What they got wrong about morning routines (and what to do instead for long-lasting results)
Morning routines can be hard to stick to, there’s no denying that. But what if that’s because most people are going about them entirely wrong?
Here’s what I see happening:
You read a book or hear from a mentor that they’ve been hugely successful with their morning routine, all you need to do is wake up at 5 am, workout, drink green juice, meditate, journal...the list goes on.
So you give it a try. You wake up at 5 am, you follow those specific instructions, and by day five you’re exhausted by waking up at that hour, overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks, and you feel terrible. You give up on morning routines all together.
Why?
Well, your routine didn’t leave you feeling the way you wanted to FEEL (unless your goal was to feel crappy, which I’m guessing it wasn’t!).
Here’s what they got wrong about morning routines (and what to do instead for long-lasting results) even if you’ve sworn them off for good:
Ditch the prescriptive method
Instead of following some prescriptive method for a morning routine. I recommend starting with the way you want to feel each day.
Looking for more SPACE in the morning? Maybe that 5am wake up call IS for you so you can answer email before the kiddos wake up.
Want to feel ENERGIZED each day? Start with a refreshing morning swim before diving into work-mode.
Wish you had more time to be CREATIVE in your work? Take some time to sketch in the morning or hop on Pinterest for some inspiration gathering each day.
When you START with the feeling you’re looking to create each day you create a sort of “rule-of-thumb” to use as a guide. Because if your actions aren’t leaving you the way you want to feel, there’s no way that you’re going to want to stick to them.
So while we can all agree that a morning routine is essential to success (and most of the gurus do!) I like to take it back one step further. A daily practice will transform the way you FEEL each morning, making you more likely to take actions that are in line with your goals, and in turn bring your MORE success, more quickly.
Use your morning routine as a way to build confidence
So often when I ask entrepreneurs what they REALLY, truly, want in life...well, the answers aren’t that out there.
In fact, they’re actually a lot closer than they think.
...more time to spend with their kids
...more time for hobbies they enjoy
...more time for midday outings
...all while keeping their business growing and successful
And my reaction is almost always to remind them that those desires are available to them now. But here’s what’s standing in their way:
So many of these women doubt their ability to create meaningful change in their life (there’s that self-doubt kicking in again!).
Which is exactly why in my signature program, I start everyone out with a morning routine they can stick to. It’s a simple shift but the results can completely transform the way you show up in your life—building confidence, helping you focus on your priorities, and showing you that small, consistent actions can lead to RESULTS.
Find what fits you and your business
What if you didn’t put so much pressure on yourself to get it right the first time? What if you viewed your personal development as an experiment? What if you were willing to keep trying until you found something that works for you?
Well, you’d probably feel a whole lot lighter. You’d be able to make decisions more easily. You wouldn’t be quite so attached to the outcome.
You’d totally change the way you show up in your life and business each day.
That’s why I have clients “try on” different actions in their morning routine, the same way you would try on clothing at a store. You’re looking for something that FITS, that leaves you feeling AMAZING, the same way that little black dress does.
I’ve been there too, believe me. At the beginning of this year, I had completely fallen off the bandwagon in my running routine. After completing another (grueling) marathon in November, I was burnt out, in pain, and I just stopped running. And my self-care was suffering because of that.
So I decided to “try on” Pilates instead. I fell in love with a new kind of workout. I was in awe of how quickly I felt stronger. I found something that fit where I was in my life and what I was needing, and to this day I alternate both running and pilates each day as part of my morning routine so that I don’t get too burnt out on one or the other.
Because let’s be honest, if it doesn’t fit, you’re not going to wear it. The same way that waking up at 5 am or working out first thing may not fit you, your lifestyle, or your business. But you have to try it out to find what works for YOU!
Great morning routines actually begin the night before
It can be even more difficult to stick to a morning routine if you aren’t setting yourself up for success the night before—making it THAT much harder to roll out of bed feeling positive and productive and taking THAT much longer to start seeing results in your life and business.
I like to remind clients to take the bigger picture into consideration. We can’t take a deeper look at the growth of our BUSINESS without taking our personal development in our LIFE into consideration because as entrepreneurs one almost always benefits the other. In the same way, we can’t look at our morning routine without also looking at our habits in the evening.
I like to set myself up for success the following day with a daily practice the night BEFORE. For me that looks like:
→ Reviewing my scheduling app and bullet journal the night before to see what’s on my plate tomorrow
→ Taking some time for self-care in the evening, whether that be a bubble bath, some reading, or just binging Netflix
→ Getting to bed at a reasonable hour so I feel refreshed and ready for a new day when the alarm clock goes off in the morning
By creating a practice the night before, you’ll be setting yourself up for success so you can create the beautiful, balanced life and thriving, successful business you’ve always wanted.
It doesn’t have to take a long time
Something about the word “routine” often makes people think that this has to be a long drawn-out process. But it’s actually just a series of consistent, repeatable actions. Your morning routine could take 30 seconds or 30 minutes or more.
The point is, by focusing on the feeling you’re looking to create you’ll take actions that are in line with that feeling. If you’re looking to cultivate gratitude, it could be as simple as listing 3 things you’re thankful for before opening your eyes each morning. It doesn’t have to be hard, so don’t make it hard. Pick what feels doable for you in the time that you have and you’ll be more likely to stick to it in the long-run because the real magic lies in a consistent practice.
The bottom line:
Most people don’t stick with a morning routine because it isn’t leaving them the way they want to FEEL each day or they’ve convinced themselves they don’t have time for a daily practice. By identifying the way you want to feel and experimenting with different actions and different timeframes for those actions, you can create a morning routine that works for YOU and your business. Also remember that setting yourself up for success actually starts the night BEFORE so that you can start your day positive, productive, thriving, and seeing RESULTS in your life and business because of it.
Tell me in the comments below:
What’s one action you can commit to each morning that will help you see RESULTS in your life and business?
Photography by Jennifer Morgan Photography
