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Make Mornings Count.
I made this goal for myself last year when I was trying to picture what my ideal day would look like. I knew I was not happy with my days as they were. I also knew that according to every book on business success, many writers claimed their best lives were possible because of their productive and early mornings. I have also always appreciated my days at a higher level after having a relaxing morning. It sets the tone for a much better day.
My dream self is an over-achiever. I am not that person. When I first started picturing those perfect mornings, dream me (my hypothetical future self) had quite the plan. She would get up early to the sound of music instead of a harsh alarm clock, make the bed, put on a kettle for tea, maybe read a book or meditate, eat a healthy breakfast, go for a morning walk, work out, or a bike ride, return to get ready for the day, and then get down to blogging. Sounds easy enough, right? Again, I am not that person.
At the time I was dreading getting out of bed in the morning and going to a job that made me beyond stressed. I was so exhausted that I would hit the snooze button numerous times, get up right before I had to leave, skip breakfast, and roll into work right on time but feeling tired out already and the day had just started.
When I quit that bad job I made some really great changes. My work day started at 11, so I was typically heading out the door by 10:30, which gave me plenty of time to have a good start to my day. I began with the best of intentions, but what ultimately ended up happening, especially with the chilly mornings during winter, was that I wasn’t half as productive in the mornings as I wished to be. Now that Spring is here and the days will (hopefully) be getting warmer. I stay in bed much longer in the mornings than I should and I happen to skip breakfast most days. It is time to get back on track.
The problem with “dream me” is that she juggles too many goals. When you have too much on your to-do list, you tend to get overwhelmed, it takes the fun out of making the big change, and these new habits don’t stick. To make this change a positive and lasting routine, pick three morning goals. How we spend our time, especially our mornings, is completely personal and my ideal morning will not be your idea of a great morning. As long as you’re getting enough sleep, eating breakfast regularly, and have time to yourself so that you feel refreshed and are not rushing around every day, then your mornings are in good shape.
Goals for April:
- Visualize your idea of a great morning and make it into a routine.
- Eat a healthy breakfast.
- Do something just for you every morning.
All month long I will be sharing ideas for making mornings something to look forward to. Some posts will relate to the above three goals where others will go above and beyond. What does your best morning look like?
