I want to be real today so that on Monday you are not disappointed. Morning can be an inconvenient time when you have been up with a sick family member or even a crying baby. It can sometimes be a struggle to get things started and time is a precious commodity. But even with all of these things, it is still possible to create a morning routine that drives you out of bed every morning with energy.
Create a super productive morning with the right amount of sleep and fuel. Share on X
1. Drink Water
I know that drinking water can be a challenge. Rehydrating only makes sense after we go all night without any intake while we sleep. A glass before bed and immediately after can cut down on dehydration while you sleep. About 60% of the body is water; it is something you want to be deliberate in keeping topped off. If you dislike water, try some lemon or fuse it with some of your favorite fruits and vegetables. Not only does it taste better, but you are getting nutritional benefits as well.
2. Make Healthy Choices
Remember that saying, “You are what you eat.” You feel like it too. When picking healthy foods in the morning, you are priming the body with premium choices. I think of it as a vehicle. If you do not do maintenance and give it the best attention, it will not function at optimal levels. Neglect health now and you will see unexpected repairs that eat up time, money, and create stress. I am talking exhaustion, injuries, medical bills, and long-term heath effects. Breakfast is the first meal after a night of fasting. Fuel the machine or it will not run.
3. Get Proper Rest
Experiment with sleep so you can find what works for you before you develop a strategy and time. Take a week to go to bed and wake up naturally, with no alarm clock. After a week, you should see some trends with the amount of sleep you need to awaken freely. The first couple of days may fluctuate until your body gets into a natural routine. Sleep cycles last about 1.5 hours, and it is easier to wake up at the end of a cycle than the middle. I need six hours of sleep per night, so I need four cycles to be effective. Base your bedtime and wakeup time on your results after a week of full rest, and try to keep to the same routine. There will be occasions where the routine gets broken, but give it your best effort and get back to it.
4. Strengthen Your Body
Exercise is one activity that will keep you pressing forward for years. Create a routine that is fun and enjoyable. You do not need to spend 90 minutes in the gym trying to be the next Mr. Universe. I ran ultra-marathons and spent 2-4 hours training each day. For my last race I cut my workouts down to an hour, and there was no significant difference in performance. I do not compete today and find 30 minutes feels just right to keep up with life, my health, and my kids.
5. Fuel Your Mind
Spend about 30 minutes reading and meditating, because the mind needs fuel too. Tailor this to your reading needs. Spend time on a few pages or a section. Slow down and meditate on it for a few minutes and let your thoughts take you away. Bring your mind back and dive into the text a little deeper to get some more context and read it over again. Nothing heavy or intensive, but just use this time to dabble and think. Nothing structured, just let curiosity lead. Charles Spurgeon’s Morning by Morning has been one of my favorite texts. The materials I use to supplement my morning reading gives me a charge. Try some thought-provoking morning devotions or maybe a classic like Meditations to consider throughout your day.
Create a morning routine or habit that drives you out of bed and gets you excited about executing it. Experiment, measure, analyze, and adjust until you find what fits your unique self. Create a more focused and productive you.
I’ll chime in and attest to the benefits of all of these things, Kirby. My downfall would probably be getting enough sleep – or at least contiguous stretches of sleep. I’m most creative and energetic late at night. It’s when I’ve written all my best work – between midnight and 3:00 AM. It’s even when I hit the gym. And yet I rarely get a full six hours of sleep. If I were to let myself sleep until my body woke me up (as I did several times during my unreal three-week vacation this summer), I’d lose half the day. With an alarm, I do hop right out of bed and have no trouble getting going. It’s later in the afternoon where I can hit the wall (and will often take a nap). It’s been a lifelong pattern with me, no matter how I’ve tried to change it. If I go to bed early, my brain just won’t shut off (usually with good things, creative ideas, the urge to write, etc.).
Great post, Kirby. I used to be able to sleep in every day if allowed to, but since having kids, my body wakes me up at the same time. My body needs a lot of sleep. I need eight hours of sleep to feel good throughout the entire day.
Getting out of bed before the rest of my family is a great boost to my productivity. To help with this I’ve been using the iOS Sleep Cycle app. It monitors my sleep cycles through the night and wakes me at the end of a sleep cycle near the time I want to wake up. It makes getting up earlier much easier.