When I started my business many years ago, I didn’t know anything about a Morning Routine. I was just taking care of my son who was a toddler at the time, and trying to grow my business and getting in whatever sleep I could. A morning routine wasn’t even a thing for me. I was just trying to do the best I could and make sure I was the best mom and that my clients were well taken care of too, even if it meant pulling all nighters to get things done.
That got exhausting if I am being honest.
Then after a few years of that I started reading and learning about other entrepreneurs because I wanted to know what they were doing to be so successful. I knew there had to be another way and that I wasn’t the only mom starting a business and raising a family at the same time. I was looking for guidance that would help me figure it all out better.
I learned that they all had some sort of morning routine. It wasn’t a formula of do this and this and you will be successful either. It was what worked for them. That interested me. They weren’t trying to fit in a box. They were OK saying no when it was appropriate and most importantly, they took time for themselves. That was something I was missing. I was trying to be everything to everyone at the expense of being me.
Once I learned more about these other successful entrepreneurs I was able to put boundaries in place for my business, focus my time to get more done so I had more free time for my family, and I started taking time for me.
This started by getting up an hour earlier than my son so I would have time for a workout, to read a little and to shower so I wasn’t rushing into my day.
This routine changed over the years. It evolved as my son grew and as my business grew. It was added to when I learned new things that other entrepreneurs were doing that I wanted to try out too.
Now that my son is in high school and driving I find that I have a lot of extra time and I once again refined my morning routine to fit this stage of my life.
Now it looks like taking the dogs for a walk in the morning, doing a workout after that, meditating, writing, reading a chapter of a book that will help me to grow, eating breakfast (that was something I skipped many times over the years), taking a shower and then making my coffee. Once I have my coffee in hand I head up to my office to start my day.
I feel so much more balanced now and more focused. I have a calm about me that I didn’t have years ago. I can handle whatever comes my way and I feel accomplished from the start of the morning to the end of the day, rather than wondering how I spent my time.
A morning routine can change the way you look at things and it can have a huge effect on your day. If you don’t have one in place yet, I highly recommend one.
Remember, make it something that fits into your current life and that you look forward to. You won’t regret it.