I am so pumped up!
Do you feel like Emmet from the Lego Movie when you wake up? He had the formula for a great start of the day figured out.
- Step One: Breathe deeply
- Step Two: Greet the day, smile, and say, “good morning city!”
- Step Three: Exercise (meaning, three jumping jacks)
That’s all it took for Emmet to yell, “I am so pumped up!”
My formula for a morning routine is slightly different than Emmet’s, but here’s what I learned.
My best and most productive days almost always follow a good morning. Nothing influences the finish more than the start. If you establish and follow a morning routine, you’ll be more successful than ever.
The most important, non-business goals usually happen before I leave for work.
The exception is exercise, which I prefer later in the day. I follow a morning routine, using a checklist, which ensures I accomplish each step.
Eventually, the checklist isn’t needed, and the routine becomes a habit. But habits require time, energy, and repetition.
The key to having enough time and energy in the morning is getting a good night’s sleep. The science behind sleep has been well-documented for years.
Most high-achievers are often militant about a consistent bedtime. Electronics are off, and lights go out by a specific time. By doing this, you’ll often wake up before your alarm, giving yourself time to execute your routine.
Before I get to the office, I’m already feeling energized and successful.
If I don’t accomplish the steps in my morning routine, odds are it won’t happen. Work has a way of crowding out other priorities if we’re not intentional.
Once my work day begins, I’m in work mode, so it’s hard to think about anything else other than “get it done.” The priorities in my morning routine are best accomplished in the morning.
Here’s the key to a successful morning routine that super-charges your day. The steps must connect to your goals. Here’s a quick list of goals that drive my morning routine:
- Better Health: Drinking water, light exercise and stretching, smoothie for breakfast
- Mental/Spiritual Growth: Quiet time for meditation, prayer, Bible study
- Better Husband and Father: See getlasting.com. Really powerful, even for someone married 27 years.
- Personal and Professional Development: Time to read, think, listen, and write. Reading is mostly directed by Leaderbox.com. For podcast ideas, check out my 5 Favorite Podcasts to Help 401k Advisors.
It starts with your goals.
Once you’re clear on what you want out of life, you can create a morning routine that makes you feel pumped up.
Ross Marino, CFP, CPFA, CeFT, is the founder and CEO of Advisor 2X | Excel 401(k) and Transitus Wealth Partners. He can be reached at rmarino@rekonintel.com.
