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05.15.2018

MY 16 MINUTE MORNING ROUTINE

If you know me, you know I thrive off my morning routine. I’m also oddly obsessed with talking about AM routines too. I try to study successful people or people I admire to see what they’re doing. I don’t care as much about what they’re doing in work but what they’re doing in life to be successful in work and other areas. Yes, I want to be successful at what I to, but my definition of success is truly just enjoying my daily life and feeling good… to me, it’s not about a certain job title or making X amount of money. I look for people who are killing it at their jobs and in their family life to see if I can draw conclusions on “successful habits,” you know what I mean?!


One thing that has ALWAYS stood out to me is the morning routine. Everyone who is someone seems to talk about it. I believe it was Brian Tracy (don’t hold me to that source lol) who first introduced the morning routine and “golden hour” to me.
The golden hour refers to the first hour of the day we are awake. That hour is vitally important because it sets the tone for the entire day.
Just think…
I’m sure you’ve had a day where you overslept, then you spilled your coffee, then you realized your significant other or roommate left a huge mess in the kitchen, you hit traffic on your way to work and spend the entire day upset and stressed.
In contrast, you may have a day where you slept great, woke up before your alarm, had extra time to get in a workout and curl you hair, your entire day felt productive.
Basically, if we can do some impactful things in that first hour, we have a much greater chance of having a good day.
 
MY QUICK, CONDENSED AM ROUTINE
When I was just thinking about my idea of success, I was daydreaming… it would also include waking up every day to the sunshine instead of an alarm, having breakfast and coffee in bed and then going for a morning walk.
My reality is that I wake up to an alarm 7 days per week. It’s almost always dark when I get up and I’m trying to get as much done as possible before my baby wakes up and before I have to start working.
So….. I’ve come up with a quick, condensed morning routine that takes me 16 minutes. I thought I would share it with you all because when I do this, I have the BEST days!
I complete this AM routine exactly how it’s written about 60% off the time. 20% of the time, it’s a modified version of this and the other 20% it just doesn’t happen. But, I try because I know how powerful this AM routine can be
 
MY 16 MINUTE AM ROUTINE
5 AM – enjoyable alarm goes off
If possible, find an alarm ringtone you’re fond of or app that allows a song to play to wake you up. I find that simply changing the tune that I wake up to has a positive impact on my mood.
 
5:01 AM – alkaline drink
The first thing you drink in the morning should be something that alkalizes your body. Alkaline refers to the pH or how acidic a liquid or solid is. The human body functions best when the pH is slightly alkaline.
In the mornings, our bodies are actually more acidic thanks to all the wonderful cleansing and detoxifying that goes on while we are asleep. It’s very beneficial for the body (& digestive system!) to consume a high-quality, alkaline drink first thing in the morning.
My alkaline drink of choice is lemon water or a supersized ACV shot (lemon juice, 1-2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, water & ice). The key is to drink A LOT of water with it! When we wake our bodies have gone without water for hours and hours, so I make a 16 oz drink in the AM.
I actually set this out on my nightstand the night before because it saves me a few minutes in the morning.
 
5:03 AM – TURN ON ALL LIGHTS / OPEN BLINDS
After my alarm goes off, I grab my drink off my nightstand and I walk into my family room/kitchen area. I open all of the blinds (it’s usually dark when I wake up) so I also turn on all the lights. Turning the lights ON and getting it BRIGHT is very energizing.
Our circadian rhythms have triggers and one that wakes us up is light. Light exposure actually reduces melatonin levels (the “sleepy” hormone) in the body, increasing alertness.
 
5:05 – INSPIRATIONAL READ
I begin every AM by reading something inspirational. And usually, for me, it’s not just reading one thing rather multiple things.
I’m not talking about opening your book and reading a chapter of your fiction novel. The reading I like to do in the AM is a combination of things from motivational apps, daily devotionals, etc. This usually takes me all of 2-3 minutes but it’s just enough to spark some motivation in me.
 
5:08 – SILENCE/MEDITATION/PRAYER
After I read I sit in silence, meditate, pray or some combination of three of those items. Usually, whatever I have read sparks this. Or, maybe I’m feeling a certain way that morning which leads what I do with this time.
This isn’t at all sponsored by I used to use the app called Calm for guided meditation. They changed it up recently and I don’t like it as much, so I bought the Headspace app. I wasn’t thrilled with the price but guided meditation is so important to me and I really like their content.
During this time, I try to clear my head (it’s amazing how many things already flood into your mind this soon after waking).
 
5:13 – GOALS
Every AM, I look at my goal list. I have a list of 7 things items are my top goals currently. They are a mix of work aspirations, family dreams and personal desires. I keep them in the notes section of my phone so I can easily access them.
First off, I think everyone knows the power of writing goals regularly. Seeing them in black and white takes it one step further. BUT, reading and rereading your goals on a daily basis just helps further them.
Reminding myself of what I’m striving for each day dictates the steps I take. I feel like I spend my time more intentionally when I read my goals every AM.
 
5:14 – PLANNER
After all of that, I need to start setting the wheels in motion for my day. I actually write my to-do list and all notes in my planner each evening. I find that getting all of those thoughts out of my head allows me to sleep better.
In the morning, I have my entire to-do list and schedule written for the day so I just spend a minute glancing at it to see what my first step is.
Everyone uses their planner differently, but I make a huge to-do list in my actual planner. Then, on a piece of paper that I clip into my planner, I schedule out the day. I try to time block most of my days to be most efficient with my time, so I’ll plan it out like: 11 AM – 12:30 PM = meal plan content, 12:30 – 3 PM = blog post writing, 3 – 4 PM = calls, etc.
 
5:15 – MOVE
This is the last part of my morning routine and I really allow it to take shape however it goes that day. I HAVE to move within the first 20 minutes of waking to keep up my energy.
Some mornings, I’ll stretch or do a quick yoga sequence. Other mornings, I’ll just quickly pick a few things up around the house. This isn’t a workout or a walk for me… this is just spending some time moving.
 
5:16 – BEGIN
After all of that, I jump into my day. Every day looks different for me. I wake up early so that I can get some computer work done before my son wakes up.
One thing I typically also do to begin my day is wash my face and change my clothing. That seems to be my “switch” for transitioning from my AM routine to beginning my day.
 
That is exactly what you can find me doing the first 16 minutes of my morning. If I had the time, I would certainly have a longer, more detailed routine but at this stage in my life, I can dedicate 16 minutes to waking up earlier in order to fit this in.
Like I said, completing this routine is not at all a chore for me because it is rewarding. When I take these proactive steps, I reap the benefit of having a peaceful yet productive day. I feel in the flow of life where I’m getting stuff done yet enjoying my time.
I don’t want to look back at my life and see that I rushed through my days, checking off a to-do list. But, I also have passions that I feel good pursuing. This morning routine helps me kick start a day of achieving, feeling good and healthy and taking in the many moments of blessings that life provides.
I hope you can steal a few snippets from this routine to feel the same too!
xo Lauren

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