Get more out of your day - Four morning-routine mistakes you are making and how to fix them

The facts are clear – your mornings matter! The first hour of the day will determine the quality of your day. And the quality of your days will determine the quality of your life. Having a morning routine means you take control of this cascade.But so many of us are squandering the morning. Others realize how important the morning is for the overall productivity of the day and so we try to set a morning routine. However, we may not be doing it right. That is, not optimizing this precious time of day to set us up for success for the rest of the day.In this article, I briefly review what a morning routine is and then I go over four common morning routine mistakes. If you find yourself making any of these, don’t worry – I also provide tips on how to correct them. Let us begin.

Teach us to number our days so that we may our hearts unto wisdom.Psalms 10:12

What is a morning routine?

A good morning routine is a set of pre-set activities performed in a pre-set order that are intelligently thought out to put you in a physical, mental and emotional state for a positive and productive day.As mentioned earlier, most people fall into one of the groups described below when it comes to morning routines.

Don't have one

Some of us have no routine at all. Our mornings just unfold while we watch. In this case, no two mornings are ever quite the same – the activities change day to day and week to week depending on, well, whatever. This quasi-chaotic state may look like it is working – but it is far from optimized. And is likely hurting you if only by keeping you from achieving your vision and true potential.

It has you

Others have a morning routine that has happened to them. That is, they spent morning after morning in a set of reactive steps that those steps have become their routine. This is hardly better than having no routine at all since it does not serve them. Therefore, they need to redesign the routine so that it primes them for a good day.Now that we know what a morning routine is, let's talk about the common mistakes. By the way, I have made every single one of these mistakes myself. So, I know they are real, but I also know the fixes that work.

Mistake #1 – Not having a morning routine (Not planning)

As mentioned earlier in this article, many of us, too many of us, leave our mornings to chance. We wake up and instantly are in reactive mode. We reach for our phones or tablets to read and respond to the email, or worse, the tweet of the day. And the spiral of reactivity begins. We react when it comes to what we eat, what we wear and everything else. We are at the mercy of the day from the first minute. We do not have a morning routine. Without a morning routine, you are on the back foot before your feet even touch the starting blocks.

Without a morning routine, you are on the back foot before your feet even touch the starting blocks.  

The fix

Take some time to think about what you want out of your day. And then plan a routine around that for your mornings. A good morning routine must check some boxes for it to be a good routine. I wrote a detailed article about that and you can read it here.In summary, make sure the routine is simple, straightforward and consistent. But most importantly, make sure it is intelligently designed to prime you physically, mentally and emotionally for your day. To read about the anatomy of a good morning routine, read this post.

Mistake #2 – Not getting enough sleep

A big part of a good morning routine is its consistency – especially at what time specifically that it starts. That is, your waking time. An effective waking routine depends on a smart sleeping routine and your success with a morning routine depends a lot more on the night before than the morning of. Without a good, restful sleep engaging a new day can be tough.To be sure, a good morning routine will give you an edge regardless, but a rested and rejuvenated body and mind are much easier to nourish and prime for peak performance than a groggy body and fatigue-addled faculties. If you are planning to design a morning routine, keep this in mind. And if you are struggling to wake up and perform your existing routine, you might not be getting enough sleep to enable you to do it. Thankfully, there is a straightforward solution.

The Fix

This one is easy to say – get more sleep. Easy to say, but I know from experience, it is not so easy to do. I understand. Time is tight, you have commitments, maybe you work late, maybe the late evening is when you do all your chores and errands. I get it. But here’s the tough truth – there will still be only 24 hours tomorrow – just like today and just like for the last thousand years – and the next. We don’t get more time in our day and so, something simply has to give.Once you truly appreciate the power of the morning and the multifaceted physical and mental benefits of sleep, you may be more inclined to prioritize this vital and powerful aspect of your life and productivity.

Take the plunge

If you are ready to take the plunge into more restful nights that recharge you, then check out my article - 7 tips to help you get a better sleep. In summary,

• Remove exposure to backlit screens – t.v, computers, phones and tablets roughly two hours before bedtime
• Speaking of bedtime, have one. Yeah, just like when you were 8 – rediscover your inner child – I’ll bet he or she had near infinite energy.
• Allow yourself 30 minutes more time than you intend to sleep to spend in bed. This is your sleep opportunity which covers the time spent falling asleep to ensure you get enough real sleep time.
• Perform some relaxing activity as part of your wind-down routine – have some caffeine-free tea, read a book, have a warm shower – anything that calms you down.
• Keep your room cool, dark and quiet (unless you want to use white noise or nature sounds to lull you to sleep – keep these at a low volume)
• Lastly, aim for 8 hours of sleep which translates to about 8.5 hours of sleep-opportunity.

These will help you get a better restful night sleep and increase your chances of meeting the next day – and your engineered morning routine with high energy and a greater chance of success.

Mistake #3 – Changing things up too quickly

Once you have decided to take charge of your mornings, you will need to make changes. This is all well and good. The problem arises when you don’t give the new routine enough time to “take”. Remember, one of the most important qualities of a good morning routine is its consistency. This consistency gives you predictability and saves you mental effort. But this consistency takes time to build into a habit. Changing too often midway prevents the routine from settling in. It is like a pond constantly being stirred – it never gets calm and clear.

Beware the cascade

The cascade is what happens when you tweak one aspect of your morning routine only to have the effects ripple through to the rest of your routine. For example, maybe you wake up a little later than planned one day and then you decide to extend your waking time. Well, now that means you have fewer minutes for the rest of your routine. The cascade has begun. From here, it is a hop and a skip to frustration and giving up on the morning routine. And all the benefits that come with it are lost as well.

The fix

Be realistic in your planning stage – consider all the variables. When in doubt, overestimate how long an activity will take. This will solve most problems upfront. Then start the routine. And once you start it, don’t be in a hurry to change it. Remember that you designed it for a reason.If something unfavourable happens like you waking up too late or you going to work late, take a look at the situation. What was the real cause? Can you remove the cause without upsetting the routine? Also, see if this was just a one-off incident or if it is a pattern. If it is becoming a pattern, again, seek out the root cause.If all else fails, only then do change the routine but keep in mind the cascade effect of the change on the rest of your morning and your day. Work this in so that you can achieve success and sidestep frustration. Your morning routine will take some time to dial in – be patient with yourself. And that brings me to the fourth and final common mistake.

Mistake #4 – Copying someone else’s routine

I know you just read a book or blog about how your hero or mentor wakes up at 4.30am, takes an ice bath then follows it up with one hour of meditation and then a 90-minute run before breakfast. And now you are decided. This will be your morning routine from now on. It is settled! Well, wait a minute – what kind of lifestyle do you live? Do you have children? A spouse? A job? Do you even own a bathtub?It is tempting to read about super-achievers and then try to copy them. But beware that temptation. Often these super-achievers have lifestyles and resources that are outside of the reach of many people trying to emulate them.Don’t get me wrong, I am a firm believer in learning from others. I have my own fair share of mentors and teachers. But instead of just copying what they do, I ask why they do it and then see if I can make it my own.

The fix - Ask why

The habits of the so-called super successful people can vary widely! Some respond to email instantly and are constantly connected; others shun email except at pre-set times of the day. Some wake up and have a breakfast of steak and eggs; others a protein bar and coffee; and yet others skip “the most important meal of the day” altogether. Ask why.

It is true that success leaves clues – but a clue is only as good its interpretation.

Trying to copy them will only make you a copy – and most likely, a bad one. What works better is to ask why they do what they do. The habits may differ from person to person but you will find the principles of what they do can be applied with great benefit to your own life with a little thought and customization. Just ask why.It is true that success leaves clues – but a clue is only as good as its interpretation.

Final Thoughts

How you start your day affects how you spend it. How you spend your days determine how you spend your life. A morning routine is an effective way to take charge of this cascade. It is well worth your effort. Plan it, execute it and tweak it if necessary. Be easy on yourself if you fail a few times – just get back into it. Before long, you’ll be hooked on the amazing feeling of control, greater energy, self-determination and increased productivity that it gives you. Carpe Diem.Until the next post, be your best and do your best.