My morning routine
Tomorrow I start a new habit: my morning routine (to be honest, I started a year ago with a good run of about 5-6 months then stopped and now continue along with false start after false start). For the next 30 days, I will focus on getting back into the swing and making my morning routine solid.
I’ve actually tried different versions of a morning routine in the past year, and have enjoyed them immensely. I just haven’t been able to stick to a routine once a sickness, vacation, travel or a busier-than-usual work schedule interrupts the flow.
The reason I like having a morning routine is that not only does it instill a sense of purpose, peace and ritual to my day, but it ensures that I’m getting certain things done every morning … namely, my goals. I’m setting aside morning time as a time of peace and quiet, and time to take small steps each day towards my goals.
Here’s my morning routine, at least for now (subject to tweaking later):
Morning routine
- Wake at 4:30 a.m.
- Drink water
- Exercise (Yoga/Jog) or meditate
- Eat breakfast/Drink coffee
- Fix lunch
- Info binge (RSS feeds, social networks, national/local/business news, books)
- Set no more than 5 FOCUS items for the day
- Shower/Bath
- Get dressed and off to work at 7:30 a.m.
A couple of explanations: My FOCUS list each day includes one item towards a big project goal and probably the 3-4 things I MUST complete at work. There will be more that I do during the day, but my FOCUS will be the things that I will do my best to finish by the end of the day. To hold myself accountable for completing my FOCUS goals, I have made it a daily habit to communicate (via email) my FOCUS list to everyone I work with whom I report to, or report to me.
As for the exercise and meditate item, I will have an alternating schedule of Yoga and Jogging each morning (with the exception of Fridays, where I plan to meditate for at least 10-15 minutes and Sundays, which will be a sleep-in day). As a caveat, I recently purchased a pair of Vibram FiveFingers. They are as ugly as sin, but just the type of funkiness that I go for. I have read up on barefoot running and with the Vibrams, I am itching to pick up running.
As for waking up at 4:30 a.m., I got really good a 'jump-out-of-bed' start to my day earlier in the year. However, as my work schedule packs up more and more, bed times push into the wee hours and rest becomes a necessity in the mornings. I am hoping through this process I will be able to will myself to go to bed a bit earlier at night (targeting 10pm).
Look for updates to my goal of sticking to my morning routine.
