How to start your day the right way

We’re all creatures of habit to an extent – we like our routines, and the certainty that comes with them – and, when harnessed the right way, this love of a routine can be a superpower – one that helps you supercharge your day.

By setting a healthy, positive routine, you can put yourself on track for a successful, productive day.

It all starts with how your body is hardwired

Do you sometimes feel like you’re not in control of your sleep schedule?

Besides the factors you can control, like staying up late getting lost down a Wikipedia rabbit hole, or bingeing your favourite show until you fall asleep, there’s another thing that controls your sleep schedule: your chronotype.

Uh… what’s a chronotype?

There are two broad chronotypes, and you likely already know and understand them.

You might consider yourself an early bird or a bit of a night owl.

Chronotypes are similar to the concept of circadian rhythm, but unlike your natural circadian rhythm, your chronotype is more than just your waking hours and sleep times – it’s about when your body is most alert and productive.

Your chronotype also plays a part in controlling your body temperature, appetite, and even your propensity for exercise.

So, while you might wake up early, you may find it’s not until later in the morning that you’re most productive.

Or maybe you’re a chronic night owl, but you’re most productive hours are between 4pm and 7pm.

You can read more about chronotypes at SleepFoundation.org.

How does this help me?

Current understanding tells us that our genetics have a lot to do with what makes up our chronotype.

While they’re hard to change – so, good luck with that biohacking – simply understanding your chronotype can help you identify when you’re most alert.

And, in turn, this helps you work out when you can get the most productivity out of your day.

Makes sense, right?

But while we might be more productive at other times, this doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t set our days up to suit us best.

There are ways we can sidestep our chronotype – and it’s all about that love of routine.

Why morning routines are important

Most of us have probably experienced the feeling of waking up fuzzy, not really knowing what’s going on, despite having a decent sleep.

You know it’s morning, so that’s something – but that’s about it.

It’s not a great way to start the day, and it can often leave us feeling out of sorts and behind the eight-ball in the day already.

This is why having a morning routine is so important.

It allows you to gain clarity, you can wake up feeling clear-headed (no matter how foggy you might feel) and know what direction you’re going in straight away.

Why we love a morning routine

Many people find that starting the day with a set routine helps to get their day off to a good start.

A morning routine can help you to feel more prepared for the day ahead and can make it easier to stick to healthy habits, such as getting up and going for that run.

There are heaps of tangible reasons why we love a morning routine.

Boost positivity

With a morning routine, we can set the tone for the rest of the day. We can start our day on a positive note, and this can help us to be more productive and efficient throughout the day.

Improve health

Morning routines can help to improve your physical health. Taking time for a healthy breakfast and some physical activity can jumpstart your metabolism and give you energy for the day ahead.

Improve mental health

You’re able to take care of your mental health, too. Taking a few minutes for yourself in the morning can help you to clear your mind and start the day with a positive attitude.

Build confidence

They improve your confidence, helping you set the frame and feeling for the day. You know what needs to be done, and what you can achieve.

Boost productivity

By turning your morning routine into, well, a routine, you’re able to finetune it.

You can hone your skills, boost your focus, and get better and better at starting your day right. And with this, you’re able to improve your productivity. Not just with the volume of work or tasks you accomplish, but the quality.

As the great Ron Swanson says: “Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”

Stress less

Morning routines can also help you to focus.

By focusing, slowing down, and thinking methodically about your plan for the day – perhaps even using this as your journaling time – it can help you to reduce stress and can give you a sense of calm before you start your day.

Because by having a clear view of what’s ahead, you remove the anxiety of the unknown and feel prepared.

your morning routine is Your morning routine

Most of us have a morning routine that we follow without giving it much thought.

We get up, shower, get dressed, have breakfast, and we’re out the door.

But if we take a moment to consider the activities that we include in our morning routine, we might find that there are a few things that we could add to help start our day off on the right foot.

Here’s a few ideas for activities that can help to set the tone for a productive day:

Stretching or yoga

Taking a few moments to stretch and get your blood flowing can help you to feel more alert and energized.

Vigorous exercise

For those of you out there who manage to go for a run, hit the gym, take a fitness class, surf – whatever other vigorous activity you prefer – we applaud you.

This can be the hardest routine to start, and the easiest to have fall by the wayside.

But getting the heart beating, the blood flowing, and the brain firing, can do wonders for your day.

Planning and mindfulness

Taking some time to plan out your day can help you to focus on your priorities and avoid getting overwhelmed.

Take some time for you, whether it’s journaling, reading, drawing, or even just making a coffee and sitting in silence, looking out the window.

How to set up your routine, your way

We won’t go into specifics of what your morning routine looks like, because it’s your routine, but there are a few steps you can take to setup your routine, so it works for you:

1. Identify what’s important to you
   What do you want to get done each morning? Maybe you want to start with a workout before breakfast. Maybe you want to make your journaling time a morning habit. Or perhaps you want to take some time to meditate, slow down, and enjoy the quiet before starting your day. Figure out what works best for you and try to build that into your routine each morning.
2. Decide when you need to wake up
   The first step to a successful morning routine is working backwards to understand how much time you need to set aside to fit everything in and not feel rushed. Rushing through it just to get it done is counterproductive and will only stress you out more. So set your alarm with enough time each morning and give yourself time to undertake your routine at your own pace.
3. Make sure everything is organised and easily accessible
   If you have to search through piles of clothes trying to find your running socks or pull apart the house trying to find your journalling pen, then it’s not going to be an easy start. And we know from psychology that your mind will follow the path of least resistance – if your routine gets put in the ‘too hard basket’, it’ll fall apart pretty quickly. So, maybe consider setting aside some space in a specific room and lay out the things you need to get into your routine. Make it easy to get started.
4. Don’t overcomplicate it
   It’s tempting to try and cram as many activities as possible into your routine – it might make you feel more accomplished. But with too many things, you won’t achieve anything. You’ll hate it, feel overwhelmed, and drop it faster than it takes to go back to sleep. The idea of routines is to make them work for you and part of your life – overcomplicating it makes it a burden instead of a pleasure.

Make a habit of it

The key to any routine is to habitualise it so it becomes second nature.

The best way to begin working towards that is to focus on one task at a time and take your time completing it.

You’ll feel less stressed and more productive.

You can then use the art of habit stacking to add more steps later.

But honestly, the biggest step is to be kind to yourself – don’t expect to come out of the gate and nail it first go.

Give yourself the mental flexibility, and the room, to fail sometimes.

All you really need to start is the appetite for consistency.

Starting your day right doesn’t have to be difficult

You just need to identify what’s important to you, be prepared to put in the effort, and then be consistent.

Do it once.

Do it a second time.

Then a third, fourth, and fifth time.

And look at that: you’re doing it!

Any time you undertake your morning routine, you reinforce it and entrench it further.

Whatever you choose to do, make it your time. Savour the moment.

You’ve set yourself up with a healthy, positive routine.

Now it’s time to whole-ass your day.