The Importance Of A Morning Routine & How To Set One

What Is Your Morning Routine?

It might seem like a simple concept, of course the morning sets the tone – it happens at the beginning of your day! However, you would be surprised at how many people answer no when you ask “How do you start your day? What is your routine?”. In preparation for writing this blog I asked 5 people, “Do you have a morning routine and if so, what is it?” I asked friends and family members of different ages and lifestyles and I found that 3 out of the 5 did not have a set morning routine. 

In this blog, we will explore the concept of a Morning Routine and how it can shape the rest of your day, week and months, and eventually your life. If you are sitting here reading this and thinking “I don’t even think about what I do every morning”, then I urge you to keep reading! 

Living Intentionally 

Before deciding to live intentionally, a morning “routine” might look pretty scrambled: hit snooze a couple of times, roll out of bed, brush your teeth, grab some coffee and get ready to start your day. If you look at that routine, do you see any room for self-improvement? For setting intentions or setting yourself up for a meaningful day? If someone were to ask you if you wanted to have a good day today, if you wanted to become a better person, if you wanted to be more in shape, become closer with your loved ones – you would say yes right? But what part of that routine mentioned above sets you up for that type of life? I’ll help you, the answer is nothing. Nothing about that routine helps you set yourself up for success every day. 

This is where the importance of setting a morning routine and setting intentions for your day becomes so important. According to the bestseller “The Miracle Morning”, 95% of society settles less than they want in life, wishing they had more and are living with regret. That means that only 5% of society is living successful lives and feel as if they have all that they want. By setting a Morning Routine and factoring in the areas of your life you want to improve – you are setting yourself up to be in that top 5%. 

Starting Your Morning Routine 

It can be hard to know where to start if you have never considered a morning routine. Luckily for you, there are plenty of resources out there to help you create a routine that will work for you. One of the best structures for a routine in the morning comes from a book mentioned above, “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod. In this short book, Hal outlines for readers the five things you can do to set a routine, and start improving your day and eventually your life. In order to do so you will wake up in enough time every morning to do the following:

1. Observe Silence: Take some time in the morning to think about what you want out of life and what you want to improve. You can do this through prayer, meditation, or simply by sitting still and breathing. It’s up to you. 2.
2. Reading: Use this time to read a chapter or two of a book you’ve always wanted to read, a self-improvement book, or something that is simply for pleasure.
3. Affirmations: Empower yourself! You are worth it! You will get in shape! You will have a great day! You will exceed at work! 
4. Journal: Take this time to write down your goals or simply reflect. How can you know how much you have improved if you can’t even remember where you started? 
5. Exercise: Now this is a big one and usually the most difficult. However, if you can incorporate 30 min of exercise into your morning. You will gain energy and start your day off feeling accomplished. 

The book recommends you spend about 10 minutes in each category, however, it should really be adjusted to where you feel like you need the most work/time. Just remember to wake up early enough to get through everything. 

Make Waking Up Easier 

You may be saying to yourself, “there is no way I can do this, I am not a morning person”. That is exactly the type of mindset that leads to being a part of the 95% that is unhappy with their lives. Here are some things you can practice to make waking up earlier, easier:

• Prepare: Get your coffee ready the night before, put out your exercise clothes and get everything ready to go. 
• Move Your Alarm Clock: It’s easy to hit snooze when your alarm clock or phone is right next to your head. Move your alarm across the room so that you are forced to get up and create energy when it goes off in the morning. 
• Set Your Intention: Before you go to bed, remind yourself of why you are getting up in the morning. This will help you wake up excited to take on the day! 

Kick-Off Your Self-Improvement With A New Morning Routine

Setting a morning routine is an important way to kick start your self-improvement and get you to think more intentionally about your days and your life. If you take these steps and set a routine, you may be a little tired at first, but will ultimately see yourself improve and become happier over time. While changing your habits can be a great way to become happier, healthier, and improve your mental health if you are really struggling you should see a professional therapist. The licensed therapists at Curry Psychology Group are here to help you get through it. You can see all we offer on our specialties tab or feel free to contact us directly.

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