Developing a Morning Routine can be the first step to changing your life.
I’m a morning person. Always have been. But just waking up early is not enough.
I’ve developed a morning routine so that by 9am, I am truly ready to face the day.
One of the great things about Australia is how easy it is to be healthy and fit here – and to lose weight and clear your mind. There are so many fitness classes to take, and so many spectacular locations for beautiful walks or runs.
And good, clean food is so easy to find too.
Wake up at the same time every day.
There’s a plethora of data on why this is important, but for me it creates routine and calmness. That time for me is 5.21am. Don’t ask me why, it just is. And I always set an alarm but almost always wake up before it goes off.
Don’t get on social media the moment you wake up.
I don’t always achieve this, as there’s often communication I’m waiting for from someone in a different time zone, and I need to or want to respond, so it’s hard not to log on and connect. But I always feel better if I don’t.
Have your clothes out ready to go.
No-one is at their best first thing in the morning, so I do myself a favour by putting my fitness gear out the night before so all I have to do is put it on. I don’t have to open drawers and work out what to wear.
Don’t get distracted.
I focus on the task at hand which is getting out the door. You can lose a lot of time messing around in the morning.
Mix up your fitness.
I find I get bored if I do the same fitness every day. For me I mix up running, walking, @inpulse sessions, Pilates and Air Locker. So it’s a mix between classes and being by myself. (Click here for my story on 5 ways a morning run will change your life).
Sunrise
One of the great things about claiming your morning is seeing the sunrise. It is spectacular, and such a gift. I see it at least 2-3 times a week over the ocean when I am in Sydney.
Meditate
Mediation is life changing. Yes it’s challenging and takes a while to get into it. I mix that up too. Some days I do 40 minutes, sometimes I can only manage 10. Sometimes I listen to spoken word, other times I sit in silence.
Gratitude Journal
You will have no idea how powerful this is until you do it. I underestimated it for years.Writing a daily list of things to be grateful for is so important and reminds us of how incredibly lucky we are in so many different ways.
Shower Products
This is another form of self-care hugely underrated. Having a shower gel and hair products that make you feel good each morning is important. I love filling the shower with a fragrance that makes me feel good. Le Labo’s Bergamot is my current favourite.
A Good Coffee Shop
Yes, despite multiple times giving up coffee, I adore it. It’s a love affair I just can’t and won’t let go of. So arriving at the coffee shop and sitting in the same place day after day is part of my morning routine. This is the time I check my phone, and start working.
Fasting
This becomes more important with age, as we need to eat less or we put on weight. I don’t eat until lunch time and this increases my energy and gives me more time to get on with my day.
Green Juices
Doing the three month Wildfit Program introduced me to Green Juices – Yes, I admit I was late to that health trend. But now that I’m onto it, there is no going back. Green juices are the best way to start my day – if I am too hungry too fast, or as my first “meal” of the day at midday.