A Morning routine is as unique as our coffees and teas.
This routine is designed to work for you and as such, need to be tailored to your needs. Oprah Winfrey starts her day with spiritual exercises while Jeff Bezos, the Founder of Amazon, likes to include what he calls “high-IQ meetings,” before lunch time.
As entrepreneurs we need to structure our days to be as efficient and productive as possible. So how do you kickstart your day?
If you fee; your day can’t be further optimized or you’re looking for fresh new ideas to help you tailor your own morning routine, you’ve come to the right place.
Here you’ll find 30 unique ways to kickstart your day. Plus, a guide on how to implement these changes into your current morning routine for optimal results.
The goal here is to get you energized and productive, not burn out. So don’t aim to implement everything or things that don’t resonate with you. Make your morning routine as unique as you are.
A Routine of Self-Care
As entrepreneurs, we are the core of our business. Our business needs us. Self-care then becomes a priority for us and for our business.
1.Pamper routine. Start off your day by pampering yourself. Other than washing your face, showering and brushing your teeth, consider taking an extra step. Try a face mask, ,a body lotion or even a 5 min bath. Taking care of yourself helps your overall well-being and puts you in a relaxing mood.
2.Exercise. This has been part of my morning routine for the past 20 years. And it’s never failed me. The benefits of morning exercise are endless. According to A Forbes article, one benefit of morning exercises is an increase in productivity. But it doesn’t need to be a full-blown workout. Include stretching exercises, yoga, 30 mins HIIT workouts or anything that moves your body and gets those endorphins going.
3.Go for a walk. For those who cannot imagine doing any form of rigorous exercise in the morning, consider going for a walk. It may be a short walk but moving your body and getting fresh can be a great way to start your day. Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were known to conduct meetings while walking.
4.Meditate. Many of us entrepreneurs need to navigate stress and overwhelm. Mediation is key for putting your mind at ease and the effects carry on throughout the day. If you’re just trying meditation for the first time, consider these simple steps for meditation and mindfulness.
5.Sleep-in. Not all entrepreneurs are early birds. We totally get that! Don’t feel guilty or shameful if you want to sleep in. Sleep is not a luxury, it’s a necessity If you work best at night, when everyone is asleep, then do you. Your morning routine needs to revolve around your own needs.
6.Journal. In the morning, your thoughts are fresh, unfiltered and often times, un-negotiated. In other words, they are prime to be put down on paper. Journaling can be used to track your progress or as part of your creative process. It is also used to document emotions and organize what goes on in our minds. Journaling is a form of expressing thoughts and emotions. Writing can also help you gain perspective and relieve stress.
7.Gratitude prayer. Gratitude Prayer is another essential part of my morning routine. This practice allows you to express gratitude for the things you have, big and small but also for all the amazing opportunities to come. For example, “I am grateful for the clients that need my help today.” It leaves me energized, open to new opportunities and ready to take on the day.
8.Pray. No matter who you pray to, the Universe, God, Source, Divine Light… make time for prayer. It will ground you and give you a sense of unity. As entrepreneurs, we often feel alone with our struggles and hardship. Not everyone understands the choices we make. Prayer allows you to feel connected. Like someone is watching over you, guiding you and cheering you on.
9.Take cold shower. This friends, is life changing! And yes, I do it every morning… even in the bitter cold winter months. Forget a splash of cold water on your face. Before you step out, turn the water as cold as you can tolerate for the last 30 seconds of your shower. There are multiple scientific reasons to take cold showers including increasing endorphins and improving metabolism.
10.Listen to music. For some, music is a great way to get energized. Create a playlist of motivational songs. I recommend playing it while you are getting ready, exercising or eating.
Set Your Goals for the Day
Setting your intention for the day is powerful. You will feel prepared and ready to take on whatever comes your way.
11. Review daily schedule. Kick off your morning by reviewing what you have planned. A simple review keeps you aware of what’s to come and helps you stay on track.
12. Review previous day of work. Make note of anything you didn’t finish on the previous day so nothing gets left behind.
13. Read your mission statement. Your mission statement is the foundation of your business. It is the basis of your brand and the story you share with your customers. It is what grounds your business in difficult times and what aligns your actions and future decisions. Reading it in the morning helps you navigate any hurdles you come across during the day.
14. Run errands/clean. Get rid of any small errands you can cross off your list. And make sure your work space is tidy. A clean workspace helps you focus
Socialize
After being quarantined, we all know how socializing is essential for our well-being. Consider adding a social element to your morning routine a few times per week.
15. Catch up with friends. A quick check in with friends is a fun way to start your day. Suggest going for a walk together or having a quick phone call to catch up.
16. Reach out to people in your network. Follow the saying, “its who you know, not what you know,”. Spend a few minutes every morning to reach out or catch up with people in your network. This could be by email, text, or through your favourite social media platform like LinkedIn.
17. Call family. It’s always nice to catch up with home base, in whatever was home base is for you. Maybe you call your parents, your grand-parents or your siblings, maybe you call a mentor or a childhood friend.
18. Watch the news. Stay away from all the negative gossip but do get your information in. Try a newspaper, online NEWS magazine or Twitter.
Let’s get to work
There are no shortages of tasks on our to-do lists. Consider putting important tasks at the beginning of the day, when you are fresh, creative and open. Make sure to block time to complete tasks “you normally don’t have time for.”
19. Make important phone calls. If you don’t do them early on in the day, they will be on your mind until you do them. So, get that done as early as possible.
20. Work on a side project. This is for the entrepreneurs who love working on multiple projects at once. Reserve morning time for one of those projects so you can cross it off your list.
21. Review proposal, slides for presentation. No matter what you have planned for the day, a proposal can haunt you until it’s over. Don’t fight it. Review those slides and kill it.
22. Write a blog post. Consider using one morning to focus on those pesky tasks we always push down the priority list, like writing that blog post.
23. Review one page of your website. Hone in on website user experience. As one of those tasks that we tend to push aside, try optimizing one part of your website at a time. Break it down by page, content, call-to-actions and funnels.
24. Optimize your LinkedIn account. As LinkedIn becomes a primary lead source for many entrepreneurs, there are many resources to help you optimize your LinkedIn account.
25. Check your email. We get caught in this trap where we check our email five times a day. Instead, dedicate specific times to check your inbox.
Build Your Community
A large part of managing online businesses is building a community. Dedicate time, in the morning, so it isn’t left on the back burner.
26. Check social media. On average, people spend 144 minutes on social media per day. As entrepreneurs, we don’t have time to scroll through gossip. However, many of us need to spend time on social platforms to grow our business. Therefore, once you’ve found a platform that appeals to your ideal clients, dedicate specific times of the day to look at your socials.
27. Do an Instagram live. If Instagram is a good lead source for your business consider doing a Instagram live to build your community. Richard Moore, a sales guru from the United Kingdom, has gone live on Instagram every single Monday for the last four years. You can just imagine how loyal his following is.
28. Consider a Facebook live. There are over a billion people on Facebook. Regardless of what you think of the platform, your target audience is likely to be there. Consider going on Facebook live to build your community as well.
29. If you have it, LinkedIn live. Although you need to sign up for LinkedIn Live, it can be worth the trouble to get it because it sets you apart. And of course, like for the other platforms, it helps you build a loyal community of ideal clients.
30. Enjoy your morning routine!
Morning Routine Guide for Optimal Results
After choosing some of the recommendations you want to try, here is a best practice guide:
– First and foremost, do not attempt to start your day with every single recommendation above. Limit your morning routine to a maximum of 3 to 5 different tasks. Your morning routine should take all morning…
– Change one thing at a time. Just like changing a habit, I don’t recommend changing more than one at a time. Implement one change and see how you like it. Try it for 30 days. Then, adjust and repeat the process.
– Try to stick to the same routine every day. It builds positive habits and your body expects all the good that is coming. A morning routine repeated daily gives a sense of control, which, in the world of entrepreneurship, is a welcome change. However, do tweak when needed. For example, a full workout might not be ideal on a given day when you have a very early meeting. But do schedule in time to move your body, even if it’s only for a 15 min stretching routine.
– In this blog post, I separated the recommendations into five categories. Feel free to juggle them around.
– Don’t be scared to drop what doesn’t work for you. However, if you say you’re going to try it, actually do it. Give your new routine a fair chance.
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