Morning Routines
As we enter the new year, there is a collective emphasis placed on starting fresh with positive habits or “resolutions”. I have always been a fan of setting goals around the new year, and each year I am amazed by looking back at my previous year’s goals and seeing everything that I accomplished. This year, my main goal is to achieve a greater degree of personal clarity and inner peace.
Aimed at this goal, I realized that a solid morning routine is essential for me, so I reevaluated my current practices. Previously my morning routine was wildly ambitious, but also undefined. It usually incorporated some type of workout (yoga, pilates or surfing), and I assumed “more is better”. If I slept in, I would be upset with myself for not completing an hour or more of activity before transitioning into my work day. If I had 30 minutes to spare, I would waste them instead of doing something, because I told myself it wasn’t worth it if I wasn’t all-in. Without setting a clear goal, I was setting myself up for failure. There were no clear guardrails on my practice, so I never felt accomplished and it was challenging to be consistent.
Upon reevaluation, I set a very clear and specific intention for my morning routine, and I encourage you to do the same. Find something realistically achievable that you can stick to every single day, then have options for expansion as time allows. For me, I decided on 15 minutes of daily breathwork first thing when I wake up as my baseline. If I achieve that, then I accomplish my goal. Anything above and beyond is gravy. If I sleep in, I can always find 15 minutes. If I’m sick, I can do it in bed. If I’m traveling, I can do it anywhere without being the guy doing yoga in the airport terminal.
This is what a typical morning looks like for me now:
5:45 am: Wake up, drink a few glasses of water, ideally with salt and lemon.
6:00 am: 15 minutes of breathwork.
6:15 am: Silent meditation as long as I feel called.
From there, I have up to 2 hours to do another activity of choice before starting my workday around 8:30. I usually practice yoga, surf, or take my dog to the park. Sometimes I decide to start work early, sometimes I make a fancy breakfast, sometimes I don’t do anything “productive” at all. It doesn’t matter - I’ve already accomplished my goal.
Your morning routine will look different than mine. There is no perfect solution. Find what works for you, and iterate over time. But no matter what you do, make it specific, realistic, and commit.
To clarity and inner peace in 2021.
