How To Nail The Morning Routine
Have you ever gone to sleep exhausted at 3 AM, after watching too many YouTube videos to count, scrolling past the same Facebook posts five times in a row, or letting Netflix’s 15-second countdown get the best of you? You wake up somehow even sleepier than the night before, and as you hit Snooze for the third time, you make the following vow: “Tonight, I’m having a quiet evening and going to bed at 10 PM!” You say this to yourself with absolute certainty, and yet when evening rolls around, it’s the same story all over again. If you’re stuck in this sleep-deprived cycle, then hear us out on how to nail your morning routine.
KEEP IT REALISTIC
Entrepreneurship guru Tim Ferriss has a five-step morning routine, and all five items on his list range from one to ten minutes – not so daunting. What’s more, he considers himself satisfied if he hits three out of five. While there are common themes among all “morning routine” articles (e.g. making your bed first thing in the morning), it’s up to you to choose a list of steps that makes sense to you. Just make sure it’s actually manageable on a daily basis. For example, if you haven’t been to the gym in three months, deciding to go weightlifting for an hour every morning going forward is just setting yourself up for failure. It’s all about starting the day with a few easy tasks you can do day in, day out, and that leave you feeling accomplished and ready to be productive.
FIVE EASY STEPS TO START YOUR DAY OFF RIGHT
Make your bed (2 min). I’m not suggesting anything elaborate, like moving the bed away from the wall so you can tuck everything in. No, just square your comforter up with your mattress, plop your pillows down on top and you can cross it off the list. As long as it looks tidy, you’re good to go.
Make breakfast (10 to 20 min). Unless you’re trying out intermittent fasting, you want to get some food in. Squeeze oranges to get that vitamin C boost if you can, it takes two minutes and it’s a huge upgrade over bottled orange juice.
Shower (5 to 10 min). There’s nothing wrong with showering in the evening, but it’s another easy task you have to do every day anyway, so you might as well do it in the morning and enjoy crossing another item off your list. It’s also the perfect opportunity to use your new BSG Shampoo and Conditioner. Here are tips on how often to wash your hair, and how often to use conditioner.
Read (5 to 10 min). Pick up the book on your nightstand and just read a few pages. This will become a staple of your morning, and something you look forward to doing every day. If you’re not reading anything at the minute, browse your go-to news source, pick one article that catches your eye, and just take the time to read that one article.
Get ready (10 to 20 min). Of course, you have to get dressed every morning regardless, but really give yourself plenty of time to do this. Build this part of your day into your morning routine, so you don’t have to rush off. This could be your chance to try on a few outfits, or style your hair in piece using your trusty BSG pomade.
IT ALL STARTS THE NIGHT BEFORE
What many of these “tips and tricks to nail the morning routine” pieces often miss is that you won’t get anywhere if you just don’t have time to do any of these steps. So, how do you find the time? Well, the best way to make your morning less stressful and more relaxing is to sleep well. Communications and PR expert Gillian Neild addresses this in her own morning list. To get up early on a daily basis, there is no way around it: you have to go to bed early on a daily basis. That way, you can get your eight hours consistently. She also recommends making a to-do list at night. It takes only five to ten minutes of thoughtful reflection, and it gives you direction when you wake up (and more things you can cross off lists for that productive feeling).
Finally, find your motivation. What’s the thing you’re going to look forward to every day? It could be hitting the gym, meditating, researching the art of competitive eating, or even trying out different styles with your BSG pomade.