For better performance, increased happiness & boosting confidence.
A personalized morning routine can be a powerful tool for taking on your obligations of the upcoming day more effectively. It truly matters as it can mean the difference between a powerful day or a sluggish one.
The right practices which work for you, coupled with consistency can have a major impact on your life. Studies show that having an effective morning routine increases happiness, defies procrastination, boosts confidence and improves overall performance.
If I had to attribute one thing which has been the reason for achieving the goals I have set out for myself over the past 7 years I would attribute it to the activities which form part of my morning routine! Here are some I can highlight:
losing 20 kg
changing my job after 10 years +
going back to studying and becoming a Functional Medicine Health Coach
winning 3 awards at my workplace for various leadership criteria
developing a better growth mindset
having richer relationships with those around me
being in a healthy relationship with the love of my life
7 years ago I began building my morning routine. It was simply writing down 3 things I was grateful for each day!
Left, 2009, 87kg and right, 2021, 66kg
My clients and friends often ask me, "What does your morning routine look like today?'
My morning routine starts the night before, with my Evening Routine!
prepare my coffee, have it ready on the hob and clear the kitchen
prepare my workout clothes
sleep early on weekdays (by 9:30pm)
write down things I am grateful for from that day
write down goals/intentions for the next day which tie in to my yearly goals
My Morning Routine:
wake up without an alarm. Sleep is my no 1 prio at the moment
put on the coffee and read over my intentions/top 3 goals for the day (10 mins)
neurocycle – mind management tool for stress management which includes meditation excercises - (15 - 30 mins)
workout for longevity – (35 mins)
shower and get to work or my desk
fast till 11 or 12 if I manage. 1st meal is usually eggs and avo. Protein and fats
"How do you stick to it?"
My morning and evening routines were calendarised in my google calendar with reminders that pop up daily until I built up the habit.
Every Sunday (also calendarised) I review my yearly goals and put in my top 3 prios or micro goals which will help me get one step closer to my yearly goals for the next week
Meal prep as required
BUT, the above is something that I personally built over years of trying to understand what works best for ME! It took self-awareness and experimentation after reading books and listening to podcasts about optimising performance.
The Bottom line is that the only way to an optimal routine is through self awareness and experimentation - not adopting what other people do. Start with tiny habits. Ask yourself, what works for you?
How could you get started with building a Morning Routine that works for YOU and turn it into a healthy habit?
1. Reflect on the points hereunder
Reflect on your morning routine
What is the one addition/change you could make to your morning routine which would add value and supercharge your morning?
When will you start this, how often will you do it?
How will you hold yourself accountable?
Are there any blockers to the above & how can you prepare for them?
2. Use the Modifiable Personal Lifestyle Factors from Functional Medicine, as the criteria to base your change/addition on
3. Write down your morning routine commitment in the smart goal format and stick it up somewhere you will see it often.
4. Set reminders in your calendar until you build the habit!
If you would like to learn more about how to achieve long-term goals using micro goals see my blog post here.
I hope this little piece I put together inspires you to show up as a better version of you, one day at a time!
Should you be interested in my health coaching you, get in touch here
Lisa