Can a Morning Routine Really Change Your Life?

I am not a morning person. I long to be one of those wholesome new age hipsters who wake up at the crack of dawn and start the day with a Pilates-infused Chakra-centering workout and 60-minute meditation.

In this alternate universe, I put in an hour of writing time and enjoy a leisurely cup of matcha before heading out for a productive day at work. (Of course, in this never-never land I am also a self-employed millionaire tech whiz or health entrepreneur who works from the beach or café and never schedules a meeting before noon, both of which help ease the pressure in the first hours of the day.)

Morning madness

In reality, my first morning moments look more like this. I usually awaken to two alarm clocks, each set to a minimum of three snooze cycles. After a 27-minute wrestling match with the duvet and two hungry cats (who appear to find no end of amusement in performing their morning gymnastics around my slumbering body), I finally peel myself out from beneath the covers.

What follows is a mad half-hour rush: breakfast for the cats, quick breakfast for me, shower and outfit selection. Then comes the final race to the station, where I arrive just as the commuter train is about to pull away from the platform.

By the time I get to the office, I already feel exhausted. So I hit the coffee machine, chow down on a sugar-filled something, and wade through the email pile-up from overnight.

Good morning! Yes, really…

Proponents of morning suggest that starting the day well is a key to success. Articles abound on the subject, claiming Why Creating a Meaningful Morning Routine Will Make You More Successful or outlining the 24-Minute Morning Routine That Will Make You An Entrepreneurial Rock Star. There is even an entire blog dedicated to the morning routines of successful professionals.

I know there’s got to be a better way to start the day than my morning marathon. And I marvel at colleagues who rise at 6am and fit in a day’s worth of experience before arriving at the office.

So when I heard a Tim Ferriss podcast segment recently with Tony Robbins about the impact of rituals on our thinking and actions – and, in particular, the role mornings play in setting us up for success – I decided, once again, to embrace the morning magic.

The Hour of Power

Tony describes what he calls the Hour of Power, a morning ritual that promises to bring more energy and intention into your life. The practice is pretty straightforward (listen to a full description here, starting at 68:36). There are three main steps, followed by a workout at the end:

Step 1: Walk and Breathe

The routine starts with five minutes of active breathing. When you wake up in the morning, get up without any hesitancy and start moving immediately. Take an easy walk around the block, or even the backyard. (On a rainy day or when travelling, you can try moving back and forth across your room.) While walking, breathe in and out to a pattern of four counts: four inhales through the nose and four exhales through the mouth.

Step 2: Cultivate Gratitude and Visualize Your Dreams

While walking and breathing, think about everything you’re grateful for and create a moment of thanks for each. The idea is to create an upward spiral of gratitude for the blessings in your life. This is an especially powerful step for morning grumps like me, who tend to wallow in resentment over the need to be up so early.

Within this space of gratitude, take a moment to picture your biggest and boldest dreams. See them as a reality. How does it look, feel, sound, smell and taste to be living the best possible version of your life? Experience the scene as though this is your reality right now.

Step 3: Focus on Today with the Power of Incantations

Gently bring that dream back to the now. Reflect on what you want to do today. What do you want to accomplish? How will you approach the activities planned? The idea here is to get in the driver’s seat rather than cruising through the day on autopilot. Instead of dreading the day, you actively shape it.

As you visualize the day ahead, incorporate an incantation. Zero in on a positive intention in the form of a phrase. Repeat this phrase out loud, over and over, while breathing and walking.

Step 4: Exercise

Finally, take 30-45 minutes to walk, run or perform strength training to kick-start your metabolism for the day.

My new morning routine

The Hour of Power may seem daunting at first. Or perhaps even a bit fluffy, especially the incantations part. A full Hour of Power may be too much for some, particularly if you are not an early morning person or have to get kids out the door to school.

But the practice doesn’t have to be all or nothing. In my case, I modified the routine to the version called “15 Minutes to Fulfillment”. I complete the first three steps during my daily walk to the train station and fit in the workout after getting home from the office when I have more energy.

Even this short slice of time is enough to have a transformative effect on the day.

Since starting the practice, I find myself more relaxed during the trip to work, even on those days when it’s raining and the train is overstuffed with frustrated commuters and dripping umbrellas.

“Every person has rituals, whether you know it or not. In fact, your rituals equal your results. Rituals shape your life.” – Tony Robbins

Incredibly, after a few weeks of this practice I found myself waking up with less struggle. And although I may never become a fully-fledged early riser, every little bit helps to ease into the day.

The best part is that instead of getting sucked into a virtual vortex during the train ride or fretting about what is waiting for me at the office, I take a moment every day to look up and remember the bigger picture. By the time I get to the office, my mind is brimming with ideas rather than worries. (Admittedly, those sugar-filled somethings are still a temptation…)

Conclusions: 1) One simple change to an existing routine can make a big a difference. 2) Tony is awesome (yet again)!

Morning Inspiration

• Tim Ferriss podcast
• Tony Robbins Hour of Power
• Morning Pages by Julia Cameron

What’s your morning routine? How do you create space in your busy morning?