Morning routines are the harbinger of productivity and focus. Every self-help book credits a morning routine as a cure-all for all your problems.
Starting your day on the right note will not harm the process in any way but it can become a hindrance if it’s not edited and regulated timely.
There’s always a risk that your morning routine will end up becoming a bigger priority than your actual goal, it’ll happen gradually over time once you realize the benefits of your morning routine.
Moreover, it’s a good way to procrastinate without feeling guilty as it gives you the feeling of being productive.
A good morning routine consists of these three simple principles.
- A routine that centers your mind and spirit.
- Activities that gear you up for the day and motivate you to do better.
- A routine that uplifts your mood and calms your morning anxiety.
You need to find activities that fulfill all three requirements but what’s more important is that it’s time-cost-friendly and it has to be easy as well.
That’s why we get lost in the mayhem of morning routine activities, you have to experiment more to find the one that best suits your lifestyle.
The Paradox Of Productivity
Productivity has been trending since the initiation of the hustler’s movement, but it’s now taken a backseat after the quiet quitting and great resignation.
But still, it's a prominent component that helps an individual measure his everyday worth. The better you perform, the more satisfied you feel at the end of the day.
So, you can’t get off the productivity wagon. It’s a universal metric that helps measure the importance of a day, week, and month.
But you get trapped by productivity gurus who sell the idea of an “effortless” morning routine that consists of multiple habits, all of which must be performed at a certain time and in a specific order.
But that’s not how productivity works. Doing more things is not the key to cracking this mystery, doing hard tasks is more important.
Multiple tasks will make you more tired in the morning and the morning routine itself will start to feel like a burden.
You Kill Your Flow State With a Morning Routine
You wake in an automated flow state every morning . Your brain switches from delta waves to theta waves when you wake up, which are perfect for jumping into a flow session.
There’s a productivity practice that utilizes the automated flow state — “Eat the frog” in which you’re required to do the biggest task of the day early on.
Maybe not right after waking up but you need to complete this task before lunch. It beats procrastination even before you have the time to think about it.
Utilize the automated flow state in the mornings by completing one important task before you start your morning routine. It can help you form a momentum for the day.
Pick the task you want to do the night before to prepare accordingly. Starting your morning with work will set you on the path of productivity.
The Secret To A Successful Morning Routine
Checking off an important task is the best way to start the day, it will boost your productivity right out of the gate.
A challenging task in the morning will gear your brain for productivity but it can lead to burnout if you don’t relax afterward.
So, a morning routine is necessary, as it’ll help you recoup from the task and power up the day.
But you don’t need a multiple-step morning routine when you can achieve the same results with just one habit.
Movement and meditation are the two activities that can help you achieve optimal productivity later in the day.
So, make a routine that helps you combine these two elements. Keep your morning routine as minimal as possible.
I have narrowed down my morning routine to just one habit — Yoga as it’s a boon for mental and physical health.
You can start by cutting down the fluff in your morning routine. Aim for a minimalistic routine that consists of two activities at most.
A Two-Step Routine For Better Productivity
Morning routines are hard to form and even harder to follow, but they wield the power to change your life.
You can function with optimal productivity if you start your day on the right note. But it’s a challenge to form a morning routine.
Over the years I have tried and tested most of the popular morning routine habits including. Cold showers and early morning workouts were the bain to my existence.
I used to feel drained even before starting my workday. These habits no matter how healthy didn’t work for me.
So, I boiled down my morning routine to two habits.
- Start the day with a cup of lukewarm water.
- Do yoga for at least 20 minutes.
I do yoga after “eating the frog” every morning. This simple morning routine works best for me as it doesn’t require me to do things that I despise.
So, form a morning routine that’s simple and effective but above all don’t do habits that you hate. It doesn’t matter how healthy they are if they suck the joy out of your soul.
Conclusion
Morning routines are not necessary but they can trigger a flow state easily. If you’re someone who can do quality work from the get-go then you don’t need a routine.
But for most people, it’s an intricate process that takes time. A morning routine can help you bridge this gap as it’s the easiest way to get in the flow.
A successful morning routine is made of these three habits.
- Conquer your automated flow state by doing a small but important task right after waking up.
- A top-notch morning routine only needs two things — movement and meditation.
- Keep your morning routine short, try to cut it down to only one habit that focuses on both meditation and movement like walking meditation.