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The ultimate success hack: having a morning routine.
If you’re finding it harder and harder to get things done… I’m right there with you
Honestly, for the longest time, I didn’t have a morning routine.
It didn’t seem important to me.
I would just get up and get to work…
Or I would get up, take the kids to school, workout THEN get to work.
Now that I’ve gotten older…
Or rather “reaching my prime” (;
I started finding it harder and harder to get things done.
With three kids (Zara 10, Angelina 9, Kaiden 6) and a goal to be super-daddy…
Leading a sales organization spread out across 40 countries…
Running my publishing company…
Real estate holdings…
Multiple homes…
Investments…
Striving to be a super-lover to my girlfriend Devon…
… and staying committed to training like a peak performance athlete…
It can be a LOT!
In fact, earlier this year, I found myself feeling weighted down with overwhelm and anxiety.
If you know me, I’m OVERLY solution-oriented.
I’m happy to say I didn’t let much time pass before I got back into my normal peaceful self.
The most impactful action that I took…
Was implementing a morning routine.
Before I share mine, however, let’s discuss…
Why a morning routine is important!
A notorious insomniac but a dedicated public servant, Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote:
“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work – as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for – the things which I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?”
Of course, no matter how much we love our life or enjoy what we do…
Getting out of bed can still be tough for most of us.
As a Stoic, Marcus suggested one remedy for getting over this hurdle: Discipline.
You can have all the discipline you want, but if you don’t handle the first hour or so after you get out of bed…
You’ll be fighting an uphill battle all day long.
I’ve got news for you…
Tough mornings are not tough because of insufficient willpower…
…but because nobody teaches us how to make them easy and how to build this momentum.
Do you press snooze 5 times before finally getting up or scroll through social media?
Is there a purpose in your actions?
Only one in seven people report feeling refreshed after sleeping.
Almost half of all Americans report feeling fatigued or lousy at least three times during the week.
The solution?
Taking control of your morning.
Have you ever had a morning where you’re not rushed and feel a step ahead of everything and everyone?
What if you can create a system that breeds that same result every time?
When you’re able to hydrate, set your intention, warm-up your body, meditate and fill yourself up with gratitude…
The rest of your day is lived with passion, purpose, and vitality.
So… Let’s take a look at my morning routine and exactly why I do each task &how it can benefit you.
My Ultimate Morning Routine
I wake up at 5:30 or 6:30 (depending on whether the kids have school or not)…
Ensuring that I have at least an hour to myself.
Immediately upon waking I chug 1/2 liter of water.
WHY?
You go 6-8 hours without drinking anything which can dehydrate you.
There are studies on both men and women showing that even mild dehydrating resulting from fluid loss equaling roughly 1% of your body weight can cause headaches, moodiness, irritability, anxiety, and fatigue.
A decrease in mental performance and short-term memory loss can start at as little as a 2% loss in water.
When 78% of Americans are chronically dehydrated, based on their water intake, that does not paint a pretty picture of the start of an average day…
So lubricate all those critical internal functions of your body and get them fired and ready to work by starting your day with drinking water.
Next step in my morning routine: The Core 4
I got this concept from Garrett White.
The idea is to make progress in each one of these categories:
Body – Being – Balance – Business
Business:
As I’m drinking my coffee (AFTER I’ve already hydrated with water), I listen to a business podcast or read something that will sharpen my skills as an entrepreneur.
After I’ve done this for 10-12 minutes, I pull open Evernote and I write down a business declaration – something I plan to implement in my business or something I just learned that I can apply.
Being:
Upon completing my business declaration, I grab my Muse headset and meditate for 10 minutes.
I struggled for years with not meditating consistently.
Muse gave me a huge breakthrough earlier this year because the Muse headband measures your brainwaves and gives you a report afterward letting you know how much you spend in a calm state Vs. neutral state Vs. active state.
I love having feedback afterward to know how effective the meditation has been.
With the feedback, you’re also able to track the techniques that actually work so when you’re in a stressful situation at work, with family, or wherever…
You’re able to use that technique to IMMEDIATELY put your body/mind into a relaxed mode where you’re able to think clearly.
If you don’t already have a Muse, I highly suggest you go here and just get one.
Body
Next, I do a 12-minute Tabata workout to work up a sweat (If I’m not going to the gym) or I stretch for that time.
If 12-minutes is too long and you want a quicker routine…
Click here for a quick 4-minute routine that will have you feeling great.
Of everything included in my morning routine…
This is by far the most difficult for people.
The urge to crawl under the blankets and slam the SNOOZE button like whack-a-mole is almost irresistible. That’s why the key to overcoming that resistance is getting movement into your body.
Even light movement will increase core temperature, cortisol, circulation, and the release of endorphins that will make you more alert, and put the grogginess behind you.
It doesn’t matter how you get your movement in…
JUST GET IT IN!
Next, I drink a super greens drink.
I’ve tried a bunch of different brands but most of them either
- Taste TERRIBLE
or - I don’t notice a difference in how they make me feel
The brand, Greens First, is the only brand I’ve found that gives me both…
An overwhelming energy/vitality AND taste incredible.
If you wanna’ try it out for yourself…
Just pick some up here.
Balance
Next, I send 2 messages to connect with someone in my life.
Usually, it’s gratitude but sometimes it’s just to connect and strengthen the relationship.
I tend to send one to Devon (my girlfriend) every day because there always seems to be something about her I find to be grateful for.
Recently, I’ve started writing quick notes to my children on a colorful sticky note.
What I’ve discovered to be the key to this morning routine
The night before…
It’s crucial that you plan what you’re going to execute on for the day.
Personally, I tend to rank the action items in order of importance so I’m getting the most important thing done first.
As John Maxwell would say, “eat the frog first”.
Once I’ve finished my morning routine, I like not having to think about what I need to get done.
When I have it already listed out and prioritized I can just simply execute and be productive.
If you haven’t tried staying consistent with a morning routine, I’d definitely suggest putting something like this in place.
Now, go plan out your morning routine.
You’ll thank me later.
If you want some advanced training on leadership
Feel free to hop over to LeadwithMatt.com. I’ve got some strategies there on becoming a powerful leader and recruiting powerful leaders.
I’d love to hear what your biggest takeaway was out of this in the comments below.
If you feel like this can add some value to some others, feel free to share it.
Take care.
If you’d like to learn how to impact others, check out this blog post.
Go Make Life An Adventure
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Matt Morris
#1 Best Selling Author of The Unemployed Millionaire
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