How to set up Each Day for Success - Routines!
Summer has come to an end, school is back in session, which comes with a big adjustment for both adults and kids. Are you primed and ready with a bulletproof routine?
Maybe this scenario sounds somewhat familiar…
You wake up an hour before your commitments begin and rush to get ready. You shower at lightning speed and grab your coffee before running out the door. Still, your daily life leaves you feeling discombobulated and overwhelmed. Long before the week is over, you’re burned out and know you won't make it through feeling accomplished and in a good mood.
How do you get out of this miserable rut? One word: Routines.
From the time you get up, till you plop in bed, your routine (or lack of one) will either help or break you. I have found, that without a basic routine in our household, we waste so much time and energy, we are absolutely exhausted within a few days.
Morning and evening routines prime you for success. They help you achieve a more balanced life, think clearly, be the best (parent, partner, coworker) you can be and believe it or not, keep you healthy! Not only do routines help you accomplish the things that actually matter to you; they also keep you from stumbling through your day and make sure to set up your immune system to stay healthy.
All it takes is a bit of discipline, along with routines that will set you and your family up for success. Today I’d like to share with you the “what” and “why” of routines, along with 12 morning and evening routines you can implement to create more perfect and healthy days.
OK, let’s dive in on ways you can tweak your existing, or completely overhaul, your daily routine….
The Science of Habits and Creating Routines
First, let’s define what Routine means: A routine is a sequence of actions that you do repeatedly.
Brushing your teeth nightly and getting ready for bed is a routine. Waking up at 6:00 AM and exercising every morning is a routine. Purchasing a bagel and reading the news before you head to work every morning is a routine. Even eating chips while watching Netflix is a routine. They’re all actions that happen again and again, a rhythm in your daily life.
That doesn't make them all good routines - they're simply routines by virtue of being done regularly. Helpful or not, every routine is powerful.
Routines Create Achievements:
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. Aristotle
Productivity guru and experimenter extraordinaire Tim Ferris has five morning rituals to get him into a productive state of mind: making his bed, meditating, exercise, drinking tea, and journaling. Performance coach Tony Robbins also uses a morning routine, which includes a cold shower, breathing exercises, and meditation to prepare him for each day.
High achievers tend to find routines that work for them and then stick to them - it's typically something they credit as a core to their success. I’m not saying you need to become a world renowned achiever, but wouldn't it be nice to breeze through your days and feel healthy, ready and open to new opportunities as they present themselves in your life?
Habits vs. Routines vs. Rituals
Wondering what the difference is between habits, routines, and rituals?
Habits are things that we do automatically - things like brushing your teeth first thing in the morning or putting your keys in a specific spot when you get home.
Routines are usually a collection of habits or actions you do on a regular basis to bring order to your day - like doing these things before you go to sleep at night… turning off all the lights in the house, then getting in your PJ’s, then setting your alarm clock, and finally turning off your own light.
Rituals are like routines. The main difference is the attitude behind the actions: Taking a walk everyday at lunch could be considered a routine if you think of it as something you need to do for your productivity. Or it could be a ritual if you think of it as a way to break out of the mundane and enjoy nature. While we're focusing on habits and routines here, most routines could be turned into rituals with a change of perspective.
Routines Put Our Brains on Autopilot
But what makes routines so powerful? As it turns out, we're creatures of habit and can use that to accomplish whatever we want. Here’s how habits put our brains into an automatic state where little or no willpower is required.
It works like this:
Step 1: Something happens that serves as a cue to your brain, putting it into "automatic" mode. A simple example is waking up. When I wake up, my brain immediately knows that it’s time to turn on the coffee machine. This habit has been ingrained in my brain over years.
Step 2: Execute the routine. This is where I actually turn on the coffee machine, wait for it to brew, pour it into my favorite mug, sit in a chair by the kitchen window, and finally drink the coffee.
Step 3: Reap the rewards of the routine. The delicious flavor and high-octane caffeine reinforce the routine so that the next morning I repeat it again.
Making coffee is just one small routine, but the daily consistency of it helps keep me going. Imagine other, more powerful tasks that can empower you to accomplish big things came as easy as making coffee?
This is the power of routines. The small repeated actions can have an exponential effect. By implementing routines in the morning and evening, you can prime yourself for maximum productivity and freedom each day.
Morning Routines to help you Start the Day off Right
Rise Early:
There are exceptions, such as Winston Churchill who liked to say in bed until 11:00 AM, but many people rise early in order to prepare for the day. In those early hours, they can execute their routines while the rest of the world is asleep.
Consider these examples:
Square CEO Jack Dorsey rises at 5:30 so that he can go for a six-mile jog.
Virgin Group founder Richard Branson wakes at 5:45 to exercise and eat a proper breakfast.
Apple CEO Tim Cook gets up at 4:30 so he can send emails and be at the gym by 5:00.
Even if they aren't naturally morning larks (the opposite of night owls) they've trained themselves to wake up early for the many benefits an early rise can bring. Those include increased productivity with fewer distractions in the early morning, greater creativity because your mind is fresh, and less stress if you use that extra time for meditation or quiet contemplation. It could make you happier, too: Researchers in one study found that morning-type individuals reported higher levels of positivity and well-being.
Tip: Even if you're a night owl, you can train yourself to become a morning person by waking up 20 minutes earlier every day and soaking in some sunlight as soon as you wake.
Make Your Bed:
If there's one habit you should adopt to improve your life, it's making your bed every day. That, at least, is the advice from Navy Seal Admiral William H. McCraven:
If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.
Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you'll never be able to do the big things right. And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.
It's all about the small things.
Get some Exercise:
There are few things more transformative than exercise. Exercising in the morning increases blood flow, releases endorphins, and strengthens your body. It prepares you for the coming day, increases your overall energy levels, and helps you remain in optimal health. Numerous studies have shown that exercise is key in fighting depression and anxiety, plus it increases your natural immunity to fend off disease.
Implementing a daily routine of exercise will prepare you for maximum success through the day. And it doesn't even have to be a full gym workout to reap the benefits: A brisk walk in your neighborhood, a 10-minute workout, or a quick yoga session can get you going.
Eat a proper breakfast:
The fuel you consume in the morning has a significant effect on your ongoing performance - and thus, it should be the best fuel possible.
Stay away from high-sugar, high-fat breakfasts (skip the all fruit juice) and instead go for protein with high fiber, complex carbs. These foods will give you energy and satisfy your food cravings while setting the stage for good decisions all day.
If you need some examples, try some of these from my cookbook, “Eat Like Your Life Depends on It”.
Sausage, Egg and Cheese Sandwich on Cloud Bread
Banana Pancakes
Crispy Chicken & Waffles
Frittata
Omelet
Take a cold shower:
This one may seem a little extreme, but many people swear by taking cold showers each morning. It's similar to athletes who take ice baths, although slightly less frigid.
Why a cold shower? Because it can increase blood flow, burn away unhealthy fat, and release dopamine into the body. Like exercise, it kick starts your body.
This is why Tony Robbins plunges into 57 degree water every morning. He’s convinced that it is essential for maximum productivity.
These might seem like minor things--waking up early, making your bed, exercising, eating a good breakfast, and taking a cold shower - but taken together into one consistent routine you do every day, you're well prepped to face anything that happens after. A morning routine takes the stress out of the start of the day and puts you on the best footing from the get-go.
Of course, customize your morning routine for your own preferences. I personally add a few other things to my morning routine: silence, visualization, reading, and journaling.
Evening Routines that Set the Tone for the Next Day
The close of each day is just as important as the start. By implementing evening routines, you ready yourself for the next morning, recharge with a restful night, and minimize the resistance you encounter in getting things done.
Prepare your List for the Next Day:
Determining your objectives for the coming day does two things. First, it allows you to identify your most important tasks in advance - before all the pressures of the day arrive on your doorstep. Ideally, the first few hours of each day should be spent conquering your most challenging task. This idea has been given various names, such as “Eating the Frog” and Slaying the Dragon”.
Second, it allows your brain to begin thinking about those tasks as you fall asleep.
Identifying daily priorities might seem like an obvious or insignificant step to take, but writing your most important tasks down the previous night turns your subconscious mind loose while you sleep and frees you from worrying about being unprepared. You’ll probably find that you wake up with great ideas related to the tasks or conversations that you hadn’t even considered!
Reflect on the Day’s Achievements:
It can be easy to lose sight of victories after a long day. Taking just a few moments at the end of the day to reflect on and celebrate your wins puts things into the proper perspective and gives you encouragement for the coming day. It helps you overcome the discouragement that often comes with setbacks.
In addition to asking at the start of his day "What good shall I do this day?", Benjamin Franklin asked every evening "What good have I done today?".
If you reflect on the things you did right, on your successes, that allows you to celebrate every little success. It allows you to realize how much you’ve done right, the good things you’ve done in your life.
You can do this in a variety of ways, including jotting things down in a blank notebook, a gratitude journal, or on your phone.
Clear your Head:
It’s easy to take your stresses and work to bed, making it difficult to fall asleep as you mull over problems. Clearing your head before sleep allows you to put aside the challenges of the day and ready your mind to shut down. There are numerous ways to do this, including:
Meditation
Light reading
Watching a peaceful television show (The Walking Dead probably isn’t your best bet)
Doing a "brain dump" of all the thoughts in your head in a journal before you go to bed
Buffer CEO Joel Gascoigne describes his disengagement routine this way:
For me, this is going for a 20-minute walk every evening at 9:30 p.m. This is a wind-down period, and allows me to evaluate the day, think about the big picture of life, gradually stop thinking about stresses and reach a state of tiredness.
Your goal is to engage your mind in something completely non-work related.
Prepare for the Next Morning:
In order to minimize the amount of thinking you need to do in the morning, take time to prepare things. Pick out the clothes you’ll wear, prepare the food you’ll eat, prep the coffeemaker, and organize any work related materials you need to bring. If you’ll be going to the gym, lay out your workout clothes and water.
The less time and mental energy you expend on inconsequential things, the more you’ll have for the things that matter.
Tidy Up:
Waking up to a messy home isn't the most motivating way to start your day. Without regular sessions cleaning up and putting things away, you'll find your place quickly in disarray.
Thankfully, spending just 10 to 20 minutes a night tidying up will help reduce stress in the mornings and help you avoid marathon cleaning sessions on the weekends. If there's only one thing you do, clean and shine your sink. Like making your bed in the morning, this one task will give you a sense of accomplishment. Housekeeping guru Martha Stewart says:
This is your first household chore. Many of you can’t understand why I want you to empty your sink of your dirty dishes and clean and shine it when there is so much more to do. It is so simple; I want you to have a sense of accomplishment! [...] When you get up the next morning, your sink will greet you, and a smile will come across your lovely face. I can’t be there to give you a big hug, but I know how good it feels to see yourself in your kitchen sink. [...]
Go shine your sink!
Also, if you have children, you know the importance of setting up solid routines with them. They can help out too!
Practice proper Sleep Hygiene:
Very few people practice proper sleep hygiene and their sleep suffers as a result. Generally speaking, you should:
Stick to the same sleep and wake schedule.
Minimize blue light from screens, and using "Night Mode" on your mobile device.
Set the temperature in your room to between 60-65°F .
Make your room as dark as possible.
It can be easy to minimize the importance of sleep, but it’s absolutely essential for optimum performance. In fact, sleep is so crucial that Arianna Huffington devoted an entire Ted Talk to it (link here).
The Bottom Line
It can be really tough to build routines into your life. It takes intention and discipline. Sometimes it feels simpler to just get the day started and then after a long workday crash into bed.
But the good thing about routines and habits is that the more you do them, the easier they become. They become ingrained in your day to the point where you find it harder to not do them.
So stick with it. You may find it tedious at first, but you’ll find your days will flow much more smoothly when you've bookended them with quality morning and evening routines.
To create your morning and evening routines, you can write up a checklist that you can walk through every day until it becomes ingrained in you or set up a schedule. For example:
6 am: wake, make the bed, get coffee started
6:15: drink coffee and read affirmations
6:30: exercise
7: eat breakfast
7:15: shower
8-5: work
6: dinner
7:30: tidy up
8: time with family, TV, or other form of relaxation and entertainment
9:30: journaling or meditation
10: bedtime
So, what' do your daily routines look like? I hope these pointers have helped you get started, or at least tidy up your existing ones. I look forward to hearing what works and doesn’t work for you and your family when it comes to daily routines when you come into the office this week.
Don’t forget the (5) Essentials we talk about at Ferguson Life Health Centers…
Mindset
Nerve Supply
Nutrition
Exercise
Minimizing Toxins
There are NO LIMITS of what you can create, you are POWERFUL and there is nothing that you can not have or achieve! Believe in your power, believe in yourself and let go of what no longer serves you! ♡ Design your life, Create your reality…
This is life changing!
* * * * * * *