The Unsurprising Truth About Morning Routines

The way you spend your mornings will either make you or break you

As a father, husband, and active Buddhist practitioner, I often find difficulty balancing my long list of priorities.

I have responsibilities, but I also have dreams and aspirations that require “me” time. It’s common for distractions and various obligations to arise throughout the day, taking away from my “me” time.

Therefore, to become a full-time writer and pursue my passion for real estate, I’ll schedule my priorities to achieve my personal goals.

I used to believe that time-management was a flawed and unnecessary skill, yet, as my priorities and responsibilities grow, I’m coming to realize that priority management and time management are completely separate.

Of course, it’s important to manage our list of priorities, identifying what should come first before the rest. Still, time-management is essential if you actually want to get those priorities done.

It all starts with your morning routine.

Throughout the day, it’s common for various duties and responsibilities to get in the way of your priorities. How, then, do those with goals and aspirations follow through on their priorities while still managing their giant to-do list?

They develop a proper morning routine.

For instance, I’ve got daily to-do’s, like vacuuming the house, doing the dishes, feeding the baby, and so on. Yet, I’ve also got priorities, like writing for three hours a day, studying for my real estate license, and chanting for thirty minutes a day.

So to get my priorities done, I have to schedule them into my morning routine. If it’s not scheduled into my morning, it won’t get done. Plain and simple.

Use your mornings as a refresher.

Besides being used as a time to tackle priorities, Morning routines are also a great time for relaxation and building a sense of self-awareness. Every morning is a new day. Similarly, each morning provides you with an opportunity to find balance, peace, and a sense of self-awareness. But how?

Below I’ve provided four ways to ground yourself every morning, creating a peaceful and serene mindset capable of tackling your priorities — with a sense of ease.

1.) Try Journaling

I’ve been using a journal for years now, and the benefits are numerous. For one, journaling centers you in a way that very few other activities can. It’s easy to get distracted from personal matters as days pass by. Still, by recording your thoughts and goals each day, you’ll find it easier to look back and reflect on unfinished priorities and personal achievements.

For more on journaling, check out my post on the Three Reasons Why You Should Have a Daily Self-Reflection Ritual.

2.) Spend a Few Minutes in Silence

Every morning I spend the first few minutes sitting in silence. First, I start with a deep breathing exercise to center my thoughts and get the blood flowing. Secondly, I’ll sit and think about my priorities for the day before recording them in my journal. I’ve had a daily mindfulness practice for years, and the benefits are numerous.

Overall, every day is a new day, but I have to sit for a few minutes and let that soak in; otherwise, I’ll let the drama and negativity from the day before blend in and distract me from what’s important.

3.) Eat a Hearty Breakfast

What better way to start the day than with a hearty breakfast? Fuel yourself with a good smoothie, some oatmeal, or even pancakes — if the diet allows it. Whatever it takes to get you in a good mood and prepared for the day ahead.

4.) Do Something You Love

I’m all about gratitude, but I find gratitude lists boring and, honestly, quite repetitive after a while. Don’t get me wrong; I think they’re a great way to build an initial gratitude mindset; however, it was important for me to find other ways to maintain a certain sense of appreciation as time goes by. This is why, every morning, I spend a few minutes doing something that I absolutely love to do.

What do you love? For me, I love to read — and write! I also love to play video games, but I save that one for afterward for the sake of self-discipline. I also love coffee, so I make sure to boil a pot before anything else. No matter how small, it’s important to find something to do each morning that you love, to really soak in the sense of gratitude and appreciation for life.

If you enjoyed this post, check out My Ultimate Morning Routine for ideas on how to design your ultimate morning routine.