You just set a new year’s resolution to create a dynamite morning routine. You probably are starting to feel the wear and tear of this new habit you are trying to form creep into your mind.
Your first thought is going to be, “this is stupid, my body needs the rest”. When these thoughts start to roll in, it is because you haven’t created a dynamite morning routine.
Yes, waking up early in the morning is difficult. There is a reason why only a select few people do it. Anyone can set a goal to wake up early in the morning. It is the person who sets a goal and does it consistently every morning, that gets the worm.
Having a morning routine is vital to your health, wealth, and happiness. To create the life, you want you must be willing to do what 95% of the population aren’t willing to do. Every successful and wealthy person has a morning routine that contributes to the success they have.
Morning routines are great for having extra time before the day starts. There is something about getting up in the morning when no one else is awake that unlocks the mind. It is so quietly peaceful that it almost feels as if you are the only person in the world up and moving.
In the mornings your mind is at its freshest. It has been proven that the mornings are when your brain absorbs information the easiest. Therefore, it is the absolute best time to learn and prepare for your day.
Let’s dive in
What is your why?
The first thing you need to do when drawing up your morning routine is understanding your why. What is your purpose for wanting to create a dynamite morning routine?
Without a proper why, you will inevitably fail. Write down in your journal or notebook because you want to create a morning routine. Is it to have more time to exercise? Is it to prepare for your day so you can spend more time with your spouse and kids after a long day? Or maybe it’s because you work full time, and you are trying to have extra time during the day to have a side gig.
Whatever the reason was that brought you to this point, write it down and don’t forget it. If you don’t have a reason but heard someone, say, all successful people have a dynamite routine. Use that as your reason or think of something that is going to get you out of bed.
Plan your day the night before
Like the saying goes, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. A proper plan with a commitment to keep said plan will ensure a higher percentage of you following that plan.
Get yourself a little notebook and leave it on your bedside table. Every night before you shut your eyes to go to sleep, write down 6 things you want to accomplish the next day. From the moment you wake up to the moment the rest of the house wakes up.
It may look something like this:
Goals for 1-6
- Wake up @ 5:00 am
- Write down 10 things you are grateful for
- Read for 10 to 15 minutes
- Work out 45 minutes to an hours
- Sit in silence for 10 minutes/brainstorm Ideas
- Get ready for work
Wake up early
Part of creating a dynamite morning routine is waking up early in the morning. Most people wake up with just enough time to get ready and out the door. This leaves zero room for focusing on activities that build growth and possibility.
Depending on what your goals are that you set in the above section, map out how much time you would need to complete each action. Ensure you have enough time to get ready to go to work. Typically waking up an hour and a half to 2 hours before you usually wake up is best practice.
Set your alarm clock and place it out of reach
Waking up when it is still dark outside is probably one of the hardest things to do, especially when you see the clock say 5:00 am. You may have younger kids who come in and out of your room all night, or possibly have trouble falling asleep when you want to. There are a million reasons why you can’t do something, but you only need one reason why you can.
That reason is because you are in control of what you do or don’t do. Develop the discipline and the persistence to keep your commitments.
A couple things that can help get you up and running:
- Set your alarm clock for the exact time you want to wake up. Just one, very important
- Plug in your phone out of reach and turn the volume all the way up. This will make you physically get out of bed to turn it off.
- Set out your clothes the night before
- Don’t get back into bed. Whatever you do, don’t fall for the 5 more minutes trick your brain plays.
These 4 tips will help you get out of bed on the first try. Do it every day until it is a habit.
Write down 10 things you are grateful for
The moment you wake up whether you realize it or not will determine your attitude, feelings and mood for the day.
Starting off the morning being grateful for the things that you have and being able to live another day is priceless. At first it will seem a little mundane but eventually it will become one of your favorite times of day. You will wake up in the morning excited to express your gratitude for another early morning and the opportunity to create your own success.
Read 10 pages of inspirational book
If there is one thing you take from this article, it should be the importance of reading in the morning. There are so many benefits you can receive just by doing something as simple as reading 10 pages.
Reading is a form of self-care. It will help you be more creative, enhance your imagination, expose you to new ideas and set you on a path of accelerated growth.
To get the most out of your morning reading, I would suggest picking something that will inspire you. Pick an area in your life that isn’t your strong suit. The morning routine should be filled with activities that will stretch you and help you grow.
At first it was hard to get up and start reading. My eyes were so heavy most mornings and the words would just blend together. That is where the discipline comes in. The more you do it, the more you will grow to enjoy it. Now, reading is my favorite thing to do in the morning and it sets me up for success.
To create a dynamite morning routine, reading must be a part of it.
Exercise is key – get the blood flowing
The second most important thing to create a dynamite morning routine behind reading is exercise. Exercise has many health benefits besides the usual one Like burning calories. Hitting the gym in the morning can also:
- Give you more energy throughout your day
- Help you be more productive
- Help improve your focus
- Significantly improves your attitude
Make sure you set aside 30-45 minutes to work out. I would suggest listening to a podcast or something productive while you work out. For me, listening to inspirational talks or personal development podcasts gives me more motivation to work out harder.
Review your goals from the night before-check off completed items
The best part about creating a check list or a plan every night is being able to check each one off the list. There have been studies that have shown that people who create a check list are significantly more likely to complete the task.
Each night before you write down the goals for the next morning check off the ones you were able to complete that day. Then add them to the next day. Sometimes life just happens. It could be an emergency at work, kids woke up earlier than expected, or maybe you are sick.
There is a saying I have heard a lot from many different people. You can miss one day, but don’t miss the second. Do your best to get back on track. Once you miss a second time a new habit will start to form and you will have to start all over again.
Conclusion
To create a dynamite morning routine implement these key strategies at first:
- What is your why?
- Plan your day the night before
- Wake up early
- Set your alarm clock and place it out of reach
- Write down 10 things you are grateful for
- Read 10 pages of inspirational book
- Exercise is key – get the blood flowing
- Review your goals from the night before-check off completed items
Once you have mastered these or you feel like you need to switch it up feel free. This is a starting point, to help you create the morning routine that will help shape the person you wish to become a year from now.