Morning routine.

We’re hearing about it more and more these days. Everyone has one, well, at least anyone who has one won’t stop repping it, so it feels like everyone is doing it––kinda like Crossfit and gut health. And why the heck shouldn’t they? Once you’ve locked yourself into a good morning routine, you feel a million bucks, and most days get off to the right start. There’s a reason why successful people have morning routines––the two aren’t mutually exclusive!

There’s no right or wrong morning routine, it’s case-dependant. But after researching many of the greats and what they include in their mornings, I’ve collated four things you should probably include in your morning routine if you want to have a crack.

The four essentials:

1. Early Birds get it all.

One of the most common additions to a successful person’s morning routine seems to be early to rise. And there’s no specific time that anyone recommends, just earlier than you’re doing it now! Whatever time you’re getting up now is obviously giving you enough time to do the basic things you need to do to get to work at the appropriate time. And that might be 7am or 9am, or even midday. Everyone starts work at a different time. The point of getting up a bit earlier is, you are making time for more than the essentials––teeth, hair, coffee, shoes–– you are making time for you. Time to do the things that will help get in a good mindset for the day ahead. This is the whole purpose of a morning routine, right?

2. Exercise or meditate, or both.

Now, you don’t have to run 10kms, or take a 5am spin class. Nor do you have to meditate for an hour at the top of a mountain cross-legged. Exercise and meditation are both serving the same purpose in this instance, and that is to clear your head and blow out whatever residue might be left from the day before. The idea of a morning routine is to start the day fresh, not to carry old stressors across––to give yourself the optimal chance for success, TODAY. Both of these things will aid this clarity. And both will also generate endorphins as insurance for a good start.

It might even be a brisk walk around the block, 10mins of yoga, a little kitchen dance, followed by 5-minute guided meditation. Or even just a quiet, intentional sit for a few minutes before you get moving. You’ll benefit from all attempts.

3. List your gratitude.

Deny me this; when you’re celebrating, it’s hard to feel bad. It’s a fact. True? So, celebrate every morning. And I don’t mean drink champagne, I mean to be grateful for things. Some days are harder than others, but there’s nothing too small for a gratitude list. So even if you don’t feel like there’s anything major going well in your life, you could even just be grateful for life, your breath. This is the point––find something to be grateful for, and that’s the key to creating a positive mindset.

To help this become routine, it’s good to list them. Write it down, solidify each thought. Keep your list the same length each day––because of routine. If it’s three you want to list, do that, and do three every morning. Maybe you want to make it five or ten. Or even one. No problem. This is your routine, just make it a routine, that’s the key.

4. Visualise and plan goals.

This time isn’t necessarily for today’s goals. You’ll have plenty of time when your work day starts to figure that stuff out. This is about you and what you want from life. Think of it as a mental purge, a throw-it-out-to-the-universe style purge. It’s a time for you to clarify what you value and what you’re looking for from your days. A couple of minutes spent refining your meaning. And let it all out, so you can concentrate on the more menial life tasks ahead of you, or large and important tasks, whatever, the point is, this few minutes in your morning is a time to honour your personal goals without feeling any guilt. It will only take a couple of minutes each day but will create a groove in your brain that will help you to work toward these goals and eventually succeed.