Keeping work-life balance is extremely important for your health,
Well-being,
And also productivity at work.
You may think that it is not possible for you,
Because you are extremely busy and your work is demanding.
However,
There is always something for you to do to improve your work-life balance.
The key to it all is what I call mindful self-discipline,
Which is basically the art of living life in harmony with your goals and values.
This includes the ability to structure your time in a way that work gets its fair share of energy,
But your other areas of life also do.
Having a structured morning routine allows you to always start your day on the right foot,
So it runs more smoothly.
It's about taking the most important boxes in the first hour of your day,
So that even if the rest of your day is hectic,
You have at least taken some important steps towards your goal.
So in this talk we're going to cover the five principles for an effective morning routine.
Morning routine that allows you to be more balanced and to take care of the different areas of your life.
The first principle is fixed start time.
Morning routines thrive on consistent beginnings.
To start on time,
You need to wake up on time,
Never pressing the snooze button.
Every time you press the snooze button,
You snooze your aspirations,
You postpone your goals,
You weaken your willpower,
You abandon your self-discipline.
So let's not do it.
If that sounds easier said than done,
Then try leaving your alarm several steps away from your bed,
With the volume loud enough to be uncomfortable for you to continue to sleep in while it's ringing.
When you get out of the bed in the morning to turn the alarm off,
There is only one rule to remember.
Go to the bathroom,
Not back to bed.
For waking up always at the same time,
You will also need to go to sleep always at the same time.
Otherwise,
If you're sleep deprived,
Your morning may feel like a drag and your day unproductive.
So in a way,
The most important thing about your morning routine is your night routine,
Or at least your bedtime.
If you try these two tips for a month and you still struggle,
Then consider making your first activity in the morning something enjoyable,
Like reading a favorite book or enjoying your favorite tea.
Make a commitment that you can only do that activity at that time of the day,
So if you snooze,
You lose.
By following these principles,
You will be able to wake up always on time,
And to be unrushed in your morning routine,
So that you can start your day on the right foot.
The second principle is fixed length.
Ideally,
Budget at least 30 minutes for your morning routine,
So that you have time to invest in activities that push your aspirations forward.
It could be exercise,
It could be meditation,
It could be yoga or reading or writing,
Anything that will help you take a step forward towards your goals,
Towards the person you want to be.
And you will,
Of course,
Need to accommodate factors such as when you need to start work,
Or when you need to take care of your kids,
And also how early you're willing to wake up.
For me,
The first five hours of my day always include a very structured routine,
Starting with some stretches,
Cold shower,
Yoga,
Meditation,
Affirmations,
And a long session of writing or research.
It's my favorite part of the day,
And I wouldn't miss it.
Of course,
I didn't start out like this,
And you don't need to be that ambitious or that extreme.
But if you can get the first hour or two of your mornings to be always fixed and focused on your most important habits,
Then you will live more aligned with your values,
And make consistent progress with your goals.
Ideally,
You might consider booking this time in your calendar to prevent other overscheduling and also to have a daily reminder of your routine.
The third principle for an effective morning routine is that it's structured.
A routine needs structure,
Otherwise it's just a wish list.
Divide your available time into blocks and assign one block to each activity.
You then stack your activities back to back so that each one naturally follows the previous one.
Your morning routine needs to include the most important habits related to the two or three key areas of your life.
Treat your morning routine as your daily checklist of the most important things you need to take every day to make sure that you're moving forward in what matters most to you.
For example,
If your goals are career growth,
Health,
And wellbeing,
And your morning routine is from 6am to 7.
30,
This is how the structure could look like.
At 6am,
You wake up and go to the bathroom.
At 10 past 6,
You meditate for 20 minutes.
At 6.
30,
You do career-related reading for 30 minutes,
So you can improve your skills and grow in that area.
At 7am,
You do 10 minutes of exercise.
At 7.
10,
You do a shower and breakfast.
At 7.
30,
You're done.
This example routine guarantees that you follow three simple disciplines of meditation,
Reading,
And exercise every day.
And thus,
Every day,
Every morning,
You advance your goals of mental health,
Physical fitness,
And career growth.
Of course,
The structure,
The times,
The activities,
They will be unique for every person.
This is just an example.
You could also try setting an alarm for each time block.
That will help you respect the structure and move forward as planned.
Some people also find it helpful to post copies of the routine around their home to help you become a habit.
After a couple of weeks,
You won't need this anymore.
The fourth principle is that the morning routine be focused.
Focus means creating a distraction-free environment and approaching each activity wholeheartedly.
Why?
To get the most out of every moment.
So first,
Make sure to eliminate all interruptions,
Or at least minimize them.
Sleep with your phone on airplane mode and stay offline until you have finished your morning routine.
Believe me,
This little shift can change your life.
Second,
Focus wholehearted on each activity,
As if it's the most important thing in the world.
And at that moment,
It is.
This is living in the moment.
When you're running,
Just run.
There's nothing else for you to do or think about.
When you meditate,
Just meditate.
When you eat,
Just eat.
Be fully present,
Moment after moment.
That is the art of focus.
Keep your routine sacred,
And you will get a lot from it.
Finally,
The final principle is that the morning routine be achievable.
It's better to have an okay plan that you can actually follow than a perfect one that you can't.
So make your routine achievable by starting small.
If you aspire to 40 minutes of exercise,
Start with 20.
If you want 7 activities each morning,
Start with 3.
If you hope for a 3-hour routine,
Start with 1 or 2.
Make it easy on yourself,
And then grow gradually.
For the same reason,
You may want to follow your morning routine 5 days a week or 6 days a week,
Instead of 7.
This is another way of making it more achievable,
Especially in the beginning.
So these are the 5 principles of an effective morning routine.
Having a fixed start time,
Having a fixed length,
Making it structured,
Covering the main habits you need to advance your goals and aspirations.
Making it focused,
And having a routine that feels achievable.
With these 5 elements for a powerful morning routine,
You can make sure that every day starts with a focus on your aspirations and deeper values.
You can make sure that at least at that time of the day,
You are fully in control,
And you can keep the balance you need between work,
Personal life,
And your other important projects.
I hope you have found this helpful.
If you have enjoyed this talk,
You might want to check my other talks and meditations on Insight Timer,
And follow me on the app,
And perhaps even come for the online live classes on mindful self-discipline.
I hope to see you around,
And until then,
Stay disciplined.
