Did you listen to Meeta Wolff’s interview? As a food blogger, food photographer, food stylist, food photography workshop host along with a part-time job working at a University, Meeta certainly has her hands full every day. If you haven’t heard her inspiring interview, you can check it out here.
One thing that Meeta talked about when asked on how she manages to wear all these different hats on a day to day basis, was the importance of a morning routine, and we couldn’t agree more. As entrepreneuers and more often than not, solopreneurs, we all juggle multiple roles in and given day and sometimes even within the hour.
We were very inspired to learn more about the importance of morning routines and this article inspired by a similar one in Forbes by Ken Brokaw, shares some easy ways that you too can setup a productive morning routine that will set you up for success through out the day.
#1 Wake up early
Most people find themselves the most productive in the early hours of the day. This is when we are fresh and have a clear mind. Our to-do-lists and other distractions typical during the rest of the day hasn’t bogged us down yet and our minds are full of ideas. Waking up earlier than usual will give you ample time to focus on your goals and conquer the day with more energy, mindfulness and strength. Walking up early doesn’t mean you need to over do it, waking up just a little bit earlier than you’re used to is going to make a world of difference.
#2 Write Down Your Thoughts
Immediately upon waking up, take the time to write down your thoughts. Journal for 15 minutes every morning. This doesn’t have to be a “Dear Diary” entry. Quite the contrary. Our brain often works on a stream of consciousness rhythm and following this style of writing is found to be extremely beneficial. We encourage you to use more traditional forms of journaling using pen and paper or even illustrations rather than using an online program. Being able to put your thoughts on paper (no matter how scattered) can help release stress, tension and frustration.
If free form writing is not really your thing, you can even use a bulleted list to get your thoughts down on paper. Focus on the idea of mindfulness and of living in the present. Journal three things you are grateful for daily. Try to focus on what you want to accomplish today by focusing on your daily schedule. How can you win today?
#3 Read/Consume Relevant Content
After journaling, spend time in reading relevant content at least 30 to 45 minutes. Usually, this reading consists of material on personal development like entrepreneurship, technology, business or general self-help books.
Level up your life and your business by reading on subjects that directly correlate to your goals. We love books like Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis and Zero To One by Peter Thiel. These books help channel creativity, motivation and productivity. Focus on reading material that directly correlates to your wants/needs in your personal and business life. What would you like to improve on? What would you like to learn more about?
This time spent reading isn’t about speed. It is meant to be a learning process. If you have learned something about yourself or your business, you have succeeded. Highlight passages that you feel passionate about. If you prefer reading digitally, try Kindle or Nook versions of your favorite books. We like the traditional way so that we can make notes and highlight paragraphs and sentences that inspire and motivate us. However, it’s important to not get distracted by your notifications. This time reading or consuming content should be your time to learn, reflect and implement into your daily life.
#4 Exercise And Movement
Fitness is a huge part of our life. Movement improves flexibility, increases energy levels and also helps us regulate our otherwise sedatory lives. You can create your own schedule based on the time you can carve out in the morning and your personal fitness goals. Working out jump-starts your metabolism for the rest of the day and help you feel motivated, happier and more energetic to conquer the rest of the day and all of the tasks that come with it.
#5 Disconnect From The World
Spend sometime during the day or even after your workout to disconnect from the world. This means a self-imposed no technology time. Some people like to walk, some like to cook and others just like to mediate. Meeta shared how she takes the time to medicate every morning as a way to connect with her inner mindfulness. You can also take this time to reconnect with nature by spending sometime outside around trees or in a park surrounded by some greenery. Studies have shown that time spent in nature helps reduce stress, calms the mind and is really good for your body as well.
If yoga or sitting silently for a few minutes works for you, do that. Create a routine around your time, schedule and comfort level. Simply make sure to take some time out of your morning to focus on the present.
#6 Focus On One Task At A Time
Multi-tasking appears to be the buzz word of the century. While there might appear to be certain benefits of multi-tasking, more often than not, we tend to feel more frazzled and anxious when we are doing many things at the same time. Our attention is distracted and we are not always able to give each task our 100%. Instead try and focus one thing at a time, and for the duration of the time it takes to accomplish that one thing, give it your full attention. There are so many things you could nitpick or create stress over. Pick only one thing and focus on only that. Eliminating potential distractions will keep you laser-focused on the task at hand. If you want to be more productive during the day, perhaps assign a time limit and once that time is over, leave that task and move on to the next with a mental note on the actual percentage completed verses expected. Any project management tool like Asana is great to manage tasks and sub-tasks on a granular level.
We would love to have you give some or all of these daily routine ideas a try. We are sure they will help you stress less, be more productive and have more energy to tackle the day ahead.
{Original Forbes article can be found here.}
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