Why A Morning Routine Is Vital

Summary

The author of the article shares their personal journey of adopting a morning routine to improve productivity and well-being, emphasizing the positive impact of simple habits such as making the bed, opening curtains, and reading.

Abstract

The article titled "Why A Morning Routine Is Vital" delves into the transformative power of establishing a morning routine. The author recounts their previous habit of wasting time on social media and neglecting their bed in the morning, leading to feelings of regret and lack of motivation. On New Year's Eve, they resolved to change this by starting small, beginning with making their bed every morning. This act of tidiness set a tone of motivation that carried through to other activities like opening curtains to watch the sunrise, having breakfast, reading, and completing household chores. The author emphasizes that by 10 am, they had accomplished a significant amount, which inspired them to maintain productivity throughout the day. The routine is particularly important for the author, an early riser, as it allows them to tackle high-energy tasks in the morning and reserve afternoons for relaxation. The article concludes with the author expressing gratitude for the support on their Medium journey and recommending an AI service, ZAI.chat, as a cost-effective alternative to ChatGPT Plus.

Opinions

The author believes that starting the day with a structured routine is crucial for setting the tone for success and productivity.
Making the bed is highlighted as a simple yet effective way to kickstart the day with a sense of accomplishment.
The author values the importance of natural light and the beauty of the sky as a morning motivator.
Reading in the morning is suggested as a way to stimulate the mind and foster inspiration.
The article suggests that aligning tasks with personal energy levels can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling day.
The author advocates for the importance of self-care and rest, emphasizing that not every day needs to be highly productive.
The author endorses ZAI.chat, an AI service, as a recommendation to readers, indicating a belief in its value and cost-effectiveness compared to other AI services like ChatGPT Plus.

Why A Morning Routine Is Vital

Start how you mean to go on.

My eyes open, I rub them, then roll over and grab my phone. I blink sleepily and without giving my eyes time to focus, I open up Instagram and start scrolling. Before I know it, two hours have passed. I get up and go downstairs for breakfast, leaving my bed a mess.

That used to be me.

Just before the clock struck Midnight on New Year’s Eve. I made a deal with myself; that I would continue my journey of self improvement in 2024. Starting with perfecting a morning routine.

Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.

-Wayne Huizenga

I decided to start small.

I used to never make my bed, I’d roll out of it and then go about my day. Why didn’t I make it? I was lazy. It was as simple as that. I had no motivation to do so. But when I returned home after a long day at work and saw my messy bed, it just made me feel horrible. I was left wishing I’d made it in the morning.

So, on the 1st January 2024, I got up and made my bed. It was strange how much happier I felt standing back and seeing my pillows straightened and my duvet covering my whole bed – instead of it being a pile in the centre.

I felt motivated.

I then went on to get my breakfast, and a cup of tea, and while drinking the latter I picked up a book to read.

Having rarely ever opened my bedroom curtains, I decided that morning to do so. It was still fairly dark out but I love the sky and found joy staring up at it that morning. Watching as the sun rose.

I now open my curtains every morning.

These little habits all began to line up; I started to repeat them each morning.

By 10am I had: made my bed, opened the curtains, had breakfast, read a few chapters of a book, gotten dressed and done my hair and makeup. I had emptied and filled the dishwasher, swept the kitchen floor and was sat down ready to do some writing.

I felt happy and inspired because I’d achieved so much early on. I wanted to keep up that level of productivity as the day went on.

Start as you mean to go on.

Because I’m an early bird, I tend to wake around 6am. Even on my days off. This means my energy levels tend to drop mid-afternoon. Around 3pm.

This is why having a morning routine and achieving as much as I can as early as I can is super important for me. I now get all my high energy tasks completed in the morning, so my afternoons can be spent doing lower energy activities like reading, gaming, or watching a movie.

It’s important to allow our minds and bodies to rest. Don’t worry if you have days where you’re not overly productive. That’s ok.

I love planning evenings after work. I know I can go home and relax watching a film or read more of my current book. I make sure to have pamper evenings every now and then too. Self-care is a must. We need to look after the bodies we were born into.

Thank you for reading and for the support so far on my Medium journey. It means the world to me.