Establishing Morning Routines

Starting every day off right is just as important as starting the new year off right. Establishing a morning routine can jumpstart your way to integrating new habits into your lifestyle, and they are an act of self-care, helping you begin your day in the best mental space possible.

Habits vs. Willpower

I learned the most incredible, mind-blowing thing from a Charles Duhigg interview on the Good Life Project podcast. He said that willpower is like a muscle that gets depleted the more you use it, and you only have the capacity to use it on 3 or 4 things each day. However, if you make a positive change to create a new habit in your life, you're no longer using willpower to complete those tasks, so it can then be used elsewhere. By habitualizing your life, good habits become second nature and you optimize your energy.

For me, the mind-blowing part of this was that I have been creating habits and patterns in my life this year that have catalyzed major changes for me. I didn’t realize how much creating those habits was releasing my willpower for use on bigger things, but it all makes so much more sense now!

I encourage you to create morning routines that can become habits. Using your willpower now to focus on creating these routines means those will quickly become habits and free up your willpower and your energy for other things. I feel like having a self care-focused morning routine also has increased the willpower at my disposal for other things because I have so much more energy for my day after starting with such a refreshing ritual.

My Morning Routine

Over the last few years, I’ve been working on designing my morning routine. My morning routine helps me rid myself of yesterday and start each morning fresh, setting the intention for the day. It makes me focus and feel awake, and helps me to find the power within myself. It’s always changing in response to my mindset and goals, but it always focuses on supporting my mind, body, and spirit. Here’s what I’m doing to support each aspect of myself in my morning routine right now:

SPIRIT

• I cuddle with my cat to ground myself in love and security.

• I practice gratitude each morning to plant a seed of positivity for my day.

BODY

• I drink a big glass of lemon water and make a green smoothie to provide me with the best nutrients to start my day and get my metabolism moving.

• Right after I wake up, I get active with some body movement. Stretching for 10-15 minutes has changed the game for my lower back and shoulder pain, and it connects me to my body. I feel so much better through the rest of the day when I start with this.

MIND

• I journal to clear out the thoughts swirling around in my head. This is a newer habit that I’ve been trying. Basically, I handwrite 2-3 pages in the morning. It can be anything, the idea is just to brain dump all the thoughts and feelings in my head that will otherwise distract me and create creative blocks.

• I meditate with the Insight Timer App to center myself and focus my mind.

This whole routine takes an hour and a half. It’s an hour and a half every day that I dedicate to myself and my well-being. It is my most important self care habit, and I do it at the beginning of the day because I am the number one priority.

Creating Your Own Morning Routine

My routine is not for anyone else. I created it specifically for me and what I needed. Each person has unique needs that should be met in order to start their day in the best way possible, and what works for me may not work for you, or may work but in a different order. Here are some other things you might want to incorporate into your morning to start your day well:

• Positive affirmations or gratitude

• Exercise: maybe running or a yoga class, or even dancing

• Read

• Religious practices like prayer, meditation, or studying a religious book relevant to you

• A long, hot shower

• Deep breathing

• Singing

• Making a hearty breakfast

• Tidying up any messes leftover from the day before

Just think about this question when creating your routine: What is it that will serve your mental health and wellbeing the most?

Battling the Morning Struggle

I know mornings are hard. Trust me, I am not a morning person. I would love to lay around in bed all day if I could (and I do allow myself that luxury on the weekends). But I cannot deny the benefits of an intentional morning routine.

Try getting up 10-15 minutes easier and see the difference it can make. Take a little time for yourself and feel less rushed. Be fully awake for the world and get in tune with yourself. Stop living on autopilot and be more present in your life. Morning self care can transform your whole day! Here are five quick hacks for waking your ass up in the morning and getting yourself out of that cozy, wonderful bed:

1. Smell essential oils like peppermint to awaken your senses

2. Drink lemon cayenne water

3. Get enough sleep to begin with (you may need to go to bed earlier than you want to)

4. Move your body (stretching, jumping jacks, etc.)

5. Take a quick cold shower (this also has amazing mood boosting benefits!)

Making a Routine of Resolutions

Integrating all of my new resolutions into my daily routine always has me feeling so energized and excited, but also a bit overwhelmed. Before two years ago, I was the person who snoozed my alarm clock until the very last second, rushed through getting dressed, ran to the car and hoped I could pick up 15 minutes by driving fast to my destination. Then during a job transition, I had the opportunity to integrate reading into my morning routine, since my new job had half the commute of my previous one. I woke up at the same time as before, but used that extra 30 minutes for a little morning self care! It was honestly one of the best and most pivotal decisions I ever made.

Using those extra 30 minutes to create a routine was such a small thing, but it set the tone for becoming more routinized in my days. Gradually, I’ve added more and more to my morning, daily, and weekly routines. I’m now quite attached to my routine, and without it I feel all out of sorts.

I look forward to each moment of my routine, because I can now live my life with the intention of self care. It’s all about finding the willpower to make it happen until it becomes a habit. Give your day meaning, and be excited and grateful for the opportunities each new day presents to you.