If you’re not getting the outcomes you want you might want to start at the beginning…of your days, that is. How your day begins can be a predictor of how it may end. Are your mornings chaotic or intentional? Energizing or dramatic?
You might need a new formula for your mornings. No one else’s formula will work for you. Your circumstances, needs, and beliefs are what make you unique, so your morning formula needs to be, too. Making the effort to design your best morning practices will have a long lasting effect on the types of rich outcomes you are able to achieve. The formula doesn’t have to take more than 15 minutes to be effective.
Why how you start your day is important: Willpower wears out.
Anything can happen throughout the day that can mess up your plans to walk, run, get on that treadmill, lift weights, meditate, pray, write or whatever helps make you the best you that you can be each day. Planning to do the types of activities at the end of your day that lead to your long-term health and wellness can be risky. Consistently doing the activities as part of the way you start your day usually gives you more control over them.
I know, some of you have kids to get to school and tons of activities that seem to be required and out of your control early in the morning. It can be tough to change a household’s routine to allow you 10-15 minutes to focus on just you. Start with 5 minutes if that’s all you can create right now. Anything is better than nothing. 5 minutes done every day for one year equals 1,825 minutes or over 30 hours!
Who has morning routines they swear by: Most super successful people.
The type of people that others admire. The one thing that appears, from my research of countless biographies, thousands of articles, and coaching sessions with highly effective executives, is that successful people are intentional about their activities at the beginning of their day. Here’s a sample of what some of people you’ve heard of do in the morning: Click here.
Create your 5 morning keys
Start by determining what needs to happen before you get in the office that will set the tone for the rest of your day. Here is an example:
- Energize your body and brain (12 minutes is the amount of time Dr. Medina in the book Brain Rules recommends to kick-start your brain health)
- Wake up your mind with something educational or inspirational
- Create a mindful moment where you are completely present
- Be grateful for yesterday and set your outcomes for the day ahead
- Be of service to someone important to you
What are your 5 keys? What’s working in your morning routine? What isn’t? Do you need to add something tomorrow morning to create the best day possible?
The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod is condensed into a great video by a new discovery I’ve made: Philosopher’s Notes by Brian Johnson. This short, 10-min video, will give you the best take-a-ways from a wonderful book about the best way to start your day to build confidence and endurance.
Team Exercise:
At your upcoming team meeting ask each member how they start their day. Compare routines and best practices for what works for your best performers.
If someone has a consistently effective routine how did they develop that formula? What types of practices have led them to be so consistent with it?
What have been the results of doing it?
What would each member like to do differently, in the morning, to help make each day lead to more satisfying accomplishments?
Is there a key practice that needs to be added to the morning routine in your office to create the best outcomes possible for each day?