“If you win the morning, you win the day”
- Tim Ferriss
As an adult, I’ve been captivated by experimentation. Finding aspects of my life that feel out of alignment while discovering patterns that better suit my personal growth. This has stemmed from wanting to feel and perform better throughout the day. Over time, I’ve found the best adaptations have been the ones that I continually come back to out of habit.
The most impactful routine has been a dedicated morning routine. This list has adapted over time and some things get reprioritized depending on the day. But, I keep coming back to them. I notice how certain items impact me throughout the day if I didn’t do them in the morning.
For most of my life, I woke up not long before I had to rush out of the door at the whim of someone else's time or schedule. Waking up in an anxious state, got dressed, brushed my teeth, and rushed out the door. Not setting aside anytime for myself. I was always baffled at why people got up earlier, that is, until I made the attempt. Taking the personal financial concept of "paying yourself first" and giving myself time before I'm needed elsewhere.
Having a slower start to the day invokes a calmer nervous system. Switching from a reactive to a proactive state of mind. No longer rushing around in a fury. Giving time & space to ease into the flow of the day. Creating clarity and intention that sets the day into motion. I feel more productive and more joy knowing that I’ve done something for myself prior to getting caught in the wake of the day.
Before we dive into the list here, take note, not every day am I completing everything on this list. There are certain ones that are my go-to because have they larger effects than others. Even if I complete 70% of the items below, I know I’ll feel better in my body during that day. It’s not about progress for the sake of progress or perfection.
Waking two hours before work
Since working remotely, my workday starts between 9 and 10am. Normally, I’m getting out of bed between 6 & 7am. This brings up the concept of sleep. Since I prefer to get eight hours of sleep at night, I’m in bed by 10 to 11pm.
To start the day off right, you need solid rest. This has huge implications for the rest of your day. If you are not getting good sleep, you’ll feel it throughout your day. Sure there are times where I’ll stay up later but it’s rare these days. Even on those days, I wake up at my normal time. This keeps my routine and circadian rhythm in check.
I’ve tried getting up at earlier hours but it hasn’t suited me. Instead of forcing myself to get up at 5am, I found a schedule that works best for me and my natural rhythm. Your routine should feel good to you, not a struggle. Sure, there are times where I’ll challenge myself to try a new habit, but it has to stick for me to stay with it long term.
Make the bed
As soon as I wake, the first thing I do is make my bed. This isn’t something I’ve always done nor cared about, just ask my mom. She’ll say I was a slob growing up, and she is right about that. But I digress, by making the bed as soon as I wake I’ve completed a small task that sets the day in motion. It clears the mind by tidying up your space. For me, I will get distracted if there is clutter that needs to be taken care of. It’s a small weight that can be a distraction later on. Your internal world is a reflection of the external. To drive into creative & deep work, I need a clean space without distractions; it all starts with making my bed.
Getting ready
Next, I’ll brush my teeth, scrape my tongue, and get cleaned up prior to getting outside. We all know the benefits of brushing our teeth, but a few years ago I was turned on to tongue scraping which is a feature of Ayurveda. It’s a strange concept, but there are true benefits. Research has shown by scraping your tongue twice a day can improve your sense of taste and reduce Mutans streptococci and Lactobacilli bacteria in the mouth. These bacteria types are known to cause bad breath and dental decay. From there, I’ll wash my face and get dressed to head outside.
Getting outside
After getting ready, I’ll take my dog out for a walk. Not only, is it great for him, but it gets me moving earlier in the day. In the morning when it’s cold outside, your body feels invigorated with the crisp air filling your lungs, trigging your body's “awake” response. Even if the sun isn’t shining, the benefits of allowing yourself to wake up outside include the brain slowing its production of melatonin in response to natural light, making you feel more awake, and giving you that morning adrenaline boost. On average, I get about 2500 steps in before the day has started.
On these walks, I won’t bring any technology with me. I allow myself to be present, taking in what is around me, and keeping a clear mind. It’s important to spend time “unplugged” and give yourself a chance to feel grounded in your body. Since we are over-connected to technology today, any time I can carve out without technology the better.
Drinking water with lemon and sea salt
As adults, many of us don’t drink nearly enough water. When I was younger, I rarely drank water. My go-to morning drinks were energy drinks. Trying to force my body to “wake up”, but after switching to warm water, I could feel the difference. I felt more hydrated and more alert.
Warm water with lemon helps balance your body’s acidity (pH). The alkalizing effects of lemon and Himalayan sea salt are useful for managing your body’s delicate pH balance, which is crucial for optimal functioning of the body’s systems.
A note here, table salt and Himalayan sea salt are not the same. The natural harvesting process allows pink Himalayan salt to possess many other minerals and trace elements that are not found in regular table salt, such as calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium.
A daily glass of warm lemon water with natural sea salt may provide a better mineral balance, help promote proper food and water absorption in your body and improve the uptake of essential nutrients.
Brew coffee or tea
Years ago I was reading Zen Habits from Leo Babauta where he mentioned his process for making tea, which is all about presence. Taking solace in the moment and being presently focused on the process. A ritual of slowness, taking a few moments to breathe and be mindful.
I start my days with coffee more often than tea. I’ll make tea late morning/early afternoon as another way to take a moment to escape from the rush of the day.
Read or journal
Reading has been my escape for the past few years. While I was living on the road, I didn’t have great wifi access therefore books became my haven for entertainment. It’s become a daily habit, even if it is a few pages. At the moment, I’ve recently finished Dharma Bums by Kerouac and started Dune by Frank Herbert.
Journalling came to me later in life. Was never called to it until before I set off in the Airstream on my travels. I went through a relationship transition around that time and had more free time once I set off on the road. My journals became a place of catharsis, giving me perspectives from my emotions and a way to document my travels. Helping me through my darker days and basking in the beautiful ones. Looking back, I wish I started this habit sooner.
Honestly, it’s an incredible way to see growth over time in myself. For example, seeing where I’ve been getting stuck in past patterns/beliefs. Now, I use journaling as a way to write out what I’m feeling or thinking that morning. It’s a way to cleanse the palette. Get your thoughts out of your head and on paper so they don’t weigh you down throughout the day. There are days it’s insightful or poetic and others, mundane; either way, it drastically improves my mental health, sense of gratitude, and mindfulness.
Movement
We all know the power of movement and exercise. The benefits are clear. will give you more energy throughout the day, better alertness & mood, supports weight loss and appetite control, to name a few. For me, I’m not trying to go all out for this. I’ll spend 20-30 minutes between each of these depending on the day and my mood. Somedays I’ll spend more time meditating or stretching while others will be kettlebell work. I listen to my body and adapt based on that.
Meditation
Meditation has been all the rage of late. It’s everywhere from apps like Calm or Sam Harris’s Waking Up. There are many resources that make it easy to get started. Depending on the day, my practice could be a few minutes or 10-15.
Recently, my practice has been sitting crossed-legged in the sun, closing my eyes, focusing on my breath, while mindfully watching my thoughts. The goal is to not get attached to your thoughts, watch them come in like a wave, and surrender to them versus getting bogged down by them. It’s a great way to clear your mind while giving you a sense of clarity. With practice, it allows you to distance yourself from your thoughts and emotions throughout the day. Again, switching from a reactive to proactive state of mind.
I didn’t get into meditation until the last year or two in the way I practice now. When I was living in San Francisco, I started meditating when I was on my BART commute to work. BART can be very hectic in the morning, so after finding a seat or a place to stand, I’d close my eyes and focus on my breath and tune out the distractions. It became a reprieve in not getting washed up in the chaos of the morning commute, a way to escape inward.
Stretching & Yoga
My first foray into deep stretching was through gymnastics in high school. As I got older it never stuck with me until I started practicing yoga. It’s now become something I can’t live without. If I don’t stretch or do a yoga flow in the morning, I’ll feel it in my body later on. Loosening up the tightness and moving stale energy around your body not only helps with flexibility but can reduce stress & anxiety.
Trust me there are days where I don’t feel “in the mood” for it but those are the days that I need it the most. Allowing me to get in tune with my breath and create a mental clarity that follows me throughout the day.
My routine tends to consist of stretching, followed by cat-cow, child’s pose, puppy pose (great for working out tightness from working in front of a computer), sage’s pose for working out the hips, forward folds, then into downward dog to start a round of sun salutations followed by savasana to relax into my body.
Kettlebell Exercises
Lastly, I’ll spend time with kettlebell flows. Kettlebells can be used for strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance training. It’s a great full-body workout without needing a gym in your house. ACE did a study that showed swinging a kettlebell burns as many as 20 calories per minute. That’s around 400 calories for a 20-minute workout! To do that running, you’d need to be running at a 6-minute per mile pace.
Kettlebell training is often high intensity, so you have the after-burn effect as well. This is called EPOC, Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. This means you will be burning calories at a higher rate long after your workout has finished.
Even 5 to 10 minutes of this type of training can provide serious benefits. Tim Ferris in his book The 4 Hour Body he calls kettlebell swings “The king of exercises—the two-handed kettlebell swing—is all you need for dramatic changes.”. Tim Ferriss’ kettlebell workout is twice a week for an average of 15-20 minutes. He uses one 53-pound kettlebell. 75 swings one hour after a light protein-rich breakfast – twice a week.
My go-to movements with kettlebells are kettlebell swings, squats, deadlifts, suitcase lunges, push presses, and halos. This isn’t an everyday thing for me but I’ll add them to my routine a few times a week. You’d be surprised at how much you feel it after doing just 50 or 75 swings!
I’ve developed this routine over time, little by little adding and removing as I see fit. I challenge you to try one item from this list in your morning routine. If you even feel 1% better throughout the day, every day, that can have a massive impact on your life. Don’t take the small wins for granted, they add up to monumental changes over the long haul.
Take a minute to reflect on your state of mind when you wake in the morning. Are you feeling rushed? Is your mind cluttered with all of the things you need to work on that day? Do you have time to slow down? Do you wish you had more time in the morning?
One last thing, reach out to me with your morning routine. I’d love to hear what yours looks like? Is it similar to mine, or drastically different? Is there something you do that you feel is the most important thing for you and your routine?
— fin —