It's 5 AM, and you hear your alarm going off -- what do you do?
Do you hit the snooze button a few times or begin your morning routine?
I know what you're thinking… "Bill, 5 AM is really early!"
Yes, it is, especially on a Friday!
But hear this - the time you wake up isn't necessarily important -- but waking up early enough to have a few quiet, intentional moments to start your day before being interrupted is.
Why is this important?
Well, having a solid morning routine can set you up for a wildly productive day -- and not having one can set you back.
If you want to establish a catalytic morning routine, there are a few helpful hints I want to pass on to you to get your day started right courtesy of what I've learned from Hal Elrod's "The Miracle Morning." Elrod suggests using the SAVERS acronym when building your morning routine.
Here's what SAVERS stands for:
Silence - Start your day quietly. Before the day's chaos, hustle, and bustle begins, it's essential to sit in a few silent moments. I start my day in silent prayer. I breathe deeply, exhale slowly, and practice listening to God each morning. Silently praying or meditating would serve you well as you start your day.
Affirmations - What do you want to do, and who do you want to become? An affirmation statement reminds you of these things. As you repeat your affirmation statements daily, they become powerful catalysts for growth and transformation. As Elrod suggests, affirmations "transform how you think and feel so you can overcome your limiting beliefs and behaviors and replace them with those you need to succeed." Some powerful affirmations can include: "My setbacks make me stronger," "My struggles are opportunities to grow," "I have the courage to do anything," and "I am capable, confident, and fearless." Your affirmations should align with your values and goals and be repeated every morning.
Visualization - As you visualize, you help remind your brain what is possible. You see what you hope to occur as if it's already happened. Have you ever created a vision board? A vision board is a poster full of pictures, sayings, and depictions of a change you want to make. As you focus on these images, you help your brain see what's possible and develop the pull power to make those changes. Five minutes spent visualizing each morning on who you want to become will help you get into the mindset of making choices throughout the day to bring you closer to your desired changes and goals.
Exercise - It's no secret that exercise is beneficial - and exercising in the morning is an excellent use of the first few minutes of the day. Exercising helps you get your heart pumping, oxygen flowing to the brain, and happiness chemicals flowing throughout the body. After exercising in the morning, I frequently have more energy and better metabolism — and am more optimistic about the day. A short exercise routine or yoga workout can optimize your brain and body functioning throughout the day. For starters, try doing 20 pushups or 30 deep knee bends!
Reading - It's been said that leaders are readers. The most successful people are constantly reading, learning, and being mentored through the literature they consume. If this is true, why not spend a few quiet early-morning minutes reading? Elrod suggests reading a minimum of 10 pages of a personal development book or religious text daily.
Scribing - Scribing is another word for writing. What are you thinking about? Please write it down. What are you grateful for? Journal about it. What are you learning about? Capture your learnings on paper. Writing is a powerful tool to empty your brain and process your thoughts. Having a set time each morning to write is one way to ensure that you're thinking clearly, processing your thoughts fully, and starting your day productively.
I love Elrod's "SAVERS" acronym for its simplicity and repeatability. These are things you can do every day to increase your productivity and intentionally capitalize on the first moments of every day.
However, I would add one more S to the list, and this one starts the night before.
Set - Set your alarm to wake up at the same time each morning. Do you have a consistent time you wake up each morning? When you know when you're waking up each day, you can ensure that you get enough sleep the night before. Good sleep hygiene is vital to productivity and endurance throughout the day. And hey -- getting enough sleep can only help you resist the temptation to hit the snooze button when the 5 AM alarm sounds (or 7 AM or 9 AM, ha!).
What does your morning routine look like? I'd love to know. Email me at bill@billcoxcoaching.com, and let's keep the conversation going.
For your growth,
Bill
