“The early morning has gold in its mouth.”
Benjamin Franklin
Each day we are given an opportunity to start a new day. A new day means a new space where we can create something new. Lead us closer to who we aspire to become and achieve worthwhile goals.
A new day is a chance to renew, revitalize and act on our highest purpose. To make the most out of the gift of life. To harness the capabilities of your mind. The only freedom we have is the way we think which leads to how we feel and act moment to moment. Let’s take a look at some insights that will make each day optimized to its full.
1. Prepare the night before
“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Your morning routine starts the night before. Decide what time you shall rise. Keep your phone away from your bed so when the alarm goes off you will be obliged to stand turn the alarm off. If heading out on a walk prepare the shoes right by the door. It is called lessening the friction of the habits you want to form.
2. Eliminate Decision Fatigue
Each evening before going to bed do a quick assessment of where you are in your life. Identify your long term goals and short term goals. Decide on how you are going to spend the precious moments of your morning. Be specific on what actions you are going to take say between 5:00am – 7:00am. These 2 hours utilized with accuracy and consistency will bring you exponential growth. Much time and energy is wasted on decision making with questions like how I’m I going to achieve my goal? Rather, decide the night before and all you need to think about is execution in the morning. Deep intense focused work with your mind uncluttered is a sure fire way to go about what ever you are planning to achieve.
3. Quality Sleep
Quality of sleep doesn’t necessarily mean many hours of sleep. It means you sleep in peace knowing exactly what you are going to do as soon as you wake up. Avoid watching the news, other media and thinking of your problems. Clear the mind before going to bed by asking your subconscious mind to answer all of your questions as you sleep. The thoughts you think right before going to bed is what your subconscious will accept as truth.
“one should never go to sleep without requesting something to the subconscious mind.”
– Thomas Edison
4. 2 Minute Breathing
This can be planned the night before. Upon waking up, sit with your spine erect and just breathe for two minutes. This establishes a good relationship between your awareness and your mind. You will notice the minds non stop chattering and in this two minutes, establish your distance from the mind and carry that space all throughout the day.
“When life is foggy, path is unclear and mind is dull, remember your breath. It has the power to give you the peace. It has the power to resolve the unsolved equations of life.”
– Amit Ray
5. Hydrate & Change Environment
“If there is Magic on this planet, it is contained in water.”
– Lorn Eiseley
Your body uses up a lot of water while you sleep so hydrate immediately or after your moment of silence. Changing your environment like walking outside immediately gets you out of your head and into the body. Tuning yourself to the earth and provides clarity on your next moves.
“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”
Mark Caine
Remember the last time you went to somewhere new? Your brain was induced with dopamine and you were excited like a child. Changing environment will give you freshness when you get back to deep focused work. So including a little walk to your morning routine will be beneficial.
6. Start with a Smile
The first couple of moments after you wake will set the tone of your whole day. Be intentional in smiling. Smiling provides relaxation and relieves tension. Don’t wait for something extraordinary to happen before you smile. Just start your day with positive expectancy, hope for the best, gently navigating your way as best as you can. Smile first, then the universe will provide more of what to smile about.
“A smile is happiness you’ll find right under your nose.”
7. Cultivate Gratitude
This can be done anytime of day. Close your eyes and think of three things you are grateful for. Gratitude celebrates what we already have and sets our minds to receive more. If we are thankful and tuned in to humility we tap into a power greater than us. So if you got your needs met, get happy now and don’t worry about the things you don’t have.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
– Oprah
Try having a little notebook and make it your gratitude journal. Write on it whenever you feel grateful. It’s nice to look at it from time to time to remind us of the fullness of life.
“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.”
8. Tidy up
“Only by taking care of your immediate environment can you then move onto bigger challenges.”
– Jordan Peterson
Tidy up as you go. Cleaning and organizing your surroundings will get you more inspired and clear on what you set out to do. Clearing a small part of your room let’s say your desk has a tremendous impact on your overall mood and happiness. So as you go about your day, make it a habit of leaving things better than you find them.
9. Play Relaxing Music
You know that feeling when you enter a nice spa? There are certain tones and vibrations that shifts your mood instantaneously. Look into Solfeggio tones.
“Music brings a warm glow to my vision, thawing mind and muscle from their endless wintering.”
Haruki Murakami
10. Minimize your to do
Narrow down your activities to the bare essentials. Pick 3 things that must be done within the day. Narrowing it down to three increases the likelihood of it getting finished. The trick here is choosing what 3 key actions to dedicate your time on that helps your higher purpose. Maybe writing an article? Practicing an instrument? A exercise regimen? Set some bright lines and make it non negotiable. Put Important tasks first before the urgent.
- Important activities have an outcome that leads to us achieving our goals, whether these are professional or personal.
- Urgent activities demand immediate attention, and are usually associated with achieving someone else’s goals. They are often the ones we concentrate on and they demand attention because the consequences of not dealing with them are immediate.
Make it a point to prioritize the important before being too busy with urgent.
Hope these tips help you in achieving your perfect mornings!