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building a killer morning routine

It's that time of year again.  You're coming off a busy season of shopping, cleaning, cooking, eating, drinking, and if you have teens like I do--concerts, final exams, final projects, and occasional full-on meltdowns. 

It's exhausting. And in the process, I'll bet there are are a few things that moved down on the priority list, mostly the healthy things that keep us grounded, like exercise, sleep, carefully-planned meals, alone time, etc.

If you're in the mindset of looking forward and planning for a healthy, happy 2023, here are a few things to consider in building a killer morning routine that will set the stage for a day that feels calm, productive, and self-directed.

There are hundreds of books on building a morning routine, but you ultimately have to figure out what works for you.

Have you read The Miracle Morning? It's one of my favorites.  If you have, you'll remember the SAVERS acronym for a successful morning:

Silence

Affirmations

Visualization

Exercise

Reading

Scribe

 I love every part of this formula, but there are certain parts that work better for me than others, and a few that I have combined in the interest of one last uninterrupted sleep cycle.  If you devote at least 10 minutes to each part of the process, you're looking at at least an hour. As a person who prioritizes sleep above most else, waking up an hour earlier just to knock a few more things off my to-do list just doesn't make sense.

I do like waking before everyone else to enjoy the silence for a few minutes, but I save the more structured meditation for later in the day.  If I have enough time I will write a few pages, but otherwise, that's also an activity that fits better with my evening routine.

What I do manage to do in the morning is to read over my affirmations and personal vision, as well as my goals for the day while my coffee is brewing. I then read something else while I'm drinking my coffee and waiting for my kids to get ready.  I may even do a little stretching while I read to loosen up after a night of sleep.  After they are off to school I will run or walk before jumping in the shower to get ready for work.

When I have more time, like this morning, I start with writing morning pages--three pages of free-form writing about whatever pops into my head.  It always feels like I have nothing to write about, until I start, of course, and then I either feel like I could go on forever, or I come to a natural ending point at about three pages or 30 minutes.  It's a practice that really helps me clear my mind, focus my thoughts, and create a vision for the day.

The other thing I always wish I had more time for is exercise.  Finding a full 45 minutes to an hour to run or walk would be ideal, but depending on my kids' schedule, it may not happen until later in the day.

Most mornings I don't have two hours to devote to a morning routine like this, so I obviously have to be creative if I want to fit it all in.

Here's my suggestion:  

First, figure out how much time you have.  Rolling out of bed and heading straight to the shower is not an option here.  (Although I've heard of people doing their affirmations and visualization in the shower!) 

Next, decide what is most important to you and make sure you block out time for that.  Exercise, journaling, and meditation are super important, but don't underestimate the power of reading through a few affirmations and reminding yourself of the vision you have for your life.  It may only take a few minutes, so it seems irrelevant and is easy to skip.  Try to do it every day, though.  It really does make a difference.

Make it simple.  Keep your notebook in the kitchen or next to your bathroom sink.  Set your exercise gear on the counter so you can change into it easily without waking anyone up.  If you like to read in the morning, keep your book or tablet handy, as well.

If you're starting from scratch, pick one thing that you want to start doing each morning and make that a habit before adding anything else.  Baby steps always work better than giant leaps.  (Leaping is a good way to pull a muscle and put yourself out of the game before you even start--or so I've heard!)

Set your morning up for a solid foundation on which to build a great day.  When you do that, everything else tends to work out a little bit better.  Every small success builds to bigger wins down the road.

Here's to a great year, friends!


If you'd like to talk to me about creating a wellness and nutrition plan that works for you, I've got you!  I'm a certified Nutrition Coach who will create a simple, customized meal plan for you and coach you through how to implement it into your busy life.  We also talk about all the pitfalls that make it hard, and help you make it the anchor that keeps you healthy, energized, and sane through the whirlwind of your everyday life.

I'd love to talk to you about the program, so book a free consultation with me by clicking the Calendly button. I look forward to talking to you!


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