THE MAGIC OF MORNING RITUALS

I am often asked about morning routines:

Do you have one?
Why does it matter?
How do I start one?

Morning routines can be an important tool for success and productivity. Some common elements found in a morning ritual include: exercise, meditation, journaling, drinking water, and maintaining a gratitude journal.

MY MORNING ROUTINE

The very first thing I do each morning is say, out loud, “Today is going to be a great day.” This simple statement brings a smile to my face each and every time. It also helps me start my day with a positive attitude.

Over the past 5 years, I have been developing my "ideal" morning routine which includes stretching and meditation.

STRETCHING

My entire adult life, I have tried to manage back issues. During stressful times, my back would often spasm, creating pain and sometimes significantly reduced mobility.

About five years ago, I started with a series of stretches to help strengthen my core and warm up my muscles. I do this before getting dressed and I don’t miss a day….ever.

By improving strength in an area of weakness, I have made myself less vulnerable to my back 'going out.'

MEDITATION

In late 2013, I was inspired by Kelly McGonigal’s book, The Willpower Instinct and started meditating daily. In her book, she talks about meditation as a way to improve one’s focus. Prior to this, I had viewed meditation as a spiritual, zen-like practice. While that appeals to many people, it did not appeal to me.

The book suggests starting with ten to twenty minutes a day. I did not think I could sit still that long and decided to start with two minutes. I found a quiet place in my home and every morning (before getting dressed or eating breakfast), I sat and did my two minute meditation. I was simply doing a two-minute breathing exercise.

My goal was to focus on my breath and when my mind wandered (which is totally normal), I would try to let the thoughts drift to the side and pull my attention back to my breath. I was surprised at how difficult this was for me even though it was only two minutes.

After two and a half years of this, I was talking with a friend about meditation. She shared with me that she uses a meditation app called Insight Timer. This was a life changer for me. I had no idea how much easier it was for me to use a guided meditation!

Insight Timer is one of many apps now available for meditation (HeadSpace, 10% Happier, and Calm are some other popular ones.) I like Insight Timer - there are a lot of options…and it’s FREE!

I have gradually been working my way up from two minutes and am currently at a minimum of ten minutes each morning. When I have a little more time, I enjoy meditating for 13 or 14 minutes.

If you are thinking about giving meditation a try, here are my suggestions (but please remember, I am not a meditation expert):

Start with an amount of time that will guarantee your success. No matter how busy you might be, you can always set aside two minutes.
Find a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
Try and meditate at the same time each day.
If simply focusing on breathing is challenging, try one of the guided meditation apps.
You do not need to sit cross-legged on the floor; it’s important to find a comfortable position.

There is a reason it is referred to as the “practice” of meditation. Give it some time. For many people, they find two minutes feels like a lifetime. I promise that it gets easier, more enjoyable, and more effective over time.

From research and personal experience, I know that meditating is a great way to increase focus and enables you to be more productive with less stress.

MORNING RITUAL

Shawn Achor has one of the most popular TED talks: The happy secret to better work - that discusses the importance of a good attitude and it's connection to success.

According to Achor, daily routines that can help increase your positivity include: gratitude, journaling, exercise, meditation, and random acts of kindness. The fantastic conclusion he makes is that a positive brain is 31% more productive than one at negative, neutral, or stressed.

CONCLUSION

My 20 minute morning routine helps me feel more awake, grounded, and ready for a productive day. If you are new to having a morning routine, I suggest starting with one idea that seems appealing to you. Do it every day for a month and then add another small practice to your routine. Through trial and error, over time, you will create a morning routine that is magical for YOU!

I would love to hear about your magical morning routine - please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

WANT MORE PRODUCTIVITY TIPS?

Check out Super-Productive: 120 Strategies to Do More and Stress Less.

Available on Amazon.

To learn more, visit ControlChaos.org and sign up for our blog.