10 Things You Need To Do To Have Consistently Incredible Mornings
Ever since the beginning of time, people have understood what is important about mornings. Rising with the sun, (or before), has been something that people have done for centuries. If you were running a farm, you’d have to rise before the sun came up in order to get all of the work done.
But now, just like back then, mornings still suck.
You only had so much daylight and you had to spend it wisely — the same applies today. Except back then, there were no phones to be distracted by, snooze buttons to post-pone the inevitable time you have to wake up, or screens to mess up melatonin production.
“Every morning, I wake up saying, ‘I’m still alive, a miracle.’ And so I keep on pushing.” — Jim Carrey
How can we return to the ways of those who got so much real work done, and apply what they knew about themselves and the world to the way we do our work today? Here are six of my own answers to that ever-important question:
1 | Don’t check your phone first thing
When you check your phone first thing in the morning, you are caving to an addiction, hijacking any positive and motivating thoughts you might have woken up with, and distracting yourself from the opportunity of time you have to spend in front of you.
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” — Stephen Covey
If you’re still doubtful, try it. For a few days, don’t plug your phone in beside your bed or even in your bedroom. Take your phone charger out of its socket and move it to the bathroom or the kitchen. Wake up with an alarm clock, and have your morning routine materials set up. You’ll be too tired to go find it, and will, hopefully, end up doing something different instead.
Try it — I bet you won’t regret it.
2 | Implement the miracle morning
Many have called this the Hour of Power, and implement it accordingly. This is an hour, give or take, dedicated to YOU. This time is not for your email, or for creating a to-do list, or for doing menial tasks dedicated to your low energy moments in the afternoon. This time is for you to do the most important work for you — without interruption or input from others.
“Until we can manage time, we can manage nothing else.” — Peter Drucker
I have a tracker for my Miracle Morning, and for the entire month of December, aside from a few days I was out of town, completed and checked off the elements of my Miracle Morning every day. The elements, outlined by Hal Elrod in his book The Miracle Morning, are meditation, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and journaling.
