Has lockdown made you reassess what’s important? Has it made you really think about your health, your routine? Has it helped you realise that whilst there are so many things in life we can’t control, there are some crucial things that we can control. I would consider the way in which we start our day to be one of the key things we can control that will have long lasting benefits, both physically and mentally.
This post will provide you with 8 building blocks to help you perform at your best everyday. These 8 suggestions are inspired by psychologist Dr Benjamin Hardy, and it was front of mind for me having just read one of his books.
I am a big fan of morning routines – I modelled my mornings from the teachings of Darren Hardy when I transitioned out of employment and into entrepreneurship in 2014. Having an automatic process to start the day and help set the stage for optimising the output and health has been huge for me. I would have been significantly less productive, less focused, more reactive and more frustrated without it.
For all the property entrepreneurs out there designing the life you want to have, I firmly believe that implementing a morning routine will be a significant contributor to fulfilling that vision and becoming the future self you envisage.
Here’s those 8 suggestions from Dr B. Hardy plus some anecdotal extracts from his research for quick reference:
#1: GET 7-8 HOURS SLEEP
Here’s what Dr Benjamin Hardy says about sleep,
“getting a healthy amount of sleep is linked to increased memory, longer life, decreased inflammation, greater attention and focus, and lower stress. And much more–Google it.
The rest of the 7 suggestions are worthless if you don’t make sleep a priority. What does it matter if you wake up at 5 a.m. if you went to bed three hours earlier? You won’t last long.”
#2: MEDITATION OR PRAYER TO FACILITATE CLARITY AND ABUNDANCE
“When you start your day grateful for everything you have been given, you start your day with an abundance mindset.”
When it comes to meditation, I find it easiest to follow a guided meditation, and there are loads to choose from on youtube.
#3: HARD PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
“If you want to be among the healthy, happy, and productive people in the world, get in the habit of regular exercise. Whatever your preference, get your body moving. Exercise has been found to decrease anxiety, stress, and the chance of depression. It is also related to higher success in your career. If you don’t care about your body, every other aspect of your life will suffer.”
When it comes to morning exercise I’m a fan of short HIIT workouts (loads on youtube ie Joe Wicks, or try FitnessBlender for other alternatives) or a jog while listening to a podcast.
#4: EAT 30g OF PROTEIN
“Tim Ferriss, in his book The 4-Hour Body, recommends 30 grams of protein 30 minutes after waking up.
Protein-rich foods like eggs keep you full longer than other foods, because they take longer to leave the stomach. Also, protein keeps blood-sugar levels steady, which prevents spikes in hunger. Eating protein first decreases your white carbohydrate cravings. These are the types of carbs that get you fat. Think bagels, toast, and doughnuts.”
Funnily one of the simple yet meaningful things I wanted to accomplish from leaving employment and not having to commute, was to have the time for a decent workout followed by eggs for breakfast.
#5: HAVE A COLD SHOWER
“Cold-water immersion radically facilitates physical and mental wellness. When practiced regularly, it provides long-lasting changes to your body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory, and digestive systems that improve the quality of your life.”
When I used to sell books door to door in my university summer holidays we got into the habit of jump starting our days with a cold shower. Whilst I kept it up for those hot Californian summers it didn’t last beyond that.
However, during lockdown I watched a documentary about cold water therapy and also heard various podcasts about it from the likes of Tony Robbins. So each weekday since April I’ve introduced a cold shower blast at the end of a hot shower and have become quite accustomed to it. Whether all those scientific benefits are happening internally I guess I’ll never know, however the 2 big benefits I can immediately take from it are 1) it really does make you feel invigorated and ready and; 2) mentally it helps to reinforce willpower and the momentum of doing what I say I will. I’ve learned that when we keep little promises to ourselves it builds self confidence because we trust and back ourselves not to negotiate ourselves out of doing what we know we need to. I challenge you to give it a go 🙂
#6: LISTEN TO/READ UPLIFTING OR INFORMATIVE CONTENT
“Ordinary people seek entertainment. Extraordinary people seek education and learning. It is common for the world’s most successful people to read at least one book per week. They are constantly learning.”
#7: REVIEW YOUR LIFE VISION
“Your goals should be written down - short term and long term. Taking just a few minutes to read your life vision puts your day into perspective.
If you read your long-term goals every day, you will think about them every day. If you think about them every day, and spend your days working toward them, they’ll manifest.”
I remember hearing Tony Robbins sharing a truth that will be uncomfortable for some to hear, it was that “the reason why most people don’t have what they want is because they can’t articulate what they want”. Don’t let that be you.
#8: DO AT LEAST ONE THING TOWARD LONG TERM GOALS
“You need to do the hard stuff first thing in the morning when your willpower is highest. The important stuff. If you don’t, it simply will not get done. By the end of your day, you’ll be exhausted. You’ll be fried. There will be a million reasons to just start tomorrow. And you will start tomorrow – which is never.
If you take just one step toward your big goals every day, you’ll realise those goals weren’t really far away.”
Some will be familiar with Brian Tracey’s wonderful little book called “Eat That Frog” – essentially telling us to do the big thing first. This was a lesson I learned from Darren Hardy back in 2014, that to get a jump on the day do a 60-90 work sprint on something important before checking the phone or email, and this is what I practice.
IN CONCLUSION
You may already have a morning routine or you may be looking for some ideas.
I hope this has inspired you with some ideas but the important takeaway is simply to have a morning routine of some sort. Not something with so many moving parts you give up on day 3 but something you can easily automate by making it a habit. Private victories always precede the public victories
Whilst there will be many reading this who have read something similar about morning routines, what if today was the day it really struck a chord and you implemented it? What if you intentionally created a new habit thanks to reading this, how could that positively impact you? A morning routine isn’t just a habit, it’s a keystone habit. Charles Duhigg, author of the book “Power of Habit, describes keystone habits as
“small changes or habits that people introduce into their routines that unintentionally carry over into other aspects of their lives. Keystone habits create a domino effect that change every area of your life.”
How will your next morning start?