How to Establish an Effective Morning Routine

How do you start the first 60-90 minutes of your day? Do you follow a strict morning routine, or do you up snoozing, getting stuck in traffic and running late to your job?

I am a big believer in following a morning routine. I like to ensure the first 60-90 minutes of my day is spent as effectively as possible.  The first 60-90 minutes of your day is your time! It is the time you have to work on your goals and dreams before you start getting distracted by emails, phone calls and other people’s to-do lists!

Here are some of the morning rituals that help me win the day:

1. Make your Bed

It may sound simple, but the first thing I do each morning is make the bed. Making the bed gives you a sense of accomplishment, as you have already completed the first task of the day. As US Navy Admiral William McRaven once said, making the bed will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to another task, and another and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed would have turned into many tasks completed.

2. Workout

Working out is an essential part of my morning routine. It doesn’t matter if it’s going for a walk around the block, high intensity cardio or weight training. When you wake up, you should do something that gets your blood pumping and gets your head in the game! When I workout in the morning, I feel like I have gained a competitive edge- that I have already invested in myself and my body whilst others are still snoozing in bed.

3. Invest in your Mind

Your mind is fresh in the morning and this is your prime time to work on your dreams and your vision on life! Whether it is meditating, listening to a podcast or doing something for your own personal development, make sure you are not wasting the best part of your day on emails or mindless tasks.

Morning Routine

I have a client who works in the office and from home, and was having difficulty establishing a morning routine. Here are the two morning routines we established based on her home vs. office days:

Morning Routine A- Home Days

6:00am: Wake-Up Call

6:05am: Make the bed

6:10am: Get dressed in workout clothes

6:15am: Workout (Gym or park)

7:15am: Shower & Get Dressed

7:45am: Eat breakfast whilst working on personal development- listen to podcast, read, work on personal goals & ideas

8:30am: Work day commences

Morning Routine B- Office Days

5:50am: Wake Up Call

5:55am: Make the Bed

6:00am: Shower & Get Dressed

6:30am: Eat breakfast

6:45am: Walk to Train Station

7:30am: Work on personal development whilst on train- listen to podcast, read, work on personal goals & ideas.

8:30am: Work day commences

Do you follow a morning routine? What are some rituals or strategies you use to win the day? I would love to hear your thoughts- leave your comments below!