Creating a ritual to be done before you officially start your day will allow you to get ahead of the game and take time to prepare your mind and body. This might mean having to wake up earlier than you are used to, but when you carve out enough time to focus on yourself before the workday begins, you’ll be able to tackle whatever challenges that might come your way more efficiently. Here are some tips on how to create a good morning routine for entrepreneurs. Incorporate these four habits first thing in the morning and kickstart your day feeling driven.
1. Stimulate the Mind
As an entrepreneur, you are a visionary and a dreamer who is constantly thinking of new ideas or solutions to problems. It can become overwhelming having so many goals in your head, and you might feel like you are biting off more than you can chew. To process your thoughts constructively and efficiently, you should stimulate your mind first thing in the morning. Here are some things you can do:
Journaling
Consider journaling when you wake up. You might reflect on the week ahead, map out tasks you’d like to do, or just scribble down whatever is in your head and see what thoughts need to be purged. Journaling is a good way to declutter your mind and start your day feeling refreshed.
Self-Reflection
Try self-reflection to clear your head. There are plenty of guided meditations online or from apps that will walk you through breathing and analyzing your thoughts. These insightful lessons can span anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes. When you take time to get in touch with your feelings and empty your head of anything weighing you down, you will feel driven to focus on other tasks.
Reading or Solving a Crossword Puzzle
Another way to get your brain working early is to read or do a crossword puzzle as it will improve your concentration. If you feel like you might not have a lot of time to spare in the mornings, you can commit to reading just a page in a book or one article in a newspaper. Even the smallest act of reading and exercising the mind can jumpstart your brain and rejuvenate you.
Watching the News
If you are someone who would prefer to use your mornings to relax and veg out, then consider watching the news or listening to a funny or inspirational podcast. These activities don’t require much effort from you, but they do make you aware of what is happening in the present and can be a break from always thinking about your business. By activating your brain first thing in the morning, you will find that you feel more motivated to take on the day.
2. Participate in Physical Action
When you get in the zone of focusing on your project, it can be easy to forget about exercise. Without a way to release the heaviness from always analyzing your product or the pressure from making sure your goals come to fruition, you will feel weighed down and exhausted. If your body is tired and lethargic while taking on a project, you won’t feel sharp and on point and you won’t be putting in your best effort. That is why physical activity is an important aspect of a morning routine that will kick off your day feeling driven, and it’s an important part of an entrepreneur’s morning routine. Taking part in some form of physical activity will give you a spur of energy to wake you up and feel lighter. Here are some activities that you can do:
A walk around the neighborhood with your dog or on your own is one way to get your body moving and awaken your senses. Even just stepping outside for a moment and feeling fresh air can knock out any tiredness. If you feel like you need a more rigorous workout, consider signing up for an early gym class or doing an at-home routine. Any physical activity that increases your heart rate allows you to release tension or stress and leaves you feeling relaxed and ready to conquer tasks. After you exercise, you will feel more tenacity and vigor, which will inspire you throughout the day. A quick stretching ritual or yoga session can also be a good way to wake up your body without being too strenuous. If you feel like you are really crunched for time in the mornings, strap on ankle weights and do lunges while on a call.
You can take advantage of any moment to move and get that boost of energy. Doing any activity to jumpstart your body can allow you to approach tasks with more enthusiasm and passion because you will not feel heavy or dragged down by the pressures of the day. When you feel revitalized and awake, you have a greater capacity to thrive.
3. Communicate and Use Your Voice
Some days you might notice that you do not talk to anyone until a few hours after you wake up, or maybe even longer. Perhaps there are projects you are working on, and you wish you had a partner to share ideas and collaborate with. When you aren’t communicating and using your voice, you are actually living at a lower vibration. All of your goals and concerns are trapped inside your head and heart if you have no one to vocalize them to, which is why it is beneficial to find somebody to converse with early in the morning. Some ideas to get your vocal cords moving are:
Find an accountability partner with who you chat about your plans for the day or a bright idea you have been thinking about. Join an online or in-person networking group where you can share your thoughts and hear from other like-minded people. Consider meeting with a life coach in the mornings to talk about whatever is on your mind, or dive into the details of your business ventures. Even talking to yourself out loud in the mirror when you wake up can make you feel more lively. Vocalizing simple affirmations like “I am confident that I will succeed” or “I feel driven and motivated” will help to start your day off on the right foot.
Verbalizing your feelings or opinions and hearing others do the same can be a way to feel driven and inspired. When you use your voice in the morning, it is like clearing the cobwebs from your throat so that you are more prepared to interact and be engaging with others when talking about your business. Using your voice and communicating in the morning before you even begin to work will allow you to harness the energy you need to be an effective leader.
4. Clear the Clutter and Make a Schedule
When you are an entrepreneur, it might feel like you are constantly moving at the speed of light. It can feel even more stressful and overwhelming if you let small responsibilities pile up. That’s why decluttering and scheduling should be a part of an entrepreneur’s morning routine. Here are some tips to get clear, clean, and ready to go:
Take Time to Declutter in the Morning
The first key to staying driven is making sure you take time in the mornings to declutter any tasks from the day or even the week before. The sooner you can clear your inbox and reply to emails, the faster you will be caught up and prepared for the day. You want to check off those quick, daily responsibilities first thing in the morning, such as feeding your pet or preparing lunch for the kids. If you can clear your slate of these smaller tasks right away, then you have the rest of your day to focus on being an effective entrepreneur.
Make a Schedule
Once you get yourself organized and clean your desk or office space, it becomes easier to make a schedule. Having some direction for your workday is how you will stay motivated to accomplish your goals. You can create a plan that is mapped out for every hour or just loosely in the order of what is most urgent.
Categorize Your Duties
Consider putting your duties into categories like personal responsibilities, tasks to do for other team members, or creative ideas that do not have a hard deadline. This will help you visualize where you need to put more energy, and it could show you if you are balancing your personal jobs and business responsibilities equally. When you make your schedule, also give yourself breaks and time to recharge and be alone with your thoughts. This is an opportunity for you to assess what you have accomplished and what else needs to be done. When you make it a habit to get organized and create a plan first thing in the morning, you will strive to complete your to-do list and work smarter.
Final Thoughts
Having a productive morning routine is what will drive you to be an entrepreneur who is dynamic in how you manage your business. The way you start your day will determine how the rest of your hours will flow. If you stimulate your mind when you wake up, you will feel refreshed and alert. By doing physical exercise, you release any tension in the body and become more energized. When you communicate and use your voice, you speak your goals into existence and can become inspired from hearing others do the same. Clearing clutter from trivial tasks and making a schedule for the day will give you the drive to fulfill your purpose. Adding these four practices to your morning will get you revved up and ready to succeed every day.
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Featured photo credit: Austin Distel via unsplash.com
