Do your mornings ever feel like starting a cold car on a winter day? The key is turning, but the engine doesn’t want to start. We can choose to stay in the warmth, but if the car doesn’t get started, the fact is we’re not going anywhere.
This is why having a solid morning routine is key to having a good day. You might be thinking, “Julie, I’m not really a morning person.” I get it, I was NEVER a morning person, but after I made this a habit, it was like magic happened and I became a morning person, which quickly led to having happier, more productive days.
This is my Simple 6-Step Morning Routine that has Changed my Life:
Make your bed – start with a win!
By immediately making your bed, this starts your day with a sense of accomplishment and sets your day up for success. It seems like a small step, but implementing this one small step makes a HUGE difference in setting your intention for the day.
You can take it one step further and get dressed right after making your bed. I notice a big difference when I spend my morning in my pjs and when I get dressed all the way down to my shoes. It’s a signal to my brain that we’re ready to get going.
Exercise – get the blood flowing
Our body needs good circulation to do what it was designed to do. Whether you spend 20 minutes on the treadmill, do yoga, cross-fit, or walk around the block, the key is to get moving and get your blood flowing. This also boosts your dopamine, serotonin and endorphins that contribute to having a good day.
Journal
The act of writing your thoughts down is so important. For starters, it clears the chaos out of your head which causes overwhelm. Journaling is helpful to document your journey and see how far you have come and what you have accomplished.
Plan your day – set the intention
Quickly write down the top six things you need to accomplish. This is known as the Ivy Lee Method and has boosted my productivity beyond belief. It also helps me sleep better with the feeling of accomplishment.
Prayer and Meditation
This is your daily conversation. Prayer is speaking and Meditation is listening. I try not to over-complicate the process. You can study meditation, follow a guided session online, or attend a group session. What I’ve found is that when we start to complicate it, we end up not doing it, or skipping this step.
Here’s what I do, sit in a quiet place and pray. Think about people you care about, be intentional with what you want, ask for guidance, then sit in silence and push all thoughts from your mind and try not to think at all. It’s during these sessions that several things happen. I get things off my mind by asking for guidance and letting by it go, my mind becomes less cluttered and answers to my questions come easily.
Keep it simple and you will start recognizing the importance of Prayer and Meditation. This one step alone makes a HUGE difference in my day!
Positive Affirmations and Visualization – set the mood
You have a choice what kind of mood you want to be in. Decide first thing in the morning to start the day on a positive note. This doesn’t take much time. I usually think of three things I’m grateful for during meditation. I leave notes of affirmation on my bathroom mirror that say, I am…
That’s it! It sounds too simple to be true, but I guarantee if you add these 6 simple steps to the beginning of your day, you will see MASSIVE results in your life!
About the Author:
Julie Lewis, Gamification Expert | Certified Nutrition Coach | SEO Specialist | Online Business Strategist | Tech Nerd
Julie has been developing websites for 23 years. Growing up as an online gamer and fascinated by health & psychology, she merged her "nerdiness" into an online business. Using her technical skills and gamification research, she teaches female entrepreneurs how to develop their online strategy to engage their customers and LEVEL UP their online business!
