What's your morning look like?
What is the first thing that you do when you wake up?
I hope you didn’t say check your socials on your phone or load your email inbox!
If you turn straight to your phone to look at messages, emails, social media, or anything involving people who are not you, then what you are doing is setting the precedent for the day that your agenda is not your priority.
Science suggests that none of us should begin our day by
Scrolling through social media because you will end up comparing yourself to the others and their lives.
Checking your inbox because when you plan your day, you will end up planning your tasks around the needs of others.
By being disappointed in ourself for either not waking up early enough or other negative self-thoughts.
How important is your day to you?
In 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins, she speaks on this topic and breaks down her own routine, which has helped me hone in on my morning routine now that I’ve mastered my nighttime routine.
When you wake up, consider beginning your day with either saying “Today will be a great day” as soon as your feet hit the floor (BJ Fogg, Tiny Habits) or begin your day with gratitude, or (my favorite) begin your day by opening all the blinds in your bedroom to let the sunshine in. I typically do this and then immediately after, I make my bed and I allow that to be my first accomplishment of the day (see speech “Make Your Bed” by Admiral William H. McRaven) because I know if I can make my bed, then I can do all the other things I want to do.
After this, I pour my coffee and start getting ready for the day with the clothes I laid out the night before. Typically, those are workout clothes and I’ll either go for a walk (weather permitting) or do some yoga and strength-training. Usually, I get ready with my planner nearby so I can write down what comes to my mind for the day as I’m preparing for the day.
Regardless of whether I have nanny-work that day, I allow myself about 2-3 hours for my own thoughts and my own tasks before I begin my work for others. It’s important for me to have this alone time because on days that I have my alone time, I am at my best.
Do you plan alone time for yourself? Or do you spend that alone time on Facebook and instagram? I know when I slip up and realize I’ve been scrolling for an hour, I tend to spend the rest of my day disappointed in myself because of that time wasted. NOT saying that social media is bad because that is how I connect through my art and other art, but I have a certain time devoted to my social media “research” and use it as a treat for myself during the day after I mark some things off of my list.
Finding a morning routine that revolves around you and your priorities is vital. Everyone else can wait. You know the proper phone etiquette right? Adhere to that for you! And then set a time after you’ve completed your morning routine, lined up your priorities, and penciled in some time to stretch or meditate to then check your emails and respond to your text messages.
One great way to accomplish this is to utilize the “do not disturb” function on your phone. I have mine automatically set to be on “dnd” from 9pm to 7am. If there are emergencies, contacts that I have favorited can call me (the first call goes to voicemail and the second call makes my phone ring). This is so that I am able to weed out all of the texts and messages dinging during the night. I don’t mind messages being sent to me, but sometimes that dinging frustrates me, so I solve it in my own way.
I encourage you to plan out a morning routine. Below are some links for books and a podcast that have helped me achieve my own plan for the morning. This is also a topic that will be detailed further in Life Evaluation through my new shin-dig [as told by britni]. Today is the last day to sign up for the first group of Life Evaluation, so if you wanna join, send me an email or text (don’t worry, my phone isn’t on do not disturb so I’ll hear it!).
Top Morning Rituals for Entrepreneurs Podcast - Build Your Tribe
Contact me for Life Evaluation at astoldbybritni@gmail.com or 770-852-0249