INTRODUCING | Ask Me Anything | My Morning Routine #225

1. Be the Architect of Your Health

Take ownership and design your own health journey by experimenting and tapping into what truly makes a difference for you, rather than blindly following others’ advice.

2. Personalize Health Routines

Design health routines, including morning routines, to be unique and personal to yourself, rather than strictly following didactic advice, because everyone has different paces of life, responsibilities, and beliefs.

3. Use Others for Inspiration, Not Prescription

Use others’ routines and advice as inspiration and ideas, but ultimately empower yourself to choose elements that fit your life context and personal preferences.

4. Establish Consistent Routine When Starting

When beginning a morning routine, consistently perform the same specific activities every day until the habit is locked in, as this prevents procrastination and doubts that arise from having to decide what to do.

5. Start with a Short Morning Routine

Even a short morning routine, such as five minutes, can be very powerful and beneficial, especially for busy individuals.

6. Structure Morning with Three Ms

Consider structuring your morning routine around the ‘Three Ms’: Mindfulness, Movement, and Mindset, as a useful framework for thinking about and building your routine.

7. Create a 5-Minute 3M Routine

Design a five-minute morning routine using the 3M framework, for example, one minute of 3-4-5 breathing (in for 3, hold for 4, out for 5), two minutes of favorite yoga moves, and two minutes of affirmations, especially if you are a busy individual.

8. Avoid Negative News/Social Media in Morning

Refrain from checking Twitter, news, or social media first thing in the morning, as these sources often contain negative and anxiety-inducing content that can negatively impact your mindset for the day.

9. Feed Positive Information in the Morning

Intentionally feed only positive, compassionate, and kind messaging into your brain and mind first thing in the morning to set yourself up for a calm and peaceful day.

10. Consistency in Mindfulness Practice

Prioritize showing up and consistently doing your mindfulness practice every day, as this regular engagement is what provides the benefits, regardless of how deep the state of calm achieved on any given day.

11. Make Peace with Your Mind in Meditation

Approach meditation not by trying to control or actively quiet your mind, but by making friends and peace with your mind, accepting thoughts as they come and go.

12. Train Attention with Breath Focus

Practice training your attention by focusing on your breath for a few minutes, noticing when your mind wanders and gently bringing it back, as this process helps develop mindfulness.

13. Practice Slow Nasal Breathing

For about five minutes, practice breathing in quietly through your nose for approximately five seconds, aiming for six breaths per minute (10 seconds per breath cycle), to intentionally slow down your breath, feel calm, and be present.

14. Practice Box Breathing

Engage in box breathing by inhaling for four seconds, holding for four, exhaling for four, and holding for four, repeating this cycle to bring yourself into the present moment and promote mindfulness.

15. Practice 3-4-5 Breathing

Perform one minute of 3-4-5 breathing, where you breathe in for three seconds, hold for four seconds, and breathe out for five seconds, to help with mindfulness and stress reduction.

16. Meditate Regularly

Incorporate meditation into your routine, either using an app like Calm for guidance or practicing by yourself, to cultivate mindfulness and present moment awareness.

17. Combine Breathwork and Meditation

Incorporate about five minutes of intentional breathwork followed by approximately 10 minutes of meditation into your morning routine for a comprehensive mindfulness practice.

18. Use Airplane Mode for Morning Apps

If using a meditation app or phone for morning routines, put your phone on airplane mode to maintain peace and calm, preventing distractions from emails or social media.

19. Integrate Movement with Daily Tasks

Integrate short bursts of movement into existing daily routines, such as doing a workout for four to five minutes while coffee is brewing, to make exercise a regular and easy habit.

20. Use Visual Triggers for Movement

Place exercise equipment like a kettlebell or dumbbell in a visible location, such as the kitchen, to create visual triggers that encourage you to pick them up and incorporate movement.

21. Perform a Simple 5-Minute Bodyweight Workout

Engage in a five-minute bodyweight circuit workout, including exercises like press-ups, tricep dips, squats, lunges, and calf raises, as it requires no equipment, changing, or purchases, making it very easy to do regularly.

22. Keep Morning Movement Short

Aim for a morning movement session that is relatively short, around five to ten minutes, to make it manageable and sustainable.

23. Utilize Small Time Gaps for Exercise

Take advantage of small pockets of time, like when a second cup of coffee is brewing, to perform quick exercises such as kettlebell swings, to add more movement throughout the day.

24. Read Uplifting Books in the Morning

Engage in reading an uplifting book in the morning, perhaps with a hot coffee and a lamp on, to foster a positive frame of mind.

25. Practice Affirmations (Alone or with Kids)

Practice affirmations, either alone or with children, by repeating positive phrases like ‘I’m happy, I’m calm, I’m stress-free’ for about two minutes, to cultivate a positive mindset.

26. Journal to Process Thoughts

Incorporate journaling into your morning routine, perhaps before reading, to write down and process things on your mind, worries, stresses, anxieties, or to clarify thoughts.