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Author Annie Dillard says,
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”
Now, that can be a sobering thought.
But come to think of it, when you hear most successful entrepreneurs interviewed, you’ll find that most of them have a definite plan as to how they manage their day–and in particular, how they manage their morning routines before they even get into their workday.
In that spirit, I thought it would be helpful for me to share the morning routine that’s been powering me through thousands of mornings as I’ve balanced my personal care with big, daunting ambitions and big workloads.
As busy, driven entrepreneurs, it is so important to us to make the most of our days.
As tempting as it can be to just dive into our work the moment we open our eyes, laying the foundation to our day will set the tone for the hours before us and help us feel in control of how we spend our time.
I credit the way that I start my days as the reason I’ve had enough energy to sustain the pace of building a business while working full time for the past 3 years.
Ready to wake up with me? 😉
Here’s a peek at what my mornings look like:
WAKE BETWEEN 5-6AM ON MOST DAYS
I used to wake religiously at 5am, when I had to be in the office every day by 8. Now that I have a slightly more flexible day job, I’ll listen to my body a little more if I need extra sleep.
But I almost never sleep till 6 or 7 as a way to make up for staying up late the night before–I am consistent with going to bed around 9:30 every night, so if I’m sleeping an extra hour or two in the morning it’s because I’m listening to my body and giving it EXTRA rest to recover from a stressful period.
That being said, my most productive days happen when I wake closer to 5am.
MAKE TIME TO SAVOR COFFEE
If I’m lucky, my husband will bring me coffee in bed. (I know! He’s the best.)
But whether I drink coffee in bed or in the living room after feeding/letting out the dogs, I give myself this time to be quiet and ease into my day–before I ever glance at my phone.
This may be the only unrushed moments of my day, so I don’t take them lightly.
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS
This is also the time that I’ll engage in some type of mind-body practice, whether that’s meditation, repeating mantras, or deep breathing or just allowing my mind to wander and be creative–rather than focusing right away on my to-do list or solving a problem.
EXERCISE
This is a step I almost never skip.
If I don’t exercise in the morning, the chances greatly increase that I’ll find excuses not to do it later.
That’s not to say that you can’t be successful and exercise at night–if that works for you, great!
But studies do show that the most consistent exercisers get their workouts in, on average, between 6 and 7am.
I usually can only afford 30 minutes of my day for exercise on weekdays, but I honestly believe that 20 to 30 minutes a day is all it takes for the average entrepreneur to stay productive, be on top of your game, and to increase focus in your business.
And if you’re doing the right types of exercise, this is also all it takes to have a great body, lean tummy, and strong muscles.
Exercise is truly a non-negotiable for me.
SHOWER/GET READY BEFORE BREAKFAST
For the past 18 months, I’ve been experimenting (imperfectly) with a form of intermittent fasting in which I only eat between an 8 to 10 hour window.
So that means I don’t necessarily eat breakfast right away–at least not until after I’ve showered and gotten ready for the day.
Many days I’ll wait until 10 or 11am to eat, making sure then that I make up those “breakfast” calories during the remaining hours of the day.
I’m not overly rigid about this, though. If I’m really hungry or my schedule isn’t going to allow me to eat later in the morning, I may go ahead and get something high-protein, low-carb to eat. (For recipe ideas of low-carb breakfasts you can make ahead for the week, download my breakfast recipe guide.)
LISTEN TO A PODCAST
If I’m commuting, I’ll listen to a favorite business podcast.
Currently loving:
PLAN MY WORKDAY BEFORE CHECKING NOTIFICATIONS AND EMAIL
I admit, I go through seasons where I’m better at this next step than others.
But the days when I’m most productive and feel most motivated and in control, I’ll use my unique task-tracking system on Trello to plan out the rest of my day–before checking email or social media.
I filter tasks from my respective to-do lists by due date, then funnel all of them into a master to-do list that I divide my week and date.
(For my complete step-by-step process of how I use Trello to manage my many work, business, and personal to-do items, watch my tutorial.)
How we set up our days really does matter. It ensures that we carry out the hours in which we “spend our lives” with energy, intention, and the best state of mind.
What elements do you include in your morning routine?
Ready to roll up your sleeves and get a handle on the rest of your workday?
Carve out 30 minutes to watch my free Trello To-Do List Tutorial, in which I share how I keep all the trains running in the midst of running a business, working full-time, taking care of myself, cooking healthy meals for my family, and fixing up our new house!
