Morning Habits Worth Investing In
According to Robin Sharma, leadership author and speaker: “Taking a 60-minute ‘victory hour’ while the rest of the world sleeps gives you a gargantuan competitive advantage. You are up at dawn—this makes you feel strong and in control of your day.”
I would agree that our morning routines really matter. They help us set the tone for the rest of the day mentally, physically and emotionally. And our habits and systems tend to determine our long-term results and how much efforting is involved.
There are many ways to think about a morning routine, and it’s less about getting it perfect and more about consistency in what works for you. Here are some different examples of what morning routines could look like for leaders who value discipline and routines that support them.
At the Plum Village Thailand monastery, the daily routine with monastics was:
- Waking up at 4am
- Meditating and chanting
- Walking mindfully in silence
- Eating mindfully in silence
The rest of the day was also spent in mindful actions, and starting every morning this way allowed us to set the tone.
In the book “The 5am club” by Robin Sharma, the author talks about how executives elevate their life by elevating their morning routines. His 20/20/20 formula goes something like this:
- Wake up at 5am,
- MOVE for 20 mins (exercise),
- REFLECT for 20 mins (meditate, pray, journal),
- GROW for 20 mins (read, study, review goals)
Here is what my morning ritual looks like these days:
- MIND: meditate for 30-45 mins (working towards 60 mins),
- BODY: wake up my body for 30 mins (exercise, yoga, qi gong),
- SOUL: do/read something that fuels my soul for 15 mins (Tao Te Ching, Thich Nhat Hanh, my personal vows, journaling, etc)
There isn’t one secret equation that works for everyone, but I encourage you to reflect on what your morning routine looks like today. Your morning state can set the tone for the rest of the day, so if you’re feeling a bit worn down lately it’s worth seeing what you could bring into your mornings to spark some more energy, joy, or centeredness.
Take care of yourselves,
Nancy
