A great morning routine is a sure way to win the day, as it sets the productive tone for the rest of your activities. Taking the “I’ll figure it out” or “I’ll get it done when I feel motivated” attitude will set you up for failure. Follow a daily routine and you will be amazed by how calm, organized and refreshed you are.
Drink 20 oz. of water
The importance of staying hydrated is greatly underestimated. Upon wakening, you haven’t had any water in 8-9 hours. Drinking a lot of water in the morning will give you lasting energy throughout the day, as opposed to caffeine that has an inevitable crash. Added bonuses: Water fires up your metabolism, hydrates you, helps your body flush out toxins, gives your brain fuel, and can assist in weight loss.
Meditation/deep breathing
Taking a few minutes to quietly meditate and breathe in the morning is key. 
When you give time to yourself to be calm and centered, you will be amazed at how much more you can give to others. Some people even choose to wake up at the crack of dawn to create this time for themselves. This gives them a calm and serene period before the hectic day arrives or the kids wake up. The best part: meditation or a few minutes to yourself breathing deeply is an incredibly productive use of your time. Studies have shown that meditation increases focus, memory, productivity and creativity – just to name a few. Everybody wins!
Do something you love
It is very important to include something you enjoy in your morning routine. It will allow you to have something to look forward to each morning and subsequently help you to stick to this routine. If you go to a 5 am spin class or run a few miles that is great, but make sure it is something you want to be doing. You shouldn’t be dreading getting out of bed. Make sure your routine is fit to you and what makes you happy, not what you think you should be doing. Some examples of what you could do: watch cute puppy videos, look up a inspirational video on YouTube, open up your favorite book, look at a photo album, etc.
Get creative with this one, this time is for you and can be used however you like!
Write a journal entry
This journal could be on paperwork or on an app like OneNote, Evernote, or just Microsoft Word. Include prompts such as something you learned yesterday/this week, 5 things you’re grateful for, 5 things you appreciate yourself for and what to focus on for the day.
Look at your calendar to plan out the day
Before you get into the thick of it, it is important to plan so that you can win the day. By doing this in a quiet, centered space, you will be much more likely to get everything done that you want to that day instead of rushing trying to remember everything you have to do. Having everything written down and planned out will give you a peace of mind that it will all get done.
Kevin Kruse, the author of 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management begins his morning with five minutes of stretches, while doing the following:
- Mentally recitation of his personal mission statement
- Listing three items of gratitude
- Reminder of his three big goal areas (Health, Wealth, and Love)
The key here is to plan out what specific things you can do that to get closer to your larger goals. All you have to do is be a little bit better than yesterday. Planning out specific small steps to a larger long term goal is key, it makes the journey less daunting and more feasible.
You don’t need a lengthy meditation routine or a wide resource of expensive equipment, books, etc. Everything can be done with what you already have. Don’t get hung up on the details, this is an outcome oriented approach. You mainly need to get clear on your goals and intentions, then everything seems to work out much easier. You just need something that helps you set your mind on what you want to focus on for the day, and set your heart and mind in the right attitude.
Go out there and have an amazing day!
contributions from Julia Feindt at SCNM, Year Two Naturopathic Medical Student interested in the mental emotional, mind-body connection, psychology, fitness and helping people reach their highest potential @wholebodyheal