Why You Need a Morning Routine

The number one thing that has altered my life (for the better) has been creating a non-negotiable morning routine. Sounds simple and maybe even silly, but starting off the day taking care of yourself is a game changer. - scratch that, it’s a life changer.

The number one thing to remember is that you need to make it non-negotiable. No matter how lazy you feel, how many times you hit snooze or how hungover you are, you still have to do it. Doing the routine everyday will naturally compound over time and create ripple effects of great habits.

Here are some of the things I do as part of my morning routine:

1. Meditation. I know this may seem a bit woo woo, but it starts your day off with a calm mind. You are dedicating time to relax your thoughts before diving into work and social media. The key to medication is that you do not have to do it for long. I actually only meditate for 5 minutes - that’s it. If you haven’t meditated before, search “5 minute meditation” on Youtube (or however long you want it to be). The guided mediation is a great way to ease into it without feeling like you don’t know what you are doing.

2. Journal. Let your thoughts flow onto paper. It is like word vomiting onto paper. I’ve gotten this tip from both my coach and in my acting classes. It helps clear your mind off unnecessary information. If you don’t know where to start here are some prompts:

• How do you want your day to go? Write in past tense like it has already happened.

• Make a list of all the things you are grateful for.

3. Self-care. Do somethings for yourself like using your favourite face wash + lotion to start the day, pair it with a facial roller, or do a face mask. Who doesn’t like some pampering? It doesn’t have to take long to do something that will make you feel good. It can even be putting on makeup. Whatever leaves you feeling like you have taken care of yourself.

4. Health. Make sure you also do something for your body. If you have the time, this could be working out, doing a yoga class or stretching. Something to help wake up your body and get you feeling healthy. It is equally as important to make sure you are feeding it the right things. I take my vitamins in the morning and drink a glass of hot water with lemon juice to start off with a good cleanse.

The key to staying loyal to your morning routine is to make it enjoyable and know that it is flexible. There may be days where you do not have time to work out in the morning, so an alternative could be doing 5 stretches. It takes less time, but you still do something for your body. You may be unable to do a guided meditation, but you can spare 4 minutes to sit with your eyes closed and listen to meditation music.

It is all about making it work for you.

Map out what your ideal morning routine would look like and how long each item would take to do. Schedule it in your calendar and commit to doing it everyday for 3 weeks. When you reach your 3 week mark, CELEBRATE IT! and then see where your routine needs to be adjusted.