Embracing the Morning Magic

I hate waking up early. Like, truly, deeply hate it. I'm not a morning person. At all. You should stay far, far away until I've had at least half a cup of coffee.

Or...

so I thought.

Turns out, I don't actually hate waking up early. And I am a morning person – but only when I prioritize my mornings to cultivate fulfillment and clarity, instead of dread.

If you're interested in the power of "winning the morning," as they say, the good news is there’s no shortage of resources to help you on your journey:

• Books: The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma, Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky, Atomic Habits by James Clear, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.

• Podcasts & YouTube: The Tim Ferriss Show, The School of Greatness (Lewis Howes), Impact Theory (Tom Bilyeu).

• Blogs & Speakers: Gretchen Rubin, Brendon Burchard, Tony Robbins, Ryan Holiday.

What I really needed wasn't to sleep in later; it was to find a better balance in my morning routine. Even though I've only been out of my "teacher schedule" for a few days, I've already noticed a significant shift in my attitude toward mornings. I find myself wanting to wake up early! In fact, every morning this week, I’ve woken up earlier than the day before!

Why? Because I’ve established a morning routine that prioritizes my needs.

Why "Winning the Morning" is a Real Thing

Studies demonstrate that consistent morning routines lead to higher productivity, creativity, and daily satisfaction and enjoyment, as well as lower decision fatigue, stress, and anxiety. But not just any routine will do. A successful morning routine isn't about snoozing the alarm four times, rushing to get ready, and bolting out the door at the last second to avoid being late – as I kind of have been doing for the last year. Trust me, I've been there, and it's not the way to start your day feeling empowered!

A truly successful morning routine includes these five key components:

• Adequate Sleep: 7-9 hours of sleep, aligning with your natural circadian rhythm. This also means no snoozing!

• Hydration: 8oz of water immediately upon waking. This combats dehydration and boosts focus.

• Nutrition: A balanced first meal that fuels your body and mind. It doesn't have to be "breakfast food" like oatmeal or eggs. But for your first meal, even if it isn’t until 10:30/11AM, focus on high-protein sources, healthy fats, and good carbohydrates (avoid processed sugars).

• Self-Care: A morning mindfulness practice, like journaling or meditation, enhances well-being, reduces stress, and improves mental clarity and emotional health.

• Physical Activity: Light exercise, such as walking or yoga/stretching, improves mood, functional capacity, prevents injury, and boosts confidence.

The order is less important than the combination of these elements. For me, I wake up, drink about 8 oz of water, take Maurice (my dog) on a walk, journal, and then eat. It's the synergy of these actions, not the specific sequence, that creates a successful morning routine. (I’m reminded of my high school statistics class where we discussed combination versus permutation).

These elements, aside from physical activity, take me about 30 minutes to complete. The routine can vary from 45 minutes to over an hour, depending on the length of my walk. On Monday, Maurice and I accidentally took a wrong turn, got a little lost, and we ended up exploring the neighborhood next to ours for a full hour! Maurice, being the fantastic dog he is, is not used to such long walks and by the end he was looked at me with the most miserable eyes and dragging his feet. He laid sprawled out on the floor for the rest of the day. Poor thing!

Productivity Through Journaling

One of my favorite recent additions to my morning practice is my productivity journal. I am transitioning from a highly predictable job to a career with much higher entropy. My schedule as a teacher was predetermined from Monday-Friday, 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM, with most weekends occupied by one of my three jobs. I knew I would need a bit more accountability being on my own, and I’m learning to structure my days and ensure I don't get lost in the freedom of being my own boss.

I created a pretty simple, straightforward productivity journaling prompt that I wanted to share with you to help guide your mornings! You can incorporate some or all of these questions into your morning routine. This exercise can guide your day, giving you autonomy over your schedule, while prioritizing gratitude and personal growth.

Here are the five questions I've been answering each morning:

1. What are 3 things I am grateful for?

I love starting my day with gratitude! Starting with gratitude is powerful, shifting our mindset to actively search for things to appreciate. It can be as simple as, "I am grateful I can sit in my favorite chair and answer this question," or as profound as, "I am grateful for my family and those I love."

2. What are the 3 most important tasks I can complete today?

I know you probably wake up, mind reeling with a mental list of everything you need to get done. And then, throughout the day you get distracted, you get hit with an unexpected project at school or work, there's a disruption to your schedule, or you simply forget until you get home and think Damn! I forgot to buy yogurt. But I have found it incredibly helpful to identify the top three tasks that either require immediate attention or would yield the most significant results if finished today. Decisions made using that criteria separate tasks that don't matter from tasks that aren't feasible to achieve. The goal is to identify three tasks you know you can: a) get done today and b) would yield the most significant benefit.

3. What is my mantra for today?

A mantra is your daily message to yourself. It reminds you to stay focused and present. If you have a big sales meeting, your mantra could be, "I am the best salesperson for my product, and I believe in my ability to earn this sale." If you need to have a difficult conversation, you could choose a mantra that reminds you to be gentle, understanding, and kind. Today, my mantra was, "I am wealthy and I am free. The Universe always provides for me in abundance."

4. What am I curious about today?

I'm a lifelong learner. A bit of a nerd, really. But learning, growing, and reflecting are essential to fully assuming our role as the captain of our ship.

Continuous learning keeps the mind sharp, functional, and efficient. It cultivates resilience. Studies have shown that mentally stimulating activities, such as learning new skills, delay age-related cognitive decline and improve overall brain health. We can’t reverse the clock, but striving to regularly stretch and expand our mental capabilities is just as powerful of an anti-aging tool as any cream or exercise routine.

5. What are 3 tasks that would be nice to complete but aren't essential?

I know you’re probably thinking I need to get done more than three things in a day! This is where those less urgent items on your to-do list can go. It's not the end of the world if you don't get to them, but getting them done would be a nice win for the day. The other day, one item was to give Maurice a bath (much to his dismay!). Listing it gave me another opportunity to check something off and secure a small victory.

The morning offers a unique opportunity to set the tone for your day, your first chance to grab the reigns and author your reality. How we begin our day impacts not just that day, but our entire lives. Those who win the morning, win the day.

I'd love to hear how you're winning your mornings! Do you have any rituals or habits that have positively impacted your day?

Until next time, live uninterrupted.

~Coleman