5 Ways to Maximize Your Morning Routine

Oh no! Not another “How to Have an Amazing Morning” post! Oh yes. That’s exactly what this is...

And, before you read any further I must include a disclaimer:

I am a morning person.

There. I said it. I wake up early (most of the time), and I love it. If your relationship with your morning isn’t quite as...sunny...then I recommend you check out my tips below on how you might go about maximizing your morning routine. 

#1 - Wake Up Early

You know what "they say" (who are "they" anyway)... The early bird catches the worm. Not sure about catching worms, but I certainly have a more solid, present and clear foundation for my day when I have a few hours of “me time” before I step into the office.

If the idea of waking up more than 30-minutes before you have to be out the door strikes fear in your heart, don’t be discouraged. You’re not alone! But, getting up early is STEP ONE to maximizing your morning routine.

Interested in changing your habit? Simply try getting up 15-minutes earlier each week for a month. At the end of the month, you’ll have successfully started waking up one-hour earlier than before. That’s one more hour you have to set the stage for your day.

#2 - Water

Having 8 - 12 oz. of room temperature water with lemon in the morning is an amazing way to tell your body “time to wake up!” Among many other benefits, drinking lemon water in the morning aids digestion, reduces inflammation and gives your immune system a boost.

#3 - Meditate

For those of you who have never tried meditation, or have always thought “it’s not for me” — think again! I was in the exact same boat, a few years ago. Me? Sit still and “quiet my mind” for 10, 5 or even 2 minutes? Yeah right! Not happening… Over the years, however, I’ve tried many different types of meditation. Guided, Mindfulness, Zen, Transcendental. You name it! Like anything else we *really want* it took time, energy and commitment to implement this in my daily routine. After a few years, I found one that works for me and my lifestyle. Everyone is different, so I encourage you to do some research and find out what works best for you. On Deepak Chopra’s website, he provides a nice, quick overview on 5 Primary Types of Meditation.

If you’re not open to meditation as a practice, or think it’s bogus, check out the numerous articles, studies and research to support it. In a 2013 article by the Huffington Post, a few of the benefits include: Lowered stress, increased focus, better sleep...etc. No matter what you believe, it’s safe to say that having at least some sort of stress management tool in your arsenal can be invaluable to your life. Personally and professionally.

#4 - Exercise

This is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES. I have been an early morning exerciser (is that even a word?) since I was 18-years old. While I know that some people would rather walk on hot coals than wake up and lace up their tennis shoes, I am a firm believer that getting the heart pumping, working up a sweat (even a little one) and getting those endorphins flowing can have an incredibly positive impact on the entire rest of your day.

Not sure where to start? Well, the good news is, you don’t need to commit to a 10-mile jog, a weight-lifting class, or anything overly time consuming in the morning. If you do choose to try and implement this practice, and it’s something you’ve struggled with in the past, I recommend you start small.

Here are a few options to get you started:

20/20/20

After you’ve gotten out of bed, had some water and maybe coffee, do these simple exercises: 20 push-ups (knees or toes), 20 crunches, 20 bodyweight squats. Once you feel comfortable with this routine, you can add more that one set. Try to ultimately work up to 5 sets. Then you would have done 100 sets of each exercise, worked up a sweat and worked most of your major muscle groups!

10-Minute Yoga Routine

Yoga has become one of my favorite self-care and wellness practices. It calms the mind, challenges the body, and requires focus and mental acuity. To implement an easy at-home yoga practice, simple start with this 10 Minute Routine. All you need is a willingness to commit and a yoga / exercise mat of any kind.

#5 - Have One!

Studies have shown that having a routine, strategy or plan for anything improves the chances of us achieving our goal (whatever that may be). So, if you’re interested in maximizing your morning routine...Of course the FIRST thing you should do is have one!

Start small, and be realistic! Don’t try to wake up 5 hours earlier than normal, workout, meditate, and change your entire programming in a day. Try to implement ONE new practice per week. Once you’ve “mastered” that practice and successfully made it a habit (studies show this typically takes between 2 to 8 months), then move on to another practice.

Adding new practices to your life can be stressful, annoying and downright NOT FUN. With that being said, if you feel like you’re not getting what you need from your mornings (or even from your days) then I recommend you give one of my tips above a try.

I will admit, I am no saint! There are always those mornings (typically after late nights or when I’m traveling) when I choose to sleep in, have to miss my workout, can’t fit in my meditation, etc. The point isn’t to be perfect. It’s to have a practice. The reason I call it practice, is because that’s what it is! Something you continue to improve upon, refine and measure. I’ll also underline that these practices are what work for me. We are all so amazingly unique creatures that require different elements in our lives.  I do believe; however, that these tips can be (for the most part) universally applied. Use what speaks to you. Leave what doesn’t. ;-)

If you’ve enjoyed or implemented any of my tips and want to share, feel free! Or, if you have any specific questions, reach out.

Be well!