The word routine itself is much misunderstood and maligned. Many think that you are killing creativity, spontaneity, flow, joy, happiness, etc. I am using routine loosely to describe the set of things you do in the morning after you wake up.
A morning routine is what you do in the first few hours of your waking up.
A friend of mine has this morning routine of waking up at 4:30 am and spending the first hour in meditation. After that, he does some simple exercises and starts writing, which he does for about an hour. He has been having this routine for the last 10 years and he has produced a lot of content and created a huge following for himself.
Another person I know starts the day by answering emails and messages which goes on for about an hour and then jumps directly into the work for the day. She is pumped up and on her toes through the day, and cannot imagine relaxing for even 15 minutes in a day.
You set the pace of your day when you wake up. Do you want to be more mindful or more pumped up? Do you want to be relaxed or energised? Do you want to be more loving or more hateful?
The morning routine is what makes your life. Not fate, not luck, not your horoscope. It is the thoughts with which you wake up and the first 100 thoughts that go through your head in the first 2 hours of the day. Examine these thoughts and you will find the direction to your life.
Start your day early. Wake up at least one hour before you actually need to work. If you can wake up 2-4 hours before you need to work then you are truly blessed.
This can be a rough template that you could follow. Please feel free to tweak based on your needs.
Wake up before the alarm and get out of bed within a few seconds of opening your eyes. Don't lie lazily in bed except on holidays (if you must laze about)
Watch your first few thoughts. Are your thoughts on love, abundance, gratitude, health, success or is it on pain, failure, loss, shame, guilt, etc?
When you brush your teeth and look at yourself in the mirror what are you telling yourself? Are you building yourself up or cutting yourself up into pieces?
Have a conversation with your Creator. Spend some time in silence connecting with your inner core. Meditate
Work your body up to face the day. 10 push-ups. 10 situps. 30 secs plank and a brisk run for 30 minutes do wonders for your body and mind.
Get the early morning sun to fall on your skin for at least 15 mins
Read for 15 minutes and learn something new. You could listen to an audiobook while running and save this time.
Look at your day's priorities and put yourself in the zone to achieve them. Are they aligned to your life purpose or moving you away from it. Recalibrate the day so you can accomplish what you believe you are born to do.
Drink 1 ltr of water in the first 1-2 hours of waking up.
Have a nutritious breakfast with fresh fruits, veggies, nuts, and some protein.
Now go and face the day with confidence that you are prepared to take it on.
How you start the day makes or breaks your day. Having said that, even if you have setbacks and couldn't do all that you wanted to while starting the day, you can still go on and seize the day.
Carpe diem my friend!
Rise and shine!
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