Win the morning, win the day!

Many out there may argue that routine is lethal. I would agree that when used incorrectly, routine can be a slow death. But, I also truly believe that routine is key to winning your day, and can make you more powerful than you know. 

When I took the leap from health coaching to building Après, I learned quickly how to implement a solid routine that helped me execute and manage my day to day. For years, I have listened to podcasts and talks from really successful entrepreneurs and motivators like Brendon Burchard, Tim Ferris, Tony Robbins, and Marie Forleo to get productivity insight. They all harp on the importance of a morning routine being a key to their success. Whether it's just a quick 20 minutes or a full 2 hours, the most productive people in the world have some kind of morning routine. 

Routine helps us focus and make the best of our natural talents; it helps us create momentum for the day. It's a system that helps us hone in on our skills and what we have to offer while bringing clarity to our mind and purpose. For example, Tim Ferris says that making his bed every single morning is a significant part of his morning routine. Making your bed helps you start your day with a win. It's just like the beginning of a race, the start is key! If you get off on the wrong foot it can mess up the entire race, or in this case, take your entire day off course. 

You may not realize it but your morning routine has the power to make or break your day. When your day starts by hitting snooze multiple times, then hopping out of bed and running around your house like a madwoman, you're starting your day with chaos, rather than calm. Or let's say you wake up with no intention or purpose behind what needs to get done for the day, only to get lost in the drones of Facebook and Instagram for hours on end. And, what have you accomplished?

So, set yourself up for success by implementing a few of these morning routine strategies and see how they impact your day. You owe it to yourself to start your day off on the right foot and kick butt at everything you do. Win the morning, win the day. 

1. Make Your Bed

It's all about starting your day off with an accomplishment. Making your bed in the morning is the very first win that you get to check off your list. This habit takes less than 5 minutes and brings order and structure to your day. 

2. Hydrate

Take time to sip slowly on some water or warm tea before you start drinking coffee. Your body is dehydrated first thing in the morning so give it what it needs. This act of slowing down and doing something good for your body first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day on a positive note. 

3. Get Moving

Not all of us have time for a full workout in the morning and that's ok. Try to get in a few squats before you hop in the shower or do a little bit of light stretching to wake up your body and organs. This will help increase blood flow to your brain so that you can think more clearly and strategically throughout the day. 

4. Meditate 

A meditation practice has been proven to increase brain power and even strengthen the connection between brain cells (1). If the idea of meditation seems intimidating, simply try focusing on the in and out of your breath for at least 3-4 minutes in the morning. This will help get the optimal amount of oxygen to your brain and bloodstream and also calm you down. When I'm doing this breath work I also like to visualize what my day will look like and set a positive intention. 

5. Write Your List

It's easy to get lost in your email inbox for hours on end. Don't do it! Your email inbox is a place for other people's agendas, not your own. So, before you dive into your email in the morning, write out a list of things that you need to get done that day. What are your priorities? Once you are clear on what needs to get done for the day then you can check your email. But, if you're the kind of person that can get lost in there for hours, set an alarm to bring yourself back to your list. 

Your morning routine can absolutely consist of more that what I've shared with you above; it's completely up to you. The intention here is for you to really think about what you can do to win your day, and then go do it!