This article talks about my journey to help make my mornings more productive, and how you can do the same. 

I spent so much time avoiding routines; using the excuse that I’m never in the same place long enough, or that I never know when I’m going to move.

That hasn’t been true for a long time now, but it’s the story I was telling myself.

I’m in London and I’m staying for a while, so I wanted to find this dreaded word that I have been avoiding forever — consistency. ⁠🚂⁠

I started developing my routine a few months ago and have been tinkering, but find if I can manage to do just 3 or 4 of these every morning, I have a pretty wicked day.

I get up early now (around 6am in Winter and 5am in Summer) and while this isn’t a requirement, it’s definitely an added boost that has revolutionised my world:

5am: Give Three Kisses To My Partner.

This serves two purposes; one, it shows her that I’m getting up, and leaving the nest. Two, it gives her notice, even in her dream state, I’m there and I’m thinking about her and I care. After a painful divorce, I value my partner more than I ever had before.

510am: Prime Your Body For Success

Doing some really gentle tai-chi is so helpful for me to change my state. 

525am: Meditate with Deepak Chopra or Wim Hof (soul)⁠🧠⁠

I call meditation a “mind-bath” and I can literally feel the difference on the days that I do and days that I do not meditate. Successful people, with far busier lives than I have, meditate every day, so it feels like a cheat code for life. I’ve written about it here.

540am: Learn Something New

Now, this is key. Jumping straight into work gets you into this ‘hamster-on-wheel’ kind of routine. Learning something new lights up different parts of the brain and allows some creativity into your life.

Right now, for example, I’m reading a number of books on healing crystals, and (jaw drops) - this stuff is AMAZING! 

550am: 5 Minute Journal

This one is quick, and gets me putting pen to paper — which feels so natural this early. I write 3 things I am grateful for, 3 things I am (ex: I am capable) and what would make today great.

If I know today is going to be stressful? Then I write down my mood and and anxieties on the page. GET IT OUT.

555am: Rapid Review of Life Goals (Purpose)⁠

My life goals hang above the huge house-plant that is starting to reach the window sill. If it just hangs there, without me reviewing it, then what’s the point of writing it? I spend 5 minutes looking at this, and it reminds me of the big picture.

600am: Eat The Frog

Pick the 3 hardest things on my to-do list, or the things that will move the needle the most, and decide to do them in the morning.

Struggling with what those are? Ask this “if I only accomplished these things, would I be satisfied with my day?”

This is now habit on weekdays now, and I do these automatically. My phone doesn’t actually come on most days till much later. It gets my days started in a positive, primed way to be less reactive and more in control of my life and I notice the days where I am doing this versus the days where I’m not. ⁠