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Today, you’ll learn more about why setting a routine can be a challenge. By
understanding the root causes for your behaviors, you’ll learn how to make changes and
stick with them. You’ll also discover some positive daily routines that can lead you to a
healthier and happier life.
Finding and adopting the right daily routine will re-energize you and help you regain
wasted time. Your mind and body will thank you for the decreased anxiety and extra
care you’ve given it. Here’s to a healthier, calmer, and higher-achieving you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You can have energizing, time-saving routines, or you can adopt draining, inefficient
routines. The choice is up to you. Don’t feel bad if you know that some unhealthy habits
have crept into your day. The important thing is to recognize them so that you can make
a change.
An excellent daily routine sets you up for success. If you make just one change that saves
you 10 minutes per day, you can regain 60 hours of your precious time back
each year.[1]
Recently, I’ve had an interview with a renowned productivity and time management
coach, Carl Pullein, about his daily routine.
“I wake up at 5 AM every weekday morning and spend the first 45 minutes studying
Korean and then 15 minutes in quiet meditation.
At 6 AM I will check my email for 20 minutes (that’s a strict 20 minutes) I will reply to
emails that can be replied to in less than 2 minutes and save other emails that need a
longer reply to my “Action Today” folder which I will deal with when I have time later
that day.
10:00 AM is nap time, usually 20 to 40 mins. It depends on how tired I feel but I try to
allow a complete hour for resting.
2 PM is exercise time. This has set days. Sunday to Thursday are exercise days and at 2
PM on those days, I will stop what I am doing and do my exercise for the day.
8:30 PM is 40 minutes dog walking. During that time I have no digital devices with me.
It’s just me and my dog and nature. This is the best time of the day for reflection and
idea generation.
At 10 PM, I will close down my day with a set routine of some basic admin tasks, setting
my objectives for the next day and closing out my journal for the day. This usually lasts
around 30 minutes. Then it’s bed time around 11 PM.”
Carl has been following this routine for over 10 years — nap time, email time, exercise,
dog walking and closing down his day. He thinks the biggest benefit of having a set
routine is that you will start doing things you may not want to do. These things will
become your habits.
“You no longer overthink things and persuade yourself not to do them. Instead, no
matter how you feel, you will just do it.”
For example, Carl has wanted to get fluent at Korean for years but failed miserably each
time. So this year, he is determined to achieve that goal. He has joined what Robin
Sharma calls the “5 AM Club” and modified it to allow him to study for 45 minutes every
weekday morning. In just 10 months, his language level has gone from ‘survival Korean’
to conversational Korean.
With daily routines, you will be taking baby steps consistently towards your goal over a
period of time. Having a daily routine helps you focus on the important things in life.
“My closing down routine at the end of the day—I call my “Golden Ten”—is where I can
see the big picture of what I am trying to achieve. This allows me ten minutes each day
to review how I am doing on my goals and set objectives for the next day that will help
me achieve my goals. It’s a way to make sure I am moving in the right direction and if I
am not, I can make any necessary adjustments.”
Having a daily routine not only makes you more efficient, it also eliminates your need to
waste time deciding what to do next.[2] It’ll help you build good habits and break
bad ones. It seems counter-intuitive, but adding some structure to your life can set you
free.
, and then gradually combine one more routine to fit into your life each week. In less
than 2 months, you will be living a healthy and successful lifestyle in autopilot.
Daily Routine for Good Health and More Energy
Morning Routine
1. Start your day with a glass of lemon water
Simply add the juice of half a lemon to your glass and drink it to enjoy a refreshing start
to the day.
Lemon juice reduces your body’s acidity levels, which in turn protects you against
inflammatory diseases such as fungal infections and osteoporosis.[3]
2. Exercise
Working out early in the morning improves your energy levels, improves your
circulation, and encourages good lymphatic function. Just 20 minutes every day can
make a difference! Mix up cardio and weights throughout the week for all-over toning
and general health.
Getting on the scale each morning is also an effective way to monitor your weight. Don’t
go weeks without weighing yourself, because this allows you to remain in denial about
any weight gain![4]
Fuel yourself with a healthy mix of protein, slow-release carbohydrates, vitamins and
minerals. Sensible options include yogurt with nuts and berries, a vegetable omelette,
and low-sugar granola bars with a piece of fruit.
Did you know that becoming even slightly dehydrated can lead to lowered mood and
decreased concentration? Keep water or other low-sugar drinks on hand to sip
throughout the day.[5]
When it comes to snacking, pick foods that will give you a slow release of energy. Pairing
a protein with a complex carbohydrate is a smart choice. For example, try half an apple
spread with peanut butter. Check out for more healthy snack ideas here.
Afternoon Routine
5. Get a healthy lunch
Even the busiest of us can grab a healthy lunch. You just need to think ahead!
For lunch ideas you can make in advance and take with you to work, check out this
post: Healthy Lunch Ideas for Work
Avoid too much fat at lunch time, as it promotes afternoon lethargy, which isn’t going to
help you get through a busy day![6] If you are watching your weight, track everything you
eat using an app like MyFitnessPal.
Most of us have a mid-afternoon “slump” somewhere between 2 p.m and 4 p.m, but you
can keep yourself going through the day by choosing a healthy lunch and taking some
moderate exercise in the afternoon. This doesn’t have to strenuous. Just a 10-minute
walk and a few stretches at your desk can work wonders. Check out this list of 29
exercises you can do at (or near) your desk.
Evening Routine
7. Dinner
With a plethora of meal planning apps out there, getting a quick but healthy dinner on
the table has never been easier! Use an app like Mealime to help you organize your
grocery list so that you always have the right ingredients to hand. Be realistic – choose
something that doesn’t require a lot of time or effort to throw together, otherwise you
may resort to takeout.
Green vegetables are always a great choice, as they are packed with antioxidants and
have an alkalinizing effect. Choose plant-based proteins such as tofu or seitan or, if you
prefer animal protein, pick fish and lamb rather than beef or chicken to minimize acidity
levels in the body.[7]
Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening, because it will prevent you sleeping
soundly at night.
It’s normal to feel stressed from time to time, but high stress levels leave you vulnerable
to a number of health conditions and problems including depression and elevated blood
pressure.
Find a healthy activity that relaxes you, then set aside some time every day to do it! This
could be journaling, reading an inspiring book, spending time with a pet, meditating, or
simply taking a few minutes to remind yourself of everything that is going well in your
life.
This is a quick, effective means of reducing the acidity in your body. It will also ensure
that you go to bed well-hydrated, which will help you wake up with a clear head.
It sounds obvious, but if you want to feel your best then you must get enough sleep.
Most experts recommend that we get between 6 to 10 hours of sleep per night. [8] Some of
us can get by on six hours, but be honest with yourself – if you feel better having had
more sleep, bear it in mind when setting your alarm clock.
Turn off your phone and computer at least an hour before bed, and avoid vigorous
exercise in the late evening. These measures will help you wind down when it’s time for
sleep.
Start the day off right by making your bed. It’s a quick chore that will put you in a
productive, organized frame of mind.[9]
2. Have your workout equipment and clothing ready the night before
If you like to work out, the morning is the best time to do it! It will leave you feeling full
of energy and will give you a sense of accomplishment before you leave the house.
Whether you like to go for a walk, take a gym class or do yoga in your bedroom, make
sure that you have all the equipment and clothing you need laid out and ready the night
before.
After your morning shower, spray down and wipe the largest surfaces in your bathroom.
It’s much easier and more fun to do mini-cleans throughout the week than wait until the
weekend![10]
When you’ve made your breakfast, put everything back exactly where you found it – this
makes everything easier the morning after. If you notice that you are running low on a
grocery item, add it to a list you can take with you next time you pass the grocery store.
5. Run through a list of your essential items before you leave the house
Before you leave the house, run through a list of your essential items such as your wallet,
employee badge, water bottle, and so on. Keep a list of these items near your front door
so that you can quickly check your purse or bag before heading out the door. Don’t try to
de-clutter or re-organize a room before work, as this will just add to your stress levels!
This guide will help you break your limits and overcome any challenges you have in
order to live your best life.
More motivated. More confident. More competent.
You can now download it for free here first, and then continue to read this article.
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Make a list of tasks and decide whether they are important, urgent, both, or
neither. Start with important and urgent tasks, move onto the important and non-
urgent tasks, then tackle the unimportant but urgent jobs. Writing a task list gives you a
sense of control.
Before you start your day, spend 10 minutes prioritizing your e-mails. We all receive so
many messages each day that we can’t hope to reply to them all! Get into the habit of
deciding which ones need your urgent attention, which are important, which are both,
and which are neither.
Check your e-mails every couple of hours rather than every few minutes, because
frequent interruptions will impair your concentration and productivity.
Do you need to pick anything up from the grocery store on the way home? Do you need
to look up a recipe? This only takes a few minutes, but a bit of planning can save a lot of
time later. Why not use a meal planning app such as Mealime?
At Lunchtime
10. Make personal calls or send personal emails (when necessary)
This is the perfect opportunity to make any personal calls or send personal e-mails. For
example, you could schedule that dental appointment you’ve been putting off, or finally
reply to that e-mail from your aunt. These little chores can seem overwhelming when
you get home from work and just want to relax, so do them at lunch.
Take five minutes to clear your work desk before you leave for your break. It will help
you feel more organized when you return.
Afternoon Routine
12. Quickly review your to-do list
If you aren’t making as much progress as you hoped, it’s time to rewrite it!
If possible, carry out mundane and easy tasks such as replying to simple e-mails a
couple of hours after lunch, when your energy will naturally hit a slump. In general, as
the day goes on, we lose the capacity to make lots of high-level decisions.
Try to schedule your more complex tasks for the morning. On the other hand, important
and urgent tasks must always take priority.
Spend the last 10 minutes of your workday neatening your desk and your computer
desktop. This will help you stay organized the following morning.
Evening Routine
15. Put everything you’ve worn on that day the same place you took from
Always put your coat, purse, and other possessions away in the same place the moment
you get in the door. Otherwise, they might go missing!
Otherwise, you might be tempted to sit down in front of the TV and get distracted. [11]
Set a timer, choose an area of your home, and get busy! It’s an easy way to see quick
results, and will make you feel more in control of your possessions.
Bedtime Routine
18. Lay out your clothes and accessories for the next day
This ensures that you don’t have to think about what to wear the next morning. [12] You
can even lay out your breakfast dishes![13]
19. Do a “brain dump” of all your ideas and tasks for tomorrow.
Doing a “brain dump” is helpful if you tend to lie awake worrying about what you need
to do the next day. Once you have written them down, you can go to sleep knowing that
you can refer to the list when you wake up.
Some of the most effective and productive people get started on their daily routine the
night before.
Think of this as the planning stage, at this time you might find it useful to plot out your
day in blocks of time, with a specific activity planned for each. This is commonly known
as the time blocking method.
Using this method ensures that you don’t end up multitasking which can have a negative
impact on your productivity. As the president, Barack Obama often got ready for his day
the night before by reviewing what he needed to accomplish. [14]
2. Wake up at a time that works for you (and sticks to it every day)
This may sound counter intuitive, it is often imagined that the most productive people
are those that can wake up at dawn, and continue into the evening. But the 9-5 work day
might not necessarily suit everyone.[15]
I’m not suggesting that people work less, but someone who works from 10-6 works for
just as long as someone who works 9-5, and that extra hour in bed may mean that
they’re more fresh and ready to work.
Often you might not have a choice in what time you get up, after all, if you are expected
at work at 09:00, you can’t be in bed at that time, but if you have any flexibility at
all, consider what works best for you.
As also mentioned in the Daily Routine for Good Health, once you have woken up, it is
very important to eat well. You need something that will give you a good boost of energy,
all the while keeping you full. A good idea is oatmeal with a smoothie or a healthy fruit
juice.
Check out 30 Healthy And Tasty Recipes For Breakfast That You Can Make The Night
Before for more healthy breakfast choices that are easy-to-make and will keep you
energetic.
A few years ago a study at Princeton University concluded that if in your field of vision,
there are many forms of visual stimuli, your brain will spread its focus and attention to
each piece.[16] In another word, if your desk is cluttered, your ability to focus on the task
at hand.
Simply clearing your desk of distractions therefore, can have a great impact on your
focus, and with it, your productivity.
Mornings are a great time to do productive work that requires focus, creativity, and
strategy. Clearing out the inbox gives you a false sense of achievement, and wastes the
opportunity to engage your brain in more proactive tasks. Though you may have read a
lot of emails, you have nothing important done.
Unless your job revolves around emails checking and replying only, never make
checking emails your first thing to do when you’re back to work. Instead, focus on your
goals and do what really matters.
The benefit of this is simple. Even if you accomplish little else that day, you can be
happy with the knowledge that you did something important. Also, by doing the most
difficult thing first, everything else will be easier.
When setting up a routine, it can be easy to forget the most important activity – resting.
Humans simply aren’t built for working all day, every day without a break. If you don’t
consider this in your routine, there is a danger that you will lose energy and enthusiasm
all together and burn out, thereby killing your productivity altogether. This can be
mitigated by making sure to making sure you get some rest.
One way to do this is by picking a reasonable time to stop working, another is to take a
quick nap, others recommend meditation. It all depends on your preference.
This can be the hardest things on this list, but it can be one of the most effective. Adding
extra tasks and jobs to your day can immediately throw your routine off balance, and it
will negatively impact you day’s productivity.
Sometimes you may be forced to say yes and accept new tasks, but this won’t always be
the case. Feel free to say no some times.
By remaining focused on specific tasks, you won’t feel overwhelmed and overworked as
you’re totally in control. And because you have things all planned out, you saved tons of
energy from making unnecessary decisions.
As you should have tackled all the hardest things by now, the rest of the day should be
far easier too.
Create 3 to 5 minutes in your morning routine to just be with your partner and properly
say goodbye. Kiss each other meaningfully and take in the moment. It’s important not to
get in such a rush that these small gestures don’t get overlooked.
During Daytime
2. Create little daily rituals when you’re together and apart
Creating small actions that are meaningful to both of you can build a sense of
connection and these can carry on throughout your day when you’re apart.
Find a certain song you sing to each other when you bring a cup of coffee. Leave a
message on the fogged up mirror for your partner to discover or leave little notes in the
car or biscuit tin. Text a joke of the day on your lunch breaks.
These types of rituals bring a sense of positive expectation and bonding – something
only the two of you share together. Without these, relationships can become stale.
Evening routine
3. Kiss each other hello
Again, these moments can get looked over once the initial spark of a relationship has
died down. We often walk in the door exhausted, maybe even irritable, and we don’t
take the time to connect.
Spend a good amount of time saying hello to each other. Kiss, cuddle, ask how each
other is or don’t say anything at all and take in the embrace. Physical touch in silence is
equally powerful.
It’s very easy to neglect this simple routine where it becomes a habit to not do it
anymore.
This is particularly important when you have kids. When your lives are controlled by
children and extra responsibilities, your relationship can get overlooked. This is when
things can breakdown and intimacy gets lost no matter how much you love each other.
Schedule regular date nights where you can be free from responsibilities and really
connect with each other. Use this time to check in with how each other is feeling, and
most importantly, have fun. Keep reconnecting with the reasons you fell in love in the
first place.
5. Create a bonding bedtime routine
When the doors are closed and you’ve finally fallen into bed, it’s easy to want to fall
asleep but bedtime is a wonderful time to get connected with your partner not only in a
physical way but in an emotional way too.
Try to go to bed at the same time and use it as your couple time. Pillow talk is a great
time to bond. While you’re in a relaxed state, talk about your days at work, any concerns
or even future plans. Communication and talking things out is the best habit you can
have as a couple. Just make sure you take the time to really listen to each other with
respect and an open mind – always ending the night on a positive note.
Whether it’s in the morning, evening or a text in the day, remember to express gratitude
to your partner.
A lot of bad communication and feelings of neglect are down to not understanding each
others love language. There are 5 key ways people express love and two people could
have two completely different languages leading to misunderstandings.
Find out each others’ love language and try to use it to show your love throughout the
morning, day or evening. Your partner may express love through physical touch whereas
you express your love through words or gifts. One isn’t better than the other but finding
out which one is important to each of you and acting accordingly will help your
relationship to flourish.
Reaching for a snack or scrolling through social media can sabotage healthy plans by
flooding your brain with dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter. That dopamine
release causes you to want to continue the action whether or not it’s good for you.
There may be quite a few things that ought to change in your life. Changing too many
habits at once can be difficult and discouraging. [17]
On top of all that, we only have so much mental bandwidth to devote to making
decisions. When decision fatigue sets in, we’re likely to revert to whatever is easiest,
even if we know it’s unhealthy.[18]
Biting off more than you can chew is a surefire way to fail. Instead, pick one routine,
and work on that. Or better, pick one habit and stick to that first.
Everything you’ve learned from this article is just part of our 7 Cornerstone Skills —
a skillset that will give you the power to build habits, stay motivated and achieve
whatever you want.
You can’t change your entire life overnight, but you can gradually change your lifestyle
and routines with our Cornerstone Skills Transformation Course.
Upgrading your daily routine is a commitment. By starting small and being realistic, you
can develop healthy rituals and efficient routines that help you get the most out of life.
I strongly recommend you download this guide for Instant Motivation Boost.
You can now download it for free here.
Download Now Free
Featured photo credit: Freepik via freepik.com
Reference
[1] ^ Inc.: 7 Daily Habits That Will Save You 60 Hours of Your Life Next Year
[2] ^ Skilled at Life: 18 Reasons Why a Daily Routine Is So Important
[3] ^ Develop Good Habits: 34 Quick Habits To Add To Your Daily Morning Routine
[4] ^ Develop Good Habits: 34 Quick Habits To Add To Your Daily Morning Routine
[5] ^ Journal Of The American College Of Nutrition: Cognitive Performance & Dehydration
[6] ^ WebMD: Afternoon Energy Boosters
[7] ^ Chatelaine: How To Balance Your pH & Find Out If You’re Too Acidic
[8] ^ National Sleep Foundation: How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?
[9] ^ The Spruce: 10 Things To Do Daily To Be More Organized
[10 ^
Creative HomeKeeper: 10 Things I Do Every Day To Keep A Clean & Organized Home
]
[11 ^
The Spruce: 10 Things To Do Daily To Be More Organized
]
[12 ^
The Spruce: 10 Things To Do Daily To Be More Organized
]
[13 ^
Creative HomeKeeper: 10 Things I Do Every Day To Keep A Clean & Organized Home
]
[14 ^ Buffer: The Daily Routines of 7 Famous Entrepreneurs and How to Design Your Own Master
] Routine
[15 ^
Trello: The 5 Productive Morning Routines Of Highly Effective People
]
[16 ^ The Journal of Neuroscience: Interactions of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Mechanisms in Human
] Visual Cortex
[17 ^
Zen Habits: Sticking to a Habit: The Definitive Guide
]
[18 ^
Develop Good Habits: Psychology of Daily Routines (or Why We Struggle with Habits)
]
If you add good habits that directly relate to your personal goals,
then it's easy to create a daily schedule (that's under 30 minutes),
which can dramatically improve your life.
Use the power of healthy habits in your morning routine to improve your life.
The trick here is knowing which success and health habits to include
in your morning routine.
In this post, we’ll go over 51 ideas that only require less than minutes
of your time. Simply review this list and you'll discover a plethora of
morning routine ideas.
For starters, people are the most productive when they wake up, and
setting up a routine ensures that they maintain that level of
productivity for longer periods of time.
Following a system first thing in the morning, means you’ll have more
time to reflect in a quiet atmosphere (less hustle and bustle) and it
gives you the opportunity to be organized for the rest of the day.
More importantly, this daily habit helps you create energy and the right
“mindset” to tackle the challenges of a busy day.
Download the checklist (and free report): The Morning Routine for Peak
Performance
Waking up early is a success habit that nearly all leaders follow, notes
Sujan Patel in his blog post on the routines of fortune 500 leaders. Noting
how early many high powered leaders start their work days.
The good news?
Simply look at the following list and choose the habits that make the
most sense for your lifestyle.
One of the best morning habits you can build is to start each day by
drinking a superfoodgreen juice drink that gives you energy and
supplies your body with the nutrients.
Spend the first 5 minutes of your workday clearing your work area. It
mentally conditions you and helps you become more productive.
Paperwork that you need for the day should be the only file(s)
you have on your desk.
Put paperwork that you don’t need for the day into physical
folders, filing cabinets, or drawers.
Delete temporary files that you no longer need from your
computer.
Place files in appropriate folders, using a standard system for file
labeling.
Without a schedule, it’s frighteningly easy to get to the end of the day
and realize you’ve achieved nothing of importance.
Schedule your day and make a list of tasks you want to complete.
At the very least, you should make a list of the tasks you want to
accomplish during the day and decide where your priorities lie.
Make a list of the tasks you want to complete by the end of the day.
Try to be realistic about your efficiency instead of creating a lengthy
list of tasks that will be impossible to complete.
The thing is, if we are constantly interrupted by the pings, text alerts,
and push notifications from different communication platforms, our
productivity takes a nosedive.
To focus on the task at hand, close your email tab and make a
personal ban on social media use during your working hours.
If you find it difficult to resist online distractions, there are several tools
that can help block your access to them:
Cold Turkey – you choose the sites you wish to temporarily block
in order to focus on work
Freedom – this app lets you block time-draining website. You are
prevented access to that distracting website for 8 hours at a time.
FocusWriter – If you are a writer and you find it a struggle to
reach your daily word-count quota because of distracting sites, this
this app is for you. It works by blocking out the items on your screen
except for what you are currently writing.
StayFocusd – This Chrome extension restricts the duration of your
access to time-sink sites. You set the limit of how much time you
spend on a certain website, e.g., Facebook or Twitter. When the
allotted time is used up, your access to that site is blocked for the
day.
4. Chunk Down a Project (or Task) into
Manageable Steps
4 min. Required Time
For each of your major projects, take a few minutes to chunk it down
into simple-to-complete steps. By breaking a task into specific actions,
you’ll have a better understanding of what needs to be done and how
to schedule the work into your day.
In any career, there are tasks critical to the job while others take away
precious time to do the critical work. Of course, you’d want to spend
more time doing the high-value activities.
Once you have completed your list, then it’s time to delegate. One
way of getting these tedious tasks off your hand is by outsourcing
them. Here are some useful resources:
You’ve probably heard the expression, “It’s not what you know.
It’s who you know.” Well, it’s true for every area of life, but this is
especially true when it comes to your career.
(Side note: One of the simplest ways to build up your business
skills is to join over 1 million others and start your day with the
latest news from Wall St. to Silicon Valley. This newsletter is a 5-
minute read that's informative, witty and FREE!)
Everybody has goals. Whether they are big or small, we all have
things that we want to accomplish. Sadly, the daily hustle and bustle
of life can make us get off track.
Read more about Goal-Setting: How to Set Clear and Goals you can
Achieve
Get started by keeping all the receipts, credit card statements, and
notes (in an emergency) for each expenditure. Then, at the end of the
day, jot down a description of the purchase and the amount. (This
should be a daily habit because it’s easy to forgot those small
purchases that you make throughout the day.)
From there, input this information into one of the following tools:
When it comes to monitoring your budget, it's important to have a quick daily check up and a weekly
budget review.
Preparing and packing the food items you consume every day is both
a healthy choice and a wise financial decision.
Packing your own lunch and coffee can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Author David Bach often talks about what he calls The Latte Factor,
where a simple way to save money is to eliminate those small,
recurring purchases that add up to a substantial amount of cash.
You can put his advice into action by preparing your, coffee (or tea),
and a snack before leaving your home in the morning.
Check your kitchen for what you could bring as a snack or for lunch.
Place it with your purse or car keys so you don’t forget it when you
leave. Or make coffee at home and use a travel mug to take it with
you.
Money Crashers
Wise Bread
I know, this isn't something that you want to hear. But, weighing
yourself on a regular basis can help you establish clear health and
fitness goals.
Also, it's important to know that your weight will fluctuate on a daily
basis, so you don't have to be bummed if your weight goes up for a
day or two. Finally, be sure you weigh yourself at the same time for
the most accurate results.
Checking the weather ahead of time allows you to execute that Plan
B, especially when you intend to do some workout outdoors. If the
weather does not permit certain exercise activities then you will be
able to change plans accordingly.
You’d have accomplished your fitness goals and felt great about it.
Some ways you can still work out even with inclement weather
include:
Cleared sinuses
Toned muscles
Stronger lymphatic system
Increased creativity
One of the best things about rebounding is that it doesn't take up a lot
of space. Whether you live in an apartment or a home of your own,
you can start rebounding right away.
Start your day by drinking a 16 ounce glass of lemon water to wake you up faster.
We’re not talking about putting in a whole lemon and juicing it. Instead
it’s better to do just a few drops.
Wake up faster
Freshen your breath
Get large amounts of vitamins
Reduce the feeling of hunger
Aid your digestive system
This is a lot easier to do than it seems, and it's a great way to start
your day. All you need to do is pour some water into a glass and add a
couple drops of lemon juice. Easy, right?
Daily vitamins are a must for anyone, and you'll feel better about your
day if you take them on a consistent basis.
This is another aspect of your morning that you probably don't want to
do, but need to do if you want to lose weight.
Maintaining a food journal helps you see exactly what you’re putting
into your body and how much you’re eating. You'd be surprised at just
how much you consume in a given day.
Feel free to add me if you decide to use this tool. Read more on
the Coach.me blog.
Remember when your parents would come into your room and open
the blinds? While it may not be fun to wake up to, natural light does
help you get started on the right foot.
Of course, you can't just live off of smoothies for the rest of your life.
There are plenty of other foods that you can have for breakfast that
are really beneficial to your performance.
Mints can do more than just freshen your breath. You can suck on an
Altoid, chew some strong mint-flavored gum, brush your teeth with
mint toothpaste, or dab some peppermint essential oil under your
nostrils if you want; the choice is up to you.
Wearing a step-tracking device is the crucial first step to building the exercise habit.
If you start each day by clipping on this device, you’ll take that crucial
first step to building the exercise habit. And when you constantly wear
this device, you’ll find reasons to get more movement throughout the
day.
If you don’t have a step tracker, then feel free to check out
the exhaustive review that I posted on my website, which compares the
pricing and features of the popular pedometers. (And if you'd like to
get more steps, then learn how to start running.
A great way to start or end your day is to use an app like 7 Minute
Workout, which acts like a personal trainer that guides you through a
12-exercise total-body workout.
Just fire up the app and complete the recommend exercises. (You
might have to buy a few pieces of equipment ahead of time to get the
real value from this app.)
Also, you should consider upgrading to their “All the Things” level,
which gives you a few different program options:
Arms
Cardio
Core
Pilates
Toning
If you alternate between these options with each stack, you’ll get a
decent amount of exercise that’s better than what most people do
during their day.
Odds are, five minutes isn’t enough time for deliberate practice—but
it’s perfectly adequate for researching one skill-related topic or a
challenge that you’re currently facing.
Practicing self-education is a perfect task for those longer breaks
during the day, like on a drive, at lunchtime, or in the evening. This is
the time when you can listen to podcasts, scan through blogs, or read
books that focus on one specific, interest-related challenge.
Motivation is fleeting. You might feel excited one moment but then
experience a crash in emotion when something negative happens.
One habit that can be used to “reset” your motivation is to watch an
inspiring video.
TED Talks are inspiring lectures from the most visionary leaders of our
time. They tend to be ten to twenty minutes in length, so you might
need to commit to a longer habit, or watch a single video over a few
days. You can access these videos directly through the TED website,
but they are also accessible on a mobile app (iTunes & Android) and
through a video streaming service like Roku.
If TED Talks aren’t your thing, then you can also find inspirational
videos on Upworthy or your favorite YouTube channel.
I recommend limiting your viewing time. It’s far too easy to turn a five-
minute break into several hours of passively watching videos. My
suggestion: Stick to one video per break.
Your "Soon List" is a list of twenty fun and enjoyable things you want in the next three months.
The following websites that provide news from all over the world:
Associated Press
Google News
Reuters
BBC
Develop the morning habit of reading news sources that are
aggregate news from different sources and are politically neutral.
32. Learn a New Word
5 min. Required Time
The concept of creating a “bucket list” was made popular when the
2007 movie called The Bucket List hit the big screen. If you haven’t
seen it yet, the story centers on two men with terminal cancer. They
decided to leave the hospital together to accomplish the things they’ve
ever wanted before they “kicked the bucket.”
You can apply this principle in your life. Think of the things you’ve put
off in order to focus on career and relationships. Perhaps now is the
time to begin accomplishing some of them.
First, you can make a list of the things you’d want for your life. You
can add one item per day. Then make a plan on how you’ll accomplish
them.
Need ideas for what to put in your own bucket list? You might also want
to check out over 300 ideas for your bucket list, courtesy of this post.
Humor is the best way to break the ice. Learning a new joke benefits
you in the following ways:
Organizational Morning Routine
Habits
35. Fix Your Broken Windows
2 min. Required Time
No, you don’t have any actual broken windows, but you probably have
a number of small things that add to your stress levels if you don't
address them early on.
Unmade beds
Cluttered mail
Unsorted laundry
Messy kitchen
Trash that needs to be taken out
Most of these can be fixed in a matter of minutes, yet we allow
ourselves to ignore them and let them sit in the back of our minds for
the rest of the day. Take care of your broken windows and then you'll
see a dramatic decrease in your levels of stress.
I won’t tell you “how to make your bed” because I’m sure this is a skill
that we’ve all learned at some point in our lives. But if you get stuck, I
recommend watching this video, courtesy of Howcast.
Clutter usually builds up over time because people don’t take a couple
of seconds to put their belongings in appropriate places. If you commit
to putting away 3 items first thing in the morning, you’ll have trained
yourself to start the day with maximum productivity.
To support you in this habit, make sure that every item in your home,
workplace, or car have a designated spot.
Then have an if-then protocol for items that you take out of their
designated place. For example, if you need to carry an item up or
down the stairs, you can leave it by the landing.
Each time you (or a member of your family) walk up (or down), you
can grab the item and put it away in its designated place. Since you’re
already making the trip, you might as well bring something with you.
You will never fall into the trap of being drowned in clutter if you
practice this habit.
In the hour before going to bed, think of the items that you’ll need for
the next day and then spend five minutes putting them together.
Paperwork
Briefcase or backpack
Schoolbooks
Laptop or tablet
Personal items like your wallet, keys, purse, or cell phone
Lunch, snacks, water bottle, and travel mug
Gym clothes
Items for your children (toys, clothes, formula or stored breast
milk)
Start by reviewing your calendar for the next day, then think about
what you’ll need for each activity and appointment, and finally put
these items in the same location where you put other items, like your
wallet, purse, and car keys.
If you can commit to building this evening habit, then you’ll eliminate
the stress that many feel in the morning as they get ready for work.
39. Identify your 3 MITs (Most Important
Tasks)
10 min. Required Time
The best way to structure your day is to focus on your most important
tasks (MITs) before taking care of something else.
These MITs are items that have the biggest impact on your day’s
productivity.
Applying the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 Rule, can help
you identify daily tasks that help you achieve more during the day.
This eliminates the problem of task overscheduling that leaves you
feeling like a failure when you don’t accomplish everything.
The messages are a way of keeping in touch with the people you love.
It strengthens the bonds you have with each other.
Perhaps your spouse or partner loves a cup of tea (or coffee) in the
morning.
Make it a habit to start a kettle for them first thing in the day. You’ll
have time to complete other morning habits while the water boils. By
the time it’s ready, you’d have done most of your morning routine and
your partner will have a steaming cup waiting for him or her.
Remember that it’s the small things like this that help strengthen a
relationship.
If you have time, check out our post on relationship goals for more ideas
of how to strengthen the bond with your special someone.
Set aside time each week to come up with a few interesting events
you can share with people in your life.
1. Eventful is a great website for anyone who lives in or near a big city.
2. Narrow down your search to your local area, which can be found in
region- or town-specific newspapers, magazines, and websites.
3. Simply go to Google.com and type in the name of your city or town,
plus one of the following terms:
Event listings
Festivals
Cooking lessons
Softball leagues
Running clubs
Volunteer opportunities
Concert venues
Mini-golf
Set aside time each week to come up with a few interesting events you can share with people in
your life.
Make clearing your mind every morning a part of your routine. Here
are some ways you can do this:
Write in a journal
Have a cup of coffee or tea and allow your mind to just drift
Spend your 5 minutes outside, feeling the sunshine on your face
Play with your pet
Laugh a little while reading some jokes
Listen to your favorite song
Eat some chocolate
Read a few pages of your preferred fiction
Leaving a note for a loved one is something that goes a long way. You
can brighten someone’s day. It’s a way of showing someone that you
care about them because you went out of your way to pen the loving
words.
All you need for the process are some Post-It notes, a pen, and your
heartfelt message. It could be a quick note like “I love you,” or “Good
luck with the presentation/project/test.”
Depending on your relationship with the person, you can leave this
note on their pillow, in a lunchbox, on the desk, or backpack.
Spirituality Morning Routine
Habits
46. Meditate for 5 Minutes
5 min. Required Time
Less stress
More creativity
Better focus
Increased memory
Some people meditate for hours on end while others just take a few
minutes out of their mornings. I suggest you start by meditating for a
few minutes, so it fits into your morning routine. And if you like it, you
can increase the length of time that you do it.
Still not buying into the idea of meditation? That's okay, you can give
yoga a try instead. Some of the core ideas are the same, but yoga has
a more active approach then pure meditation.
Deep breathing is a quick habit that takes less than five minutes to
complete. It can be part of a regular stack or a single habit that you do
whenever you feel stressed.
Doing deep breathing exercises can help you start the day stress-free.
2. Pick a specific time each day (or a specific stack) where you’ll
practice deep breathing.
5. Inhale slowly through your nose until your lungs are filled to
capacity.
6. After inhaling as much as possible, hold your breath for a full two
seconds.
9. Return to step 5 to repeat this cycle until the alarm signals the end
of the session.
The calming effect of warm water puts your mind on autopilot, which
frees it up to come up with inspirational ideas. (There’s even research
that shows we often get our best ideas while engaging in mindless tasks, like
showering, driving, and doing chores.)
Shower meditation can easily be attached to your existing “getting
ready” routine. This means you only need to add a few minutes to
your shower time to get the full benefit of this habit.
Get started by letting the warm water of the shower wash over your
body. Visualize all the stress, anxiety, and worries in your life as being
tangible things sticking to your skin.
Next, visualize the water and soap scrubbing the stress off your body.
Finally, realize that you are clean, fresh, and ready to start your day
free of distractions.
Drinking a calming beverage, like a cup of hot tea, has both physical
and mental benefits.
When it comes to your health, drinking tea (specifically green tea) has
many detoxifying effects on the body. It has been shown to lower blood
pressure, assist hydration (despite the caffeine), and reduce stress hormones.
When it comes to spirituality, a daily tea break gives you “me time,”
which can be a few spare minutes to think on what has happened
during the day and what you plan to do for the next few hours.
Drinking a calming beverage, like a cup of hot tea, helps lower blood pressure, assist hydration, and
reduce stress hormones.
Start a teakettle right after you wake up as part of your morning habit
stack. You can also repeat this habit during the afternoon or at the end
of your day.
Being grateful for what you have right now transforms you. It pulls you
out from negativity and infuses joy into all areas of your life.
With habit stacking you create a process flow where you put
everything in a logical order where you go from room to room and
complete one task after another. (Example: Start the day by making
your bed and opening the curtains.)
Leo Babauta: “Start your day by planning what you need to get done”
Having said that, if you can put in the effort for a few days, you might find the insights
you need to improve your daily routine. Understanding how you live right now can help
you to work towards how you want to live.
With habits especially, it’s good to follow Richard Branson’s advice and start something
before you feel ready. It’s one of the most powerful things that has helped him succeed.
There are changes you can make to your daily life to boost your productivity. It
may not come easy at first, but once you form new habits everything will fall
into place.
Here are 10 daily habits of the most productive leaders, all of which you can
implement into your own life:
If a lack of sleep is dragging you down, look for ways to improve this area of
your life. It may not be as difficult as it sounds to retire to your bedroom an
hour earlier each night.
2. Rise Early
There are many studies that show that the early bird gets the worm.
So, while it’s important to get enough sleep, this doesn’t mean you should set
your alarm for noon. The most productive leaders understand the importance
of getting out of bed early in the morning.
3. Meditate Daily
Some people workout in the morning, others find time at lunch, and then
there are those who do so in the evening.
Although you may have slipped out of the habit of working out, you can get
back into the flow by taking a few key steps.
Yes, what your mother told you really is true: breakfast is the most important
meal of the day.
You don’t want to be one of the 31 million Americans who skip breakfast each
day. This can take a toll on your body, while zapping your productivity during
the morning hours.
6. Take A Nap
This may sound like the best way to kill your productivity, but it can actually
have the opposite effect.
The most productive leaders don’t spend time on a long commute. There are
times when this is unavoidable, but it’s best to eliminate spending excess time
in your car (or on public transportation).
Imagine if you could save an hour a day on your commute. This works out to
five hours per week, and approximately 20 hours per month. You can use this
time to tackle important tasks.
When you go, go, go, you’ll eventually hit a wall. There’s nothing wrong with
taking breaks, even if this seems to slow down your progress.
Science says that taking breaks can boost productivity. That should be enough
for you to give it a try.
There are times when you have no choice but to schedule and take part in a
meeting. There are also times when you can find a way to avoid this.
By cutting lengthy meetings out of your schedule, you’ll find that you have
more time for other tasks.
Even though some people struggle to keep up with a to do list, it’s one of the
better ways to boost productivity and stay on track.
Use pen and paper or use an app. Either way, experiment with a to do list to
see if it has an impact on your productivity.
No two leaders are the same, so you can’t expect to implement all of these
daily habits.
Your goal is to find a few things that boost your productivity. By doing this,
you’ll get more done each day, thus finding it easier to take your business to
new heights.
What steps do you take to remain productive? Have you formed any of the
habits discussed above? Are there any others that have helped you reach peak
performance?
3. Find a new healthy recipe. "One of the most common reasons we skip
eating healthy is our lack of preparation. Spend a few minutes in the
morning looking for recipes that excite you, and you'll be prepared and
motivated to execute on cooking healthy meals down the line."
4. Drink a full glass of water. Your body will thank you and it couldn't be
simpler.
6. Drink tea. Not a fan of water or coffee? Not only is tea healthy, but
recent studies show it might even boost your creativity.
9. Do the Wim Hof method. This one I'd never heard of before. Here's what
it entails: "1. As soon as you wake up, sit in a meditation posture. 2. Do
30 power breaths -- inhale through the mouth or nose and exhale
through the mouth in short powerful bursts (like blowing up a balloon). 3.
Hold your breath until you gasp. 4. Take a deep breath in and hold for
10 seconds. 5. Repeat for three more rounds. 6. Have a cold
shower." It "sounds like a recipe for torture," but devotees swear it
boosts performance and reduces stress (maybe because you've gotten
the most stressful part of your day over with already).
11. Write Morning Pages. Here's a quick intro to what this is and how it
works.
12. Notice your first thought. "Write it down, say it out loud, or simply pay
attention to it. Decide on what you want your next thought to be. This
morning routine exercise has amazing impact for the amount of
effort," insists the list.
15. Video log. "Record a short video diary for the day (one to two minutes).
You can talk about virtually anything: what's happening in your life, what
you're grateful for, what you're thinking about, or simply choose
a random speech topic. Share with others or keep it private."
17. Photo log. Even easier -- just take a daily photo "with the help of an
app like the Everyday phone app."
18. Read a book. Reading is the best way to improve your mind. Full
stop.
19. Listen to a podcast. For the rushed, this can be paired with getting
dressed, exercising, or even that cold shower. Here are some suggestions.
21. Be grateful. It won't just make you happier in the moment, it will
also rewire your brain to more easily see the positive in life .
26. Train your gut sense. Here's a cool suggestion from Seth Godin:
"Practice going with your instincts in private. Every day, make a
judgment call. Make 10. Make predictions about what's going to happen
next, who's got a hit, what designs are going to resonate, which videos
will go viral, which hires are going to work out. Write them down, or they
don't count."
27. Read good news. Science shows just five minutes of negative news can
impact your mood all day, and you don't need to keep up with every
headline to stay informed.
32. Cultivate awe. Feeling small in the face of the vastness of the world is a
powerful stress buster, science shows.
33. Do creative work. "Every small bit of work toward a big creative project
adds up. Work on a book, blog, video, art project ... whatever your heart
desires," suggests the list. Plus, your mind probably is at its best in the
morning.
35. Review your previous day's spending. Here is one that WILL help
you get your financial life in order. "There are some great tracking apps
as reviewed by Investopia -- Mint. You need a budget, Wally and
Acorns." notes the post.
36. Make a small donation. "There are a few apps where you can make
micro donations so that you can wake up and immediately cultivate
giving," suggests the list. "Here's a list to consider" or "another option is to
put aside a small amount per day, and then make a larger donation."
37. Do your most important task first. Then the rest of the day will
feel like a breeze.
43. Make your bed. It's an easy win that will set you up for success for the
rest of the day.
44. Open the curtains and welcome the day. "Be there. Embrace
the moment. Take a deep breath and open the curtains. You may also
want to add in a phrase, mantra, or a simple, 'Thanks for today.'"
45. Take care of plants. This is part of my personal routine. One, it's good
because my plants don't die, but two, I also find it deeply relaxing. Nature
can do that to you.
50. Take your dog for a walk. "It can also be a great way to begin
your day with some calm, and you can combine it with other rituals that
involve listening, thinking, or exercising. Win-win-win," enthuses the list.