Are Morning Routines The Catalyst To A Successful Life?

How many times have you heard some of the most successful people in the world reinforce the benefits of owning the morning? As someone with a disciplined morning routine, I am a robust advocate of how it can rewire your thoughts. However, I was not always aligned with this way of thinking. Many mornings I have hit the snooze, pulled the covers back over the body, and didn’t even contemplate putting the feet onto the floor. Research shows that you enter a new sleep cycle when going into snooze mode.

So what changed? The global Covid-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst to rethink how I would manage everyday life. Most people get up every morning on autopilot (rinse and repeat). The pandemic disempowered what we take for granted. Time. How we manage, utilize and make productive use of the minutes is crucial. Lives were changed overnight. Jobs were lost, relationships were put under enormous strain, mental health issues began to rise, and managing kids around work became real stress for millions. We are still counting the cost at present.

One day you will wake up and there won’t be any time to do the things you always wanted to do. Do it now. –Paulo Coelho

How did you manage your time during the pandemic? The distractions were pulling at you every minute. Beating boredom became the norm. Getting out of bed late, social media scrolling, breakfast at lunchtime, video games, fast food takeaway services, and Netflix became the platinum go-to services. What else was there to do? We couldn’t go outside except to the nearest shop for groceries. Every news broadcast just compounded matters; deaths, positive cases, and hospital admissions all creating real fear, anxiety, and strain we had never encountered before.

After living in this comatose state for a couple of weeks I reached the breaking point. How do you build impetus, self-determination, and discipline when you don’t have to? Why not ride out the pandemic and bask in the indulgence of it all? The mental/physical shape was taking a real hammering, and urgent change was required. Time to take control of this situation now.

Is getting out of bed at 5 am going to change your life?

Going to bed at midnight the evening before and doing this will have the opposite effect on your health. Quality sleep is essential to give you the energy required to start the morning. Refrain from exposure to blue lights 20 minutes before hitting the pillow. Sorry, no watching smartphones in the bedroom.

I began with getting out of bed 15 minutes earlier every morning working back from 7:30 am. Journaling became a real outlet, alongside reading, listening to music, podcasts, and exercising (how to build a fitness routine with home furniture). Definitely one for the creatives amongst us. At the end of week two, this started to develop into a habit. Getting up when most people are sleeping demands perseverance, willpower, and commitment. At this time of the day, nothing is impinging on my thoughts.

The biggest task in the morning is to try and keep my headspace from being invaded by the outside world. –Austin Kleen

Do not buy into some of the self-help bullshit that states “successful people don’t sleep for 7 hours” This is the pathway to poor mental health. Sleep is crucial for our focus, task orientation, clarity, and everyday maintenance. How do you feel fighting tiredness, when every inch of your body wants to lie down? And the alternative? Chugging down mugs of coffee all day can cause damaging side effects. I’ve started to decrease my consumption as I get the proper amount of rest every evening. If you have time for a power nap during the day take it. Once the restrictions from Covid-19 began to lift, I started walking within guidelines set forth via the Government.

The daughters joined me on certain days as they were starting to feel the impact of couch potato syndrome. Walking now forms part of my morning routine. At 6:15 am you can find me on the roads, no matter the weather. It’s had a transformative impact on my motivation to test myself. Walking 9 hours in one day was just the beginning.

The benefits of exercise in leading a healthier, happy, and fulfilling life are well known. Releasing those endorphins in the morning gets you ready for any challenges the day may bring. I also drink plenty of water and throw some over my head and neck. Don’t rush into this immediately. Getting pierced with icicles so early in the day is not for everyone.

Remember the inspirations for starting this journey were born when most people were feeling overwhelmed, confused, and panicked due to Covid-19. Ownership and accountability need to become your allies. Setting goals, targets and navigating temptations are paramount in forming new habits. How else would behavior change occur? Get rid of those distractions or be so determined in your mind they don’t even register. Life is a game of brain chemistry.

What you absorb matters. Feed it nonsense, that’s exactly the route you will take. Put these three things into your day:

Learn new skills
Access knowledge through reading, podcasts, or YouTube
Challenge yourself to do difficult things

Starting your day off with a morning routine is one of the best ways to meet health, family, wellness, personal, and career goals. Did it make me more successful? Success means different things to people. Engaging in sports with the daughters without panting for air is a success. I’m no Guru, so won’t even suggest you need to wake up at 5 am to achieve what you desire. I will however suggest that beginning your morning a bit earlier will only add value to managing your time more productively. Remember we only get one shot at this. Don’t waste it.

Time is what we want most, but what we use worst. –William Penn

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