Influencers across the internet have almost trademarked the Morning Routine. It’s the new staple in “Having Your Life Together 101.” If you haven’t gotten up at 5am, had a nutritious – almost inedible – breakfast, completed a half marathon, and written ten new things you are grateful for in your gratitude journal, somehow you are a failure. But what if we could take the Influencer Morning Routine™ and create a more attainable regimen for us regular, everyday people?
The point of a normal morning routine isn’t to complete most of your day before the sun comes up, but to set yourself up to be the most productive that you can be. We are setting aside time to take care of things like brain dumping and prioritizing, so we can tackle the day and use our time well. Take a deep breath: there is no need to do it all. Here are some helpful tips to creating a morning routine that works for you and not the other way around.
How to Structure Your Mornings
Do Something for Your Mind
Your mind is a powerful thing. It can lead you to believing that you can write that book and become a best-selling author or it can give you anxiety that keeps you from getting out of bed in the morning. Contrary to what your brain may be telling you, you do have quite a bit of a say in your mental maintenance and how you handle issues when they do come your way.
Set aside some time during your mornings to check in with yourself. What are you feeling and how can you redirect or reframe those thoughts to have a better day? Use a notebook or Google Doc to brain dump all of the things that make you nervous, excited, and everything in between. Read a chapter of your favorite book. Write down a few things that you are grateful for and reflect on them. (Yes, this is one of the few things that the Influencers did get right.) Just choose something that eases your mind and prepares it for whatever kind of day you have ahead.
Do Something for Your Body
The morning is also an excellent time to move your body. Stretching and yoga is amazing for your body, especially if you have a very sedentary job. Go for a run if you can – half marathon not necessary. Take a walk with your dog or partner. Getting the heart pumping is great for keeping your circadian rhythm in check which will affect your sleep later.
Give your body the fuel it needs to support you throughout the day by eating a healthy breakfast. I’m not talking about drinking three raw eggs or putting everything green in your fridge into the blender. Try to incorporate protein, fat, and carbs. It can be as simple as oatmeal with fruit and a protein shake. It doesn’t have to be a photogenic breakfast, but something is better than running on empty until lunch or later. You only get one body, so please take care of it.
Do Something for Your Spirit
Whether this means reading your Bible or setting your intentions for the day, your spirit needs restful activities as well. Get in touch with nature during a walk or meditate. Breathing exercises can be found everywhere on the internet or Google Search guided ones if you like listening to someone.
Grounding is a great technique to relax before the day begins. You can do this through guided meditation or walking barefoot in the grass. Studies have shown that even if you’re not a nature lover, being in it or seeing pictures of it can calm you down. Live in a third floor apartment? Buy some plants. Find a way to take a step back from the day you are about to have and just be grateful that you get another day.
Important Things to Keep in Mind
Make It Attainable
Don’t set yourself up for failure by making a checklist of ten things that have to be completed before you start your day. If you aren’t being paid to produce content for social media, no one has time for that. Instead pick three to five things that matter most to you.
If you hate early mornings, don’t plan to start waking up at 4am to complete your list. Having this mindset makes it a chore rather than a privilege. Creating a morning routine should be a relaxing and energizing experience, not something that forces you bury your head in your covers at the sound of your alarm.
Make It Enjoyable
Even if everything in your routine doesn’t get you fired up, make sure to include a few items that get you out of bed. Buy yourself that chocolate-flavored protein shake or that adorable notebook that makes you feel good about writing in it. Lay out your favorite workout clothes or find a trail that makes you feel like you’re in your favorite fantasy novel.
This is your morning routine meaning you, not the Instagram models, get to choose what you do. She may enjoy brussel sprouts and raw eggs, but you don’t have to follow in her footsteps. Be a trailblazer and find your own path.
Make It Interchangeable
It doesn’t matter if you’re a parent to humans or animals. Maybe you have an unpredictable work schedule. No matter what your life looks like, not every morning will be the same. Plan for it.
Have at least two routines that you like. Create one for ideal days where most everything generally goes as planned and one for mornings that you know will be tough or perhaps become tough halfway through. Not every morning will be the same, so preparing for that is vital. You don’t want your morning routine to be the reason you’re kicking yourself later in the day.
Overall, your routine needs to be something that works for you, your family or roommates, and your schedule. Just because your favorite influencer says she wrote a book before dawn, doesn’t mean you have to jump on that painful, unattainable bandwagon. Cut yourself some slack and strive for a normal routine, because it’s in those consistent, small choices every day that you make big changes in your life over time.