[fusion_text]That’s it – I’m done sleeping in!!
Yes, I have retired from corporate and no longer require an alarm clock but the hazy lazy lifestyle is OVER for me! It’s no secret that I’m a night hawk and early mornings are not my favourite. Yet I’ve come to realize sleeping in is actually worse. I know I need 8 hours of sleep (on average) per night and really do strive to get that. When I get substantially more – just because I can – the rest of my day actually drags along or is thrown completely off kilter.
Would you believe, one day this week, I had almost 11 hours sleep – how decadent is that?! You could say I needed it, but for me that was my “wake-up call”. I am ready to change up my routine, charge up my morning mojo and get out in the world a little earlier each day!
I’ve ready plenty of articles and “best practices” around what successful people have in common and good habits that top the list. One of those habits is a disciplined morning routine. Generally, they include quiet contemplative or meditative time, setting clear intentions for the day, exercise, a healthy breakfast and personal development. I’ve talked about this with my coach in the past and have not found (or stuck) to a routine that works for me … yet. Maybe I was too prescriptive or tried to incorporate everything all at once or … maybe I just wasn’t ready.
Today, I declare I am ready to start a new morning routine because I want to make the most of my days – both work and play days. I want to start energized and clear headed; plan what I want my day to look and feel like, then after it!
Creating new habits requires us to change up the way we think, give our brain a little work out (because we are not on auto-pilot), and can help us shift our perspective. For me, I believe being a nighthawk is a label I’ve given myself based on habits created over 40 years (ouch!) … in a sense, it’s become a mindset and is therefore something I can choose to change. Do I want to wake at 5am and go for a run?? Yikes – No! Not me! At least not yet … 7am is perfectly reasonable for me, and these days a cooler time to go for a morning walk.
This time I will start slowly and my initial plan looks like this: Wake at 7am (with the help of a gentle alarm), drink a large glass of water, 15 mins of quiet meditation, then plan my day before I have my healthy breakfast. Following breakfast, I will stretch or walk, do yoga or swim, and then enjoy a cup of coffee while I read or listen to one of my favourite inspirational authors / mentors.
How will I do it? Decide … Take Action … Repeat Action … Repeat Action … (create a habit)
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” description=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ class=”” id=””]What is your morning routine? How does it set you up for a GREAT day?
Do you build personal development in to your days? If so, who are your favourite mentors and what do you love to learn about?
Please use the comments below to share your thoughts and ideas. I’d love to learn how you kick-start your day!
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Tracy – I love this.
Like you, I do best when I have a routine, but I haven’t always been successful implementing.
I do now – sort of.
If things go as planned, I read a bit (avoiding texts and emails) and meditate for about 20 minutes.
After that, I do what is most important next – sometimes it is work related, often it’s writing.
I must incorporate exercise – either as part of my AM or block out time for it later in the day.
Thanks for a great reminder that this stuff makes a difference.
Thanks for your comment Phyllis. I do get distracted easily if I don’t stick to my morning routine… AND exercise for me must become a must! Moving forward every day 🙂
Tracy – I love this.
Like you, I do best when I have a routine, but I haven’t always been successful implementing.
I do now – sort of.
If things go as planned, I read a bit (avoiding texts and emails) and meditate for about 20 minutes.
After that, I do what is most important next – sometimes it is work related, often it’s writing.
I must incorporate exercise – either as part of my AM or block out time for it later in the day.
Thanks for a great reminder that this stuff makes a difference.