You already have a morning routine. The question to ask yourself is whether it is helping you or hurting you. The purpose of a morning routine is to allow you uninterrupted time to accomplish one to three personal development activities that will add value to your life. Time allotted and the types of activities are as wide-ranging as there are people. The magic is not in what you do; the magic in that you do.
Having a morning routine is a life-changing investment in your future. With a morning routine, you will read more, write more, and be more. A few minutes a day reading on your area of expertise will place you in the top 1% of people in your field. It’s an investment that has an enormous return.
When?
The most valuable time is the time when you can be free of distraction and interruption. For many, this time is found in the morning hours before the rush of your day begins. Simply getting out of bed 20-30 minutes before others in your home begin to stir can provide you the quiet space needed to have a meaningful morning routine.
How Long?
How long you spend in your morning routine depends on what you are hoping to accomplish. If you are hoping for a quiet, focused beginning to your day, then maybe 20-30 minutes will be the place to start. If you desire to learn a new skill or produce a deliverable like that book you want to write, maybe 45-90 minutes would be more appropriate. The amount of time is not as significant as the commitment to invest the time.
What?
Determining how to invest your precious minutes in a morning routine ultimately depends on the outcome you are looking to produce. If you want to increase your ability to lead, then maybe it’s reading or listening to a podcast that might be useful. If you’re going to write that book, then obviously, writing and research would be a good use of time. Here are some things for you to consider:
– Reading (inspirational)
– Reading (educational)
– Writing (my blog, my book, etc.)
– Writing (my journal)
– Meditation
– Thinking
– Exercise
How Many Days a Week?
One of the secrets of a killer morning routine is making it as “routine” as possible. To do it five days a week and then take two days off is almost defeating the purpose. Establish your routine as 7-days-per-week (7×365). If you need to start at a later time on non-workdays, I guess that is okay, but I have found that having my morning routine occur at the same time every day is also very beneficial.
Components of a Killer Morning Routine
- Happens every day
- Occurs at the same time every day
- Consists of the same 3-4 things every day
- Consists of things that grow you mentally, physically, and spiritually
You already have a morning routine. The question you need to ask is whether that routine is moving you forward or holding you back.
Perry Holley is a coach and facilitator with the John Maxwell Company’s Corporate Solutions Group as well as a published author. He has a passion for developing others and seeing people grow into the leaders they were intended to become.