeling like you get anything done to the standard you want.
You can turn this around and regain control with a good morning ritual. Spend some of your routine planning for the day ahead so you know what awaits you, and work on your business to plan your tasks before you arrive at the office.
5. De-Stress and Achieve a Sense of Calm
Continuing from the previous point, when you get more control over your day right at the start, this can also help you to achieve a deeper sense of calm.
You can take this further by fitting in some time for mindful meditation. Spending a few moments in the early hours of the day on a simple five-minute meditation can be enough to make a huge difference to your day.
Running a business can be stressful, especially when the economy is not too great. When you feel like you are not in control of your day, you don’t have time to get everything done, which can lead to stress. A routine gives you peace of mind because you know what needs to be done and when, and you have confidence that you will do what you need to.
When you get more done with your day, you may find that your evenings become more relaxing. There is no need to stress about what the following day will bring and the things that you have to do. You’ve got it all under control.
6. Get an Energy Boost
Many of us suffer from low energy during the day. It can be a real nightmare when you have low energy right at the start of the day and still have the whole day to go.
Give yourself a boost by devising a morning routine that kickstarts your day. This could comprise a healthy, energy-packed breakfast, a brisk walk in the park, a short workout or anything else to get you going. You will probably find that this initial energy burst keeps you going through the day.
7. Increase Your Self-Confidence
Being self-confident requires being calm and collected and being in control of your day and activities. This leads to the feeling that you will get more accomplished.
Treat yourself during your morning routine. Make time for yourself and do something you enjoy, whether meditation, an activity or reading a book.
Spending time to look after yourself can help to boost your self-esteem and improve your personal development.
Take time to choose the right outfit for work, do your hair and leave home feeling confident. Make a mental note of all the things you’re good at and all the things you have achieved the day before, and what you will achieve today.
8. Improve Relationships
Another great thing about morning routines is that you can spend more time with the important people in your life, like your partner or children.
If you’re a busy entrepreneur, you will know how much work can dominate your life. Spending quality time with your loved ones can be difficult.
So make the time.
Be more organised in your mornings, have breakfast with your family, go for a walk, or take the kids to school. Make time for the most important people in your life and see your relationships improve.
Create Your Morning Routine
You can enjoy these key benefits by starting up a morning routine. So how should you go about doing this?
It’s a good idea to think about what you want to do in the extra hours you give yourself. What is most important for you?
Some ideas include:
- Exercise – Go to the pool or the local gym, buy some weights, work out at home, and get your heart pumping.
- Read – Finding time to read is a challenge, but it’s one of the activities successful people do. Pick out some books by successful entrepreneurs and set aside half an hour to read each morning. You’ll soon be racing through that reading list.
- Meditate – Even five minutes of meditation can do wonders for your day. Download an app, watch a video, learn the basics and then be disciplined each morning.
- Disconnect – You’ll have the rest of the day to send emails and check your phone. Use this time to disconnect and make it time for you and those you care about.
- Write – Keep a journal or simply write down your daily tasks.
Start Your Day Well
How you spend your time is your decision. You may need to change it over time to ensure it works for you. You can do many things during your morning routine, so try to be flexible.
However you use your mornings, get in the habit of making the most out of them. Then you’ll see the benefits in almost every area of your life.
If you want to read more on this topic we recommend Hal Elrod’s “Miracle Morning”
