Case Study:
Dan is a new father and works as a senior business analyst. Being a new dad and managing professional work loads puts a constant demand on Dan. Dan really wants to be a super engaging father and be there 100% to support his wife. He also wants to lift his game at work.
Dan wants to feel more energy and focus throughout his day. He heard the importance of having a good morning routine to set the tone for the day and help create better sustained energy and focus. But, he is unsure how to go about setting up a good morning routine for himself.
How can Dan go about developing a good morning routine to help him perform at his best throughout the day?
Solution:
Firstly, let’s define what a morning routine is. A morning routine is a set of activities that you would commit to performing upon waking up as the first order of the day. You must commit to these regardless of whether you feel like it or not (except for some specific circumstances such as health conditions). Check out the importance of having a sustained energy article for more foundational details on this topic.
A powerful morning routine will enable you to stay mentally strong and resilient. Also, adopting a powerful morning routine could lift your physical health quite substantially.
Following is a basic morning routine you can follow as a starting point:
Wake up early (or naturally if you have that option)
Take 10 deep breaths
Envision something empowering/ positive
Make the bed
Face a mirror, and affirm something powerful (make sure you stare into one of the eyeballs and you can see your lip movements).
Stretch your whole body.
Do a quick physical workout to move your body and get the heart pumping -
10 pushups
Sprint in place for 20 seconds (you must give it all you got, like a HIIT workout. You’ll know if you’ve given all you got when you get to the 15 second mark. If you are not panting like crazy, you haven’t given it all)
Repeat a and b for three sets.
Hydration:
Drink a big glass of water OR
Drink a light warm glass of lemon water with a pinch of high quality salt.
Shower: Start with a warm shower. Try to finish your shower with a cold shower for 20 seconds (It will be uncomfortable. But, it is worth it).
It may feel like a lot of stuff and it may feel quite time consuming. But, in reality, this can be completed within 20 mins, max.
Outcome
Dan started on the above routine blueprint a few weeks ago. Even though he initially found it challenging to stick to the routine, after the first week mark, he found a good rhythm and commitment to the routine.
As a result, three weeks into it, Dan started experiencing more sustained energy and focus. Through this routine, Dan is also able to automatically make the beginning of his day certain and consistent. This plays a vital part in setting the journey of the day. Dan also noticed that he lost a bit of weight and his body started looking a bit toned than before.
Additional resources
Check out the following short video from Tim Ferriss for additional inspiration and ideas on Morning Routines - https://youtu.be/LHAyE0UC5I4
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