Morning routine
We have decided to look at the subject this month because September is synonymous first and foremost with the return to work and the new school year, but it is also an ideal time to make a new beginning, to change (bad ?) habits and make (good) new resolutions.
Self-proclaimed coaches on the web maintain that the #MorningRoutine is the key to success, glory and riches.
Wikipedia defines a routine as a set of normal procedures, suggesting monotony and a lack of variety.
As these two definitions are so contradictory, it may well be a good idea to clarify certain aspects
We all have habits and mechanical actions that we perform every day between getting out of bed and arriving at our workplace.
At this time of the day, we go into “automatic pilot” mode ; our brain knows the tasks that need to be done out of habit and we act accordingly.
The principle of a morning routine means organizing ourselves to optimize our time and energy, wake up our bodies and minds to start the day under the best possible conditions. In other words, having a morning routine means knowing how to strike a compromise between obligatory constraints and physical and mental awakening to prepare for the day ahead as best we can.
But does this routine not already begin on the previous evening when you plan and anticipate actions and events to come ?
- Do you not choose what to wear in advance or to suit the next day’s schedule ?
- Do you not prepare the meal that you will take with you for your lunchtime break ?
- Do you not consult the weather forecast ?
- etc..
You see what we are getting at here ?
Unconsciously, we follow a routine and there are many ways of improving it.
Time
When time is optimized, it will be easier to define and establish a sequence of tasks and activities. Yesterday is already a thing of the past, you must live in the present, think about and anticipate tomorrow.
State of mind
Your routine must be a source of motivation and pleasure – not a constraint.
Diet
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day : that fact cannot be stressed too highly. Balanced and varied, it must be a cornerstone of your routine.
Physical activity
Awakening your body, maintaining its elasticity and enhancing its tone, developing the muscles. It is up to you to choose the activity that suits you best : yoga, fitness, stretching or even a morning run if you feel fit enough and have the time and wish to exercise in this way.
Taking care of your body also means helping it to accept the aging process.
Intellectual activity
Awakening your mind, having constructive thoughts, being receptive to new knowledge by reading or listening. You might for example combine this with the previous point : listen to a podcast during your brisk exercise. The idea is to take a short time out for positive mental reflection which is beneficial to your mood. Nourishing your mind means enriching your existence and gaining confidence. This is a moment to enjoy to the full because in the course of the day you will be caught up in our hyper-connected society with its notifications, emails, the stress of topical occurrences, conflicts and futile exchanges over the Internet.
The ASTF would certainly not wish to dictate any particular rules to you. It is up to you to define the sequence of practices that will make you truly fit to start the day.
A morning routine is first and foremost a compromise between optimization of time and activities to take good care of your physical and mental wellbeing ; it is a preparation made up of positive attitudes and activities that little by little will become habits.
In other words, conditioning and regular effort will result in real benefits. Who other than you yourself can help you to improve ?
The mistake to avoid would be that of cutting down on your hours of sleep to spend more time on the social networks…