Crossfit Shoulder Circuit Workout

High productivity begins well before you enter the office door. I never understood this simple fact until this past year when I gave my morning routine a makeover.  You can supercharge your day and greet it fully energized by following this simple 5 step morning routine that even a hardcore night owl like me was able to master.

I have to confess that for years I fought my morning alarm, hurriedly showered, dressed and hit the door at the last possible minute. With no breakfast in my belly, I would enter the office tired and unfocused. I rationalized my foolishness by singing a constant refrain of: “I am a night owl. Morning isn’t my thing.”

I had no idea the gold mine of energy, creativity, and productivity I was missing out on because I wasn’t entering the day strategically. Specifically, I wasn’t intentionally strengthening and awakening my mind, body, and spirit. While I am distinctly a night owl, what I have discovered is that this really doesn’t need to prevent me from having a life giving morning routine.

Fortunately, the days of dragging are now gone thanks to a morning routine that holistically jumpstarts me for the day. Here are the 5 basic elements of my personal morning success routine.

THE 5 BASIC ELEMENTS

1. Hydrate.

The moment I wake up I drink a 1/2 liter of water. When you wake up you are dehydrated. You’ve gone hours without fluid. You might as well have been hiking in a desert. Morning coffee isn’t going to correct this. Your body needs water and lots of it to function optimally.

Dehydration = fatigue, poor cognitive function, and irritability. Hydration = energy, a sharp mind, and decreased stress.

I struggled with consistency at first. My key to success was simple. I now fill a glass every night before I go to bed and set it on my bathroom counter. I never miss my 1/2 liter now and it makes me feel great.

2. Exercise.

Most of the time I simply take a 30 minute walk around my neighborhood. Lately, I have started running portions of this. For one month I alternated walking with free body exercises using a routine from a kindle book I got for free. Two-thirds of the workouts were 10 minute routines. The other one-third lasted between 15 to 25 minutes. Occasionally, I do 20 or 30 minutes of yoga.

I hope you are getting the picture here. I am not talking about hitting the gym for an hour–though if that works for you, I am sure that would be even better. The key is to just get physical in the morning to shake out the kinks, clear the mind, de-stress, and kick-up your energy level. Start small if you aren’t exercising and build on success.

3. Learn.

I listen to webinars and ebooks as I exercise. This awakens my mind and enhances my skills. In the past 6 months, I have taken 2 productivity courses, a marketing class, listened to at least 4 complete books and countless webinars. All of these were done listening for just 20 to 30 minutes at a time while walking around my neighborhood. If you find listening while exercising a distraction, another great alternative is to listen while you commute to work.

Allyson’s book,  is now available as an audiobook and would be a great place to start your listening and learning. Check it out by .  If you already have read it, then I recommend checking out audible.com or the iTunes store. They are both loaded with great downloadable resources. Some are even free. Lastly, don’t forget your local library. They may have CD’s you can checkout. I have filled hours of commute time with CD’s from the library.

4. Eat Well.

As soon as I finish exercising I get a good dose of protein in my body. I typically have a protein bar or breakfast smoothie accompanied by an egg or two. My protein smoothies usually have about a 1/2 cup of fruit juice, a half banana, a couple palm fulls of frozen fruit, a palm full of oats, a palm full of flax meal or almonds, and a half to full scoop of protein powder. The smoothie varies. Sometimes I toss in some carrots or add yogurt. Occasionally, I may have a slice of toast with my eggs. I am probably going to mix this up and get some veggies in the picture.

I am not a nutritionist, but I can tell you that getting a meal under my belt that is relatively unprocessed foods with a healthy heap of protein has remarkably transformed how I feel when I hit the office door. My energy and focus is distinctly higher for hours and I don’t tend to have the midmorning energy ebb I use to have. I feel great!

5. Pray or Meditate.

I diligently observe a morning devotional. I use to do this at home. Often times, I now do my devotion at the office. As a pastor, this is appropriate, but not a privilege you may have. Whether you do a spiritual devotional or simply sit and meditate for 15 to 20 minutes, clearing the mind and centering your energy will:

• Lengthen your ability to focus
• Reduce your susceptibility to distraction
• Increase productivity
• Enhance creativity
• Release stress and anxiety
• Fill you with a greater sense of peace and well-being

GETTING STARTED

It took me a few weeks to craft my morning success routine. The key to success is planning the details and preparing. Just as I set out my glass of water, I also decide my exercise routine and set out my workout clothes the night before. I pre-loaded my iPod or phone with a book, course, or webinar.  I set my headphones out with my clothes. The freezer is stocked with frozen fruit. A basket of protein bars is always on my kitchen counter. Oats, eggs, almonds and protein are always on hand. The blender is washed and ready to go the night before. Lastly, I have a specific 7 step routine I follow for my morning devotional/meditation time.

Failing to create a detailed plan and preparing before hand is how 90% of people who are starting a new routine unwittingly sabotage themselves. Don’t be one of those people. Write out a detailed plan of what you will do and set in place everything you need to succeed beforehand.

Why is this prep work so critical? Because when a routine is new you will resist it for a phase. That’s natural and normal; unfortunately, any slight inconvenience can easily derail your efforts during that time. So, set yourself up for success by removing every  possible hurdle. Preparing the night before will also fill your mind with a strong intention to follow through in the morning.

If this sounds overwhelming because you lack any semblance of a healthy morning routine, don’t panic. I know that if a night owl like me can pull off the transition to a life-giving morning routine anyone can. Start small and build on your success. Consider starting with just one or two elements and layering in a new one each week. The expanded energy, focus, creativity, and accomplishment that you will experience will be well worth the effort. Don’t miss out like I did. Get started today.

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