Morning Routine to Start Your Day with a Clear Mind
Before I get sucked into my phone or computer, I have a list of a dozen short practices which I do in the morning. The result? I feel accomplished, clear-minded, and start my day feeling embodied in myself.
One key aspect to actually fulfilling a list like this is to set achievable minimum goals. Why? This is because one of the biggest blocks we have in achieving our goals is just STARTING. Just saying you’ll read 5 pages or meditate for one single minute, can get you doing it when you’d usually “wait until you have more time.”
This is my “no excuses” list. Everything is absolutely doable even on a busy day. Here’s the list:
Dreams. I lay in bed a while longer to connect the dots of my dreams and write it down first thing.
Make Bed. I find that making the bed is like a reset. It’s the symbolic gesture of I am done resting for now, and ready to start the day. And when you unmake your bed at night to get under the covers, it’s also a shift in your mind to get into relax mode. Small accomplishment, big effect.
Drink Water. I make sure that alkaline water is the first thing I put into my system.
Brush Teeth. I don’t think I have to explain this one.
Breathe. I have a pranayama practice, and I’ll just do a minimum of 50 breaths whether it’s Kapalbhati, Bhastrika, Moorcha, etc. When I’m inspired, I’ll do a longer practice, but having an easy-to-reach minimum is motivating and wakes up my system and my brain a bit!
Meditation. 3 minutes minimum. With a low minimum, it allows meditation to be doable every morning with no excuses even on busy days. There’s always space to do longer practices as well at other times of the day or if I feel I “need” a longer morning meditation practice.
Move. 5 minutes minimum. Any kind of movement will do. If you don’t have exercise equipment, don’t worry! You can always do a “jump and shake” like I do sometimes just to get some stimulation in your body.
Superfoods! I make a smoothie and change it up every day. Some days it’s a fruit smoothie with spirulina and green powder and other days it’s a nut milk base with lucuma and maca powder. My body feels really great when I start the day with a reishi tea or smoothie that nourishes.
Journal. Minimum 1 paragraph. I’ve been journaling consistently since the age of 14. A bit of a brain dump to start the day can really clear the mental clutter. Morning pages (by Julia Cameron) has been a favorite practice of mine for years, but again, this is about having minimum achievable goals!
Read. Minimum 5 pages. Yes, it sounds really low. But the way that so many of us are plugged into our devices, listening to audio and watching YouTube videos, scrolling through the bullet points of articles, etc. we are getting out of practice of long-form reading. I have read more books with this 5 page minimum than I had in previous years.
To-Do List: I write my primary goals for the day.
Time spent doing each activity
Dreams - 3 min.
Make bed - 1 min.
Drink water - 1 min.
Brush teeth - 2 min.
Breathe - 2 min.
Meditation - 3 min.
Move - 5 min.
Superfoods - 5 min.
Journal - 3 min.
Read - 8 min.
To-Do List - 3 min.
Total time spent: <40 minutes.
I feel energized, clear-minded, focused, and accomplished. In 40 minutes!
You can create your own list of practices which you do daily that makes you feel good and aligned. Or if there’s a skill that you want to develop, and you can’t find the time, insert it in your daily routine list.
Here are some ideas beyond the ones I shared:
5 min. Of Duolingo
Learn 1 new vocabulary word
Learn 1 new word in another language
Stretch for 3 minutes
Spend 10 minutes practicing an instrument you’ve always wanted to learn
Write a gratitude list
Mirror-gazing
Practice self-love: write down 3 things you’re grateful for about yourself
Music: fully listen to a song you love or play an instrument you know
Add to and review your manifesting list
Practice a ritual that makes you feel good- smudging, connecting with a crystal
Draw a card from a deck
Set an intention for the day
Pray
Visualize your day
Recite mantras
Make a list of 3 people you’ve been meaning to contact and actually send them a message
