How To Perfect Your Morning Routine

How you wake-up isn’t really the issue. It’s what you do when your eyes flick open that matters. It’s how you planned this moment the night before. It’s also what your intentions are. You see, whether night-owl or early-bird there is always a way for you to greet the day as best you can. Although so-called early birds might have it a bit easier, once you start focusing on what you need to start the day on the right foot it doesn’t have to be a trial to get up in the morning.

Famous Examples

There are many famous names that crop up when talking about the ‘perfect’ morning routine. Of course, it’s a no-brainer to look at people who are at the top of their field. It could be Barack Obama doing his morning weight and cardio routine then breakfasting with his daughters, or Vogue editor Anna Wintour starting her day at 5:45 am with a tennis match. It might be a morning mantra like Benjamin Franklin’s ‘What good shall I do this day?’ or Steve Jobs’ ‘If today were my last day on earth what would I do differently?’. Jane Austen would get up and immediately play piano, while Picasso’s preferred slumber was from 3am till noon.

If this all seems like conflicting information, there’s a reason for that… Because everyone is different, silly! Of course, these tips are great — and for sure the mantras are worth keeping in mind. But some people just aren’t ‘5:45am-tennis’ or ‘staying-up-till-3am’ people. And that’s fine! It’s all about finding the morning routine that works for you. Luckily now you can, with our top tips on how to perfect your morning routine!

Learn To Love Lists

To-do lists? They may not be glamorous or sexy — but often the simplest methods are the most effective. Make a list of everything you want to achieve during the day. Many people find it beneficial to write the list the night before. This means that when you awake your goals are already set (and you won’t have stayed up half the night wondering what you’re supposed to be doing tomorrow!) A popular way to order your list is with the ‘Frog’ method. Now, bear with us, it’s a real thing! It is based on a quote by iconic American author Mark Twain:

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning, and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

What many people have taken this to mean, (including author of time management guide ‘Eat That Frog’, Brian Tracey) is that you must tackle the most daunting task of your day first. And voila! After that everything seems easy. Each night, commit to paper your ‘frog’ for the next day

Set Your Intentions

Just like when you prepare for a psychedelic trip, setting your intention is key. After all what is life, if not a trip? However, for a morning routine, these are more general. Why is it you feel the need for a change in your morning routine? Do you want to be healthier? Happier? More productive? Once you have worked this out, you can start to plan your perfect routine.

If your intention is for health, you could plan to get up at the same time everyday, drink lemon water, do some exercise and have a good breakfast.

If you want to be happier, you could start the day by hugging your loved ones to release some oxytocin, or speak aloud what you are grateful for — or write it down in a journal. You also can’t go wrong with that old favourite, meditation! These things will help ground you and care for your emotional well-being.

If you aim to be more productive? Set your alarm at a time that feels natural for you to wake up — then do NOT snooze — it actually makes you feel less rested. Have your outfit and your breakfast already decided on, eliminating choice means less time wasted. Then, get on with your to-do list.

The possibilities are endless, because a person’s intentions can be too. Maybe your intention is to see as many dogs as possible before work ? ?. Then reroute your commute through the dog park, buddy! The answers become clear if you first identify what you actually want…

Treat Yourself Like A Plant

No, really! We’re not so different from our green leafy friends…

Water: Like any plant (except perhaps a cactus) we need to hydrate as much as possible, especially in the morning, as you have just gone for between 6 to 8 hours without water. Usually the first thing we reach for in the morning is a strong coffee. You don’t have to end your love affair with caffeine if you don’t wanna, but if you make sure you’ve drunk a glass or two of water first it will make all the difference. Drinking water increases alertness, energy levels and brain function. Your brain is 73% water after all, so help it along!

Sunlight: Just like a plant, humans need some sun to feel good. Long before clocks and alarms it was the sun’s rays that told us it was time to get up, and hunt sabre-tooth tigers (or something). So, it goes without saying that getting up and letting the sun kiss your skin will get you ready for the day. For some in less sunny hemispheres this isn’t always possible — but a daylight lamp can save the day and stop you wilting!

Breathing: Yep! Plants breathe too. They take in carbon dioxide and release yummy oxygen through their leaves (you might remember learning about photosynthesis at school…) Us humans, we do the opposite, breathing in oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide, in a you-scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch-yours kinda relationship with our houseplants. But, plants aside, scientists have found that when we wake up in the morning we are actually a little low on oxygen. All you have to do is take some deep breaths when you wake up, and you’ll be oxygenated and fresh to start your day!

A Morning Microdose

More and more folks are incorporating microdosing into their morning routines. Microdosing is when you take a sub-perceptual dose of a psychedelic such as magic mushrooms or truffles. This means that you do not feel the ‘trippy’ effects of the substance, but you have an increase in alertness, creativity and positive mood. Everything is brighter and less stressful, even your morning commute! From entrepreneurs, to stay-at-home parents, this method — once only for an ‘in-the-know’ minority, is becoming mainstream. Whether you microdose every other day, or with the Fadiman method of every 3 days a — microdose is truly something to get up for. Check out our microdosing manual here!

Your Routine Starts The Night Before

T’was the night before Monday,

And all through the house,

People were writing their to-do lists and packing their bags, and laying out their work-out clothes for the next day, and…

OK, maybe it’s not so catchy, but it is no secret that the most productive people start their morning routine the evening before. Whether it’s writing tomorrow’s to-do list, doing some bed-time yoga, or turning off our devices an hour before sleep, you’ll find it really makes a difference. Not really feeling like going for that jog tomorrow morning? Waking up to find your running clothes already laid out by your bed will encourage you to persevere. Sick of rushing around, late, shoving toast into your face? Make some overnight oats or a smoothie the evening before. Oh how your future self will thank you!