Create a Morning Routine To Be More Productive
I believe that following a morning routine is essential to being productive. This is especially true if you have a high-stress job or your job requires you to travel extensively. It can be easy to fall out of your routine, especially when you are traveling. There are certainly a lot of distractions. Even the word “routine” is challenged when you travel. You may even have a travel “routine” and a home office “routine”. Your morning is a time of day you can usually control. Especially if you get up early enough. I suggest creating a routine that stays constant all of the time, especially when you’re traveling.
Here is my morning routine, which I stick to whether I’m at home or in a hotel:
- (5 minutes) I drink warm (or room temperature) water with fresh squeezed lemon juice. Lemon water is rich in vitamin C (we know this is good for us, right?) and has many health benefits. You can Google search the benefits, and I won’t go into a lot of detail here. I drink lemon water to detox my liver, boost my immune system (I don’t have time to get sick!), and to help with digestion during the day. When I travel I either bring some lemons with me, or buy them at the local grocery store.
- (15 minutes) Next, I stretch. My favorite system of stretching is resistance stretching. I follow a system created by Bob Cooley. I’ve subscribed to his monthly online program to be guided by his certified instructors and also bought his book, “The Genius of Flexibility”, which has pictures and descriptions of the stretching. With all of the driving and sitting I do, this part of my day is mandatory to keep me moving. You can find more about this at Genius of Flexibility.
- (5-10 minutes) I then meditate. My favorite meditation is using the Calm app. This is an easy to use App I loaded on my iPhone so I can play the meditations when I travel. You can find out more here Calm App. I also meditate before I go to sleep. A regular practice of meditation has made a big difference in my mindset. I find I am much more present and thoughtful throughout the day, which has created space for me to pause before I react to things.
- I eat a healthy breakfast. This gives me a lot of energy throughout my morning so I don’t get hungry mid morning or crash with sugar cravings in the afternoon. A great example of a healthy breakfast when I travel is Starbucks Oatmeal with blueberries and nuts.
Start Your Day With a Healthy Breakfast - I swim 3-4 days a week. If I’m traveling I find a local YMCA and swim there. Exercising most days keeps me in shape, keeps me healthy, boosts my immune system, lowers my stress, and is just plain fun. If I can’t find a pool or a gym when I travel then I walk for at least 30 minutes. Walking is a great way to get ideas flowing in your head in the morning.
There you have it! My morning routine, whether I’m at home or on the road. I highly suggest you create and follow your own morning routine that works for you.
What is your morning routine?
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Michael Hurd, Executive Coach
Email: mike@hurdmarketing.com
