Having a morning ritual is one of the best behaviors you can adopt that will change every aspect of your life.
In order to reach your goals, you’ll have to change and develop new routines and habits.
And what better way to become successful than to do what successful people do?!
In “The morning ritual of entrepreneurs who built a successful software businesses in 6 months or less” Maneeth Sethi from Hack the System has found the one thing they all had in common.
That was their specific morning routine.
First, they reviewed why they wanted to build a business. They were writing and reading the purpose of their big project every single morning, and that helped them stay focused on the end goal.
They had a list of the things they wanted to have, experience and contribute to the world. And reviewed it right after waking up.
Second, they spent their first hour of the day doing the most important tasks without being distracted.
Then, they analyzed the things that worked out and those that didn’t.
That took a total of 10 minutes each day, but helped them increase results tremendously.
A morning routine like that helps you stay on track, become more effective and productive, stay motivated and focused, have a clear vision of what you want.
Here’s why morning rituals are effective:
- you start your day with a purpose;
- you know exactly what you want in life;
- you are laser-focused on your goal;
- distractions don’t bother you;
- you get up early;
- how you start your day affects how it goes;
- you define your most important tasks for the day;
- you start working on the first one after you wake up;
- things actually get done;
- reviewing goals and knowing why you do it keeps you motivated;
- you’re productive;
- it builds consistency, willpower and concentration.
I believe that making this morning ritual a habit (and adding a thing or two more to it) can change your mindset, which will then turn your life around. And soon you’ll be able to see the changes you’ve desired for so long.
Throughout the process, you’ll grow spiritually. You’ll get more things done in less time as you’ll be able to focus your mind on what you’re doing.
Also, you’ll develop discipline, which will help you build other successful habits too.
How to Create a Morning Ritual?
There are 3 aspects to creating the best morning ritual for you: physical, mental and spiritual. Let’s discuss each one separately.
Physical
You already have a morning routine, whether you realize it or not.
But most of the times, it’s a bad one.
The things we repeatedly do are the foundation of success. And starting every day in a productive, positive and healthy manner is a sure way to achieving our goals.
With each morning we have the chance to make the following day count, to kickstart it and to actually get something done.
Here is how a good morning routine’s physical aspect looks like:
1. It all starts from the night before.
Because you can’t get up early every day if you don’t start going to bed earlier too.
It will be uncomfortable in the beginning as these are some of your most ingrained habits. It takes some time, but the benefits are amazing.
Read also: 12 Evening Habits to Include in Your Night Routine for a Successful Tomorrow
2. Get up early.
It’s easy to set the alarm for the early hours, but it’s not that easy to actually get up.
Here are some tips on how to manage to leave the comfort of your bed:
- put your alarm on the other side of the room so that you’ll have to get up and go to it;
- never say “just 2 more minutes”, or wait for the next alarm. Get up right away and start doing something – go to the bathroom to brush your teeth, have a glass of water or get dressed. After doing it, it’s much less likely to go back to bed;
- plan what to do after you get up from the night before, also have your clothes ready beside your bed so that it’s harder for you to say no to the early morning.
Find out more tips on how to get out of bed earlier here.
Get up early enough so that you’ll have time to do your morning rituals slowly. The point of the whole thing is to have a great morning, not to be in a hurry, have time for yourself and get stuff done.
After all, you’re doing it for yourself. And, eventually, it will affect every other area of your life.
3. Action plan
Now’s the time to take the actual steps a morning ritual consists of.
They are in no particular order; rearrange them so that they can be the way you like them.
- Meditation
A quick one will do.
Just trying to stay still for a few minutes, emptying your mind and focusing on your breathing, can make you a more relaxed person and help you deal with stress and anxiety.
It’s even better if you start meditating for longer and include positive affirmations.
- A glass of water
It may be cold water – to make the body start burning calories to warm it again, or hot water with lemon – to cleanse the organism.
Both are a great addition to your morning ritual.
- Healthy breakfast
The best choice for me is 30g. of protein within 30 minutes of waking up (a technique I learned from Tim Ferriss).
But whether it’s cereal, fruits or else, it’s up to you.
- Plan your day
Make a list and decide which your most important tasks are.
- Check email
One of the best productivity decisions you can take is to check email twice a day: first thing in the morning and before you go to bed.
Many have the habit of doing it every ten minutes, and it distracts them from their actual work.
Now is the time to check it and empty your inbox.
- Work out
Either have your gym session as a part of your morning ritual (if fitness is your sport), go jogging or for a walk. Or at least do a 20-minute workout at home.
4. Start working on your 3 most important tasks.
Throughout the morning ritual, nothing else should come in your way. That means no TV, phone, people or daily worries should be on your mind.
I assume the others will still be sleeping at that time. As for the rest, it’s up to you to eliminate distractions.
In the end (late morning), you should feel energetic, motivated, encouraged because you’ve already got a lot done, and will have set the tone for a productive day.
Your morning routine reveals your approach to your days, and your life in general. So make it a good one!
Mental
- Writing in The Morning/ Morning pages
Morning pages are all about sitting down in the morning and writing.
Doing it right after you wake up and as part of your morning ritual can work wonders, but it’s not a must. It’s just that then it’s easier to focus, your mind isn’t engaged in anything else yet, and you can just write anything that comes to mind (from things you’re grateful for or what you remember from your dream, to your to-do list for the day, vision for the future or a short poem).
Spiritual
How you start your day is a choice. You can be in a rush and stress, or you can take your time, be present, savor every sip of your tea or coffee, enjoy the view from your window, and just feel deep gratitude. Your morning can turn into a zen ritual.
Here’s how you can have that approach too:
How to Drink Your Morning Cup of Coffee in Peace
What is your morning ritual (we all have one, whether it’s healthy and successful or not)? And how is that working for you?
