A Successful Start to Your Day, Pt. 1

I'd like to share with you something so basic.... something so simple.... but yet it plays a major factor in the success of our day. A morning routine. Do you find yourself cringing at the thought of having a routine or schedule in place? It's not as binding or complicated as you first may think. Consider this. I bet you already have some sort of routine in place for your morning. You get up at the same time everyday, you shower, you brush your teeth, you get dressed, you fix breakfast, etc. As creatures of habit, we tend to do the same things in the same order without really giving any conscious thought to the matter. So let's just take it a step further, shall we?

Take the time right now to jot down your existing morning routine, no matter how simplistic it may be. Take a look. Can you realistically add two more things to your routine? Write out everything that needs to be accomplished during your morning for it to run smoothly and efficiently. Not only think of those things that you have to accomplish, but think of those things that you would like to accomplish. Take a look at your time frame. You'd be amazed at what you can squeeze in during an extra 10-15 minute time frame.

Writing your morning routine down on paper is important for two reasons. First, it gives you at a glance a workable foundation to your day. You may not follow it exactly each morning, but it will give your day a tremendous boost if you can accomplish most of it. Secondly, having it written out on paper holds you accountable. You're much more likely to follow a schedule that is actually written down. Something about that piece of paper staring us in the face each morning gives us the motivation to actually accomplish what it written.

The first couple of hours of your morning sets the stage for the rest of your day. When your morning runs smoothly because of the routine you have in place, you will feel confident and ready to tackle whatever the rest of your day may bring your way. Attitude is key. Even if the afternoon falls apart on you... hey... at least your morning was successful! ;)