Many successful people talk about how getting early is THE thing that has led to their success. When asked for her thoughts, JK Rowling (who as we know is VERY successful) responded with 3 little words: “Oh, piss off.” You see, she understands that adhering to someone else’s schedule isn’t the way to achieving the things you want...and that getting up early isn’t a requirement for success! That said, I WOULD argue that cultivating habits purposefully (no matter when you wake up) is😊
Are you someone who has always loved the idea of having a super-productive morning routine but never quite made it happen? Don’t worry, it’s not too late; you CAN create an effective morning routine that you love AND that fits into your life! You see, the reason why many people struggle with creating morning routines is because they are trying to force themselves into someone else’s perfect morning instead of creating one that is perfect for them!
So how do you create a routine that works for you that you will actually DO?
START SMALL. Pick one small thing that you want to incorporate, such as 5 minutes of reading, meditation, or stretching. Focus on something you WANT to do, not just something you’ve been told is a good idea.
PRACTICE UNTIL IT BECOMES A HABIT. Don’t get impatient and try to do too much too soon. Focus on doing your one small thing with fidelity before you even think about adding something new.
ADD TIME OR ACTION, NOT BOTH. Once you’re ready to expand your routine, decide whether you want to continue what you’re doing and lengthen the duration (such as expanding 5 minutes of exercise to 10) or incorporate something new (like adding 5 minutes of stretching to 5 minutes of meditation). Don’t try to do both!
ENGAGE IN CONTINUOUS REFLECTION. Check in with yourself around your routine. Does it feel good? Is it yielding the results you want? If not, how can you tweak it to make sure it does?
In recent years, I’ve seen a lot of people sharing their routines: morning routines, workout routines, routines for family scheduling, bedtime routines…the list goes on and on. And while I think it’s GREAT that people want to share what works for them, I think it’s important to remember that the BEST routines are the ones that resonate WITH YOU. So while it’s a great idea to consider a variety of options, DON’T get caught so caught up in what other people are doing that you think you should be doing as well that you lose sight of what will work for you!
