The Power of Morning Rituals: How a Simple Routine Transformed Our Perspectives

Recently, while dining with another couple, we struggled to find a common free slot in our calendars for our next get-together. Amidst juggling doctor's appointments, travel, meetings, and other commitments, finding a suitable time proved challenging. When evening plans failed to align, Walter suggested breakfast, only for the wife to decline due to her morning routine, which clearly hit a nerve for her husband.  He urged her to be more flexible, emphasizing the need to adapt.

“No, I can’t,” she said firmly. “I’ve created a morning routine for myself and I’ve learned that I am happier and more productive when I give myself that time in the morning. It’s the few hours in the day that I have to myself and I want to stick with it.”

As you can expect, Walter’s ears perked up because if there’s one thing he believes strongly in, it's the power of habits and rituals. 

She went on to explain that her morning routine consists of reading a self development book, making and drinking her coffee, journaling, working through their family budget, getting a workout in, and sending invoices. She has a very particular system, and has crafted this routine down to the smallest details. 

“On days when the kids wake up early and interrupt my routine, it really throws me off. Of course I can redirect and figure it out, but not getting those things done first always has an impact on my day.”

She told us that she developed this routine over five years ago, when she was tired of dragging herself through the day and feeling like she was constantly reacting to life's demands rather than proactively shaping her day. By establishing a morning ritual focused on personal growth, organization, and self-care, she reclaimed control over her time and energy. 

“I used to apologize for taking this time for myself, or I would try to rush through or skip parts of my routine in order to better fit into the schedules of other people” she shot a look at her husband, “But it always ended up a disaster. I was upset at myself for sacrificing that self care time for someone else, and I always ended up feeling like the day got away from me. I’ve learned to stand in my truth and unless it’s a level ten emergency, I stick to this routine. Not only because it makes me more efficient, but because it makes me happy.”

Her strong belief in creating and sticking to a routine really had an impact on us. I realized there were times in my life where I rushed through or skipped things that were important for my mental health or getting closer to my goals. I admired how focused and disciplined she was. It also gave me the opportunity to rethink how I'm using my mornings and what I could be doing differently to set myself up for a more positive and productive day. 

While everybody's morning routine may look a little different, psychologists suggest incorporating these two things into our routine to set yourself up for success:

Set An Intention

Spending a few moments in silence, taking deep breaths, and selecting a single word or phrase as your guiding light for the day.

Your intention might be “Today, I aim to feel successful,”or “Today I am going to be more focused.” Then, consider what you can realistically achieve in the next 24 hours to align with that intention.

Do Something Unplugged

If you get up and immediately check your email or scroll on Instagram, you open your brain up to news and problems and stress. Instead, experts suggest doing something that doesn't involve technology, like reading, journaling, or working out. This gives your mood and mindset a boost and provides sustainable energy to tackle the problems of the day. 

You'll be happy to hear that we did end up finding an evening that worked for us, (although it was 8 weeks later) and we all left the dinner with a renewed perspective about habits, rituals, and how significant they are in our mental health and our journey to reach our goals. 

If you always get to the end of your day feeling frazzled, overwhelmed, and like you didn't get it all done, start paying attention to how you're spending your mornings. Creating a morning routine can significantly change the course of your day, your week, and your life. 

Want to learn more about the power of habits and rituals? Click here