The Lasting Benefits Of A Morning Routine

It’s easy to talk about the benefits of a good morning routine, but actually sticking to it is another story. However, I firmly believe that anyone is capable of repeatedly following a regimented morning routine, and it really doesn’t even matter if you’re the type of person who enjoys routine or not because once you start to see results and get into the groove of things, you won’t want to start your day any other way.

I happen to be the kind of person who doesn’t necessarily love routine...at all. But, I’ve worked on perfecting the structure and tasks that make up my morning for a while now, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Every single morning, without fail, I do my stretching exercises and then spend some time in my chest freezer. Yes, these activities have numerous health benefits, but they go beyond the physical because it requires commitment and focus to perform a daily task before that task simply becomes a habit. Having a commitment to carrying out a set of specific tasks every morning strengthens your mind and your cognitive ability because you’ve already started your day off on the right foot. This makes it way easier to be productive and accomplish things throughout your day, and harder for you to get distracted. 

The absolute worst thing you can do to start your day is looking at your phone and scrolling through your messages and social media apps. Don’t do it - ever! As we’ve talked about on the show before, doing this puts you in a reactive mindset that is hard to get out of, because you’re stuck in this place of reacting to things around you, probably getting distracted, instead of being in the ideal mental state, which is one where you’re being proactive and disciplined.

For anyone who finds the aspect of sticking to a morning routine daunting, just remember that there are basically no rules. All you have to do is find tasks that you can do that put you in a proactive, efficient mode, instead of a reactive, distracted one. As I discussed in the previous episode, many great thinkers and leaders start their day by journaling and making gratitude lists, or by going for a brisk walk. Jotting your thoughts down in a notebook or going for a walk are low-stress activities that actually alleviate anxiety and make you feel better, both physically and mentally. It’s so easy to incorporate things like stretching, walking, journaling, or reading a chapter in a book that you don’t really have an excuse to slack on this one - just stick with it until it becomes a habit. And how do you do that? Through repetition and endurance. Try different things until you find what really works for you, and let me know if you too get hooked on a daily unfrozen caveman runner drill!

TIMESTAMPS:

Brad does these two things every single morning without fail [4:40].

How to put your mind in a proactive, not reactive state [11:50].

“My mind is telling my body what to do” - Tony Robbins [16:20].

Looking at your phone first thing in the morning interferes with your ability to prioritize tasks [18:55].

App developers design their products in order to get you addicted to them [21:20].

Listen to Seth Godin’s advice when it comes to your devices [37:30].

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