10 Powerful Morning and Evening Rituals for Success
Author Tim Ferris once said “if you win the morning, you win the day.” I couldn’t agree more. The tone we set in our morning is what follows us throughout the day. If we hit the snooze button, rush into the shower, shortchange ourselves on breakfast, and find ourselves sliding into our office chair, we tend to feel a sense of playing catch up throughout the day.
However when we wake with clear intention and discipline, we create an ability to live by design. As a result, we can expect a higher level of productivity and focus to follow. It’s the difference between riding in the driver’s seat versus the passenger seat. Do you want to lead or follow?
Too often in the past, the act of checking my email first thing in the morning drove my day. I would get sidetracked in reaction mode and not allow myself sufficient time to reflect on my priorities for the day and to be intentional about how and when I would respond to email.
This is often termed telepressure, “the preoccupation and urge to respond quickly to message-based communications from others”. It’s a sure-fire way to quickly lose big-picture perspective and ultimately, productivity.
I’ve since been actively experimenting with morning and evening routines as a way of recalibrating and can’t emphasise enough how positively they’ve impacted my day. This great quote from actor Zach Galifianakis sums it up perfectly:
“Destroy the idea that you have to be constantly working or grinding in order to be successful. Embrace the concept that rest, recovery and reflection are essential parts of the progress towards a successful and ultimately happy life”. - Zach Galifianakis
Many of us have grown up with this idea that a high achieving and strong work ethic, which typically equates to “grinding”, is the best way to progress our careers. When were we ever told though that rest, recovery, and reflection contribute to optimal performance? How often do we actively incorporate time for this in our day?
So over the last year and a half of much trial and error, this is what I've found works for me. I hope some of the principles can be applied in a way that benefits you too.
5 ways to power up in the morning
1. Unplug
My best days start at 06:00 with an intention not to check my phone until my morning ritual is complete. I use the “Do Not Disturb” function to ensure I’m not interrupted.
2. Meditation
I start by meditating for about 20-35 minutes. Sometimes these are guided, sometimes this is simply silence but it’s basically time to stop still and “be” rather than “do”. For those not interested in meditation per se, consider how you might otherwise create some silence and/or reflection time? Maybe do some journaling or “morning pages” (if you're familiar with The Artist's Way) or simply have a quiet cuppa on the balcony as you watch a little nature.
3. Movement
I’ve been doing an online yoga programme since the beginning of July this year and the benefits I’ve realised in doing so have led this to become a core component of my morning ritual. If yoga is not your thing, try simple stretching or a higher intensity workout. Any movement will get the blood flowing, the endorphins pumping and will help to wake you up.
4. Breakfast
Another key ingredient in my morning ritual. I avoid sugar and caffeine. This helps to sustain my energy throughout the morning period and the fuel helps to bring greater focus to my day. You might also like to experiment with hot water and lemon as a simple way to aid the digestive system.
5. Cold water
I like to finish waking up with some cold water! In summer, this is typically achieved by an early swim in the pool and in winter I use the end of my shower to further wake me up a bit. This kick starts the body, increases blood flow, burns away unhealthy fat and releases dopamine - all of which help to invigorate mind and body.
5 ways to wind down in the evening
1. Unplug (again!)
Unplugging is a great way to create adequate reflection time. As I mentioned earlier, I like to use the “Do Not Disturb” function and this kicks in at 21:00. Before it kicks in, I turn my phone over during dinner or my daughter’s homework time so as not to be distracted - and to be more fully present. This remains a work in progress at times but gets easier with practice!
2. Read
I generally read for 30-60 mins before bed each night. Reading is a great way to expand our perspective, improve our cognitive health, and offers a useful escape from an otherwise hectic life at times. It always leaves me feeling better than the same amount of time in front of a TV!
3. Practice Gratitude
A gratitude practice is a great way to finish the day and is ultimately a very quick and easy activity. Sometimes I might recall “3 Good Things” which happened during the day or I might reflect on something that went particularly well for me. This exercise helps to counter our in-built negativity bias by positively shifting our thoughts.
If gratitude is not your thing, consider how you might find time to simply reflect on your day? Maybe it’s journaling or a bit of a brain dump to set you up for the next day. If your mind feels particularly "busy", a written download can really help to settle the mind before bed so your thoughts don’t keep you up at night.
4. Get a good night’s sleep
Sleep always seems like a no-brainer but often we’re not getting enough of it. Adults should aim for 7-8 hours each night. To sleep effectively, it’s best to have your room as dark and quiet as possible and it’s also a good idea to go device free at least an hour before you intend to turn in for the night. Try to also get in the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. This gets you in tune with your circadian rhythms and may even lead to doing away with the alarm clock at some point.
5. Self-care
Last, I always aim for a little self-care before bed. Sometimes this might be connecting with a friend, other times it might be a warm bath, a board game with the family, or a face mask for night-time. A quick little mood booster which connects and/or relaxes.
How to Build a Routine that Boosts Mental Fitness
If you’re looking to start a morning or evening ritual and don’t know how to go about it, consider these practical tips:
1. Be clear about your “why”. Find an exciting and compelling reason to change your behaviour and you’re more likely to follow through on it.
2. Start small and build incrementally. Try going to bed 15 mins earlier and waking up 15 mins earlier for a few days to let your body gradually adjust to an earlier wake-up time - then build in 15 min increments. Focus on one new habit only before expanding to others.
3. Experiment! I practiced with a whole range of different activities before getting to where I did. Try manipulating your environment to help you e.g. put your running shoes and clothes out the night before if you want to go for a run in the morning; make it easy e.g. considering your route the night before; and make it enjoyable e.g. develop a running playlist, find a favourite podcast to listen to, or invite a friend along.
4. Consider a 30-day challenge. This is how I started with morning yoga. 30 days is short enough to be doable but long enough to start to get you a little hooked so that it becomes harder not to continue. Plus it’s a huge motivator to feel like you can try something new for 30 days.
5. Address your obstacles. Build in some reflection time to test, reflect, and adjust your plan as needed. If you’re not hitting your goals, consider why and experiment with adjusting your environment, ease, and/or enjoyment to recalibrate.
6. Track and reward your progress. This will help with motivation and it’s important to recognise the milestones you’re meeting towards your goal. Celebrate success!
7. Be kind to yourself. Adopting a morning or evening ritual is about finding ways to feel energised and good about yourself - it's not about positioning yourself as a high achiever - although that can sometimes come too. There will inevitably be days where a sleep-in might feel like the more appropriate action in that moment. And that's okay. The commitment is to show up and check-in with yourself. And to honour whatever it is your mind and body might need in that moment to feel it's best self.
"We applaud grit, long hours and blowing through walls. But great work tends to come more from creative insights and thoughtful reflection" - Matt Munson.
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