Mornings are tough here at Ethos3. What else would you expect with a bunch of creatives?
However, being “creative” is no excuse for us to struggle during the early part of our work days. That’s why I am exploring the benefits of being a morning person this year so I can consider something more serious company wide.
Now, this isn’t easy for me since I am naturally a night owl, and have been one for years. However, after carefully tracking my emotions and moods with each passing day at the end of 2015, I began to notice a pattern. I was happier and more fulfilled on the days where I started the day earlier. My mood was brighter. My head was clearer. My days were more productive.
I needed to upgrade my morning routine.
Enter my morning ritual for 2016. This is a structure that works best for me. I welcome you to take inspiration from it and modify where needed.
5:30am: Wake-up
I like to get up early in order to give myself a big padding to do all the things I want to do before heading into the office.
5:30am – 5:45am: News and RSS
A bit of a transparent moment, but I do all of this quickly and efficiently while using the restroom. On my iPhone, I will glance at both USA Today and Reeder. During this time I am looking to just get informed on what is going on 1) in the world and 2) in my networks of interest. I like the USA Today app for it’s clean and simple look. Granted, there are other apps out there but I have always favored this one. As for RSS, I use Reeder. I have this app on all my devices – iPad, iPhone, and MacBook Air. It’s a beautiful app and I’ll continue to stand behind it for all of my RSS needs.
As I peruse these feeds, I’m mindful to capture any important links and avoid the temptation of sharing them right then and there via Google+, Twitter, or Facebook. Instead, I simply copy the links and add them to a special folder I have in Evernote to be scheduled later that morning.
5:45am – 7:00am: Triathlon Training
I get all my workout gear ready the night before so I can quickly change and head out the door. Most of my workouts are about an hour or a bit longer during the off- season. Once I hit training season, I have to carve out time during the afternoon for Workout #2.
7:00am – 7:30am: Chores and Breakfast
This short window of time is used to wake-up the dogs, feed them, unload/load the dishwasher, and eat breakfast with my wife and son.
7:30am – 8:00am: Shower and Get Ready
I can get ready in about 20 minutes so that 10 minute padding is always nice.
8:00am – 9:00am: Commute into Work
My office is only about 30 minutes from the house but with traffic it can sometimes be a 45 minute commute so I am usually able to hit the office around 9am or earlier.
9:00am – 10:00am: Personal Growth and Learning
This hour is the most precious part of my day. It’s my one opportunity to read books that will allow me to grow and mature as a human. Therefore, I only read non-fiction during this time. Some of my favorites are books by people like Michael Gerber, Steven Pressfield, and Seth Godin. I like business wisdom with a bit of a motivational charge. I think of this as my time where I can “have coffee” with some of the greatest minds before I start my day. Again, I’m careful not to share quotes or interesting findings until later in the day. Also, email is still unchecked.
It is no surprise that my mornings are now a critical part of my day. If approached poorly, my day becomes a quick mess. This system is not perfect, but it works for me.
What’s your morning routine?
