The Unexpected Happiness Effect of a Morning Routine
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Why you should create a morning routine and track it.
I am as undisciplined as the next person so I have created rules, guard rails and routines to make sure that I don’t waste my life away. It isn’t about productivity as such, although it is about that as well; it has more to do with the growing sense that life is finite and I only have that much time available left. Do I really want to spend it watching pundits talk about politics (I used to) or jumping from one Amazon recommendation to another for hours (easily done!)?
Morning routines for the undisciplined
I have had a morning routine for most of my life, not because I am disciplined but because they ensured that I had plenty of time to do some form of exercise and have an unhurried breakfast. When we have a reason that matters to us to underpin a habit, we find the motivation. I do not like rushing and I hate lateness so a mindful start of the day and punctuality act as motivators for getting up early.
This, I find, is the key to starting and sustaining a morning routine.
Find what really matters to you, what holds value and if you can’t think of values that regiment your life, think of what bothers you because this indicates the violation of a value you hold.
Feeling fit or not wanting to be overweight can result in the same habits but with two different motivators. One might not resonate with you and will fail to sustain your habits, whereas the other might be meaningful to you and will keep you going. Don’t underestimate the power of finding the right motivator for you! Stating the goal and starting the habit(s) are not enough, you must keep in mind your ‘why’ for this.
A morning routine to help create life/work balance
Being clear on what matters to us also serves as a menu to create our morning routine. Mine contains a range of short activities that are meaningful to me and help me move forward. This activities naturally evolve as my needs, interests and circumstances change.
By performing these habits first thing in the morning, I make sure they happen. Life is likely to derail my agenda when the rest of my corner…
