Start Your Day Off Well

Doesn’t life often feel like the movie Groundhog Day? For most people, we fall asleep and wake up in the same bed, go through the same rhythms, and hit the reset button each day. While our own family has certainly tried to shake up the mundaneness of this routine by long-term traveling, there is still a daily grind inherent to life.

Life should have meaning and purpose, adventure and opportunity. You can make a big impact on those around you when you are clear about what’s most important. But sometimes it’s hard to see above the clouds.

One of the best ways to combat the typical rat-race is to be very intentional with your morning routines. From making your bed to setting up a morning practice as described in the Miracle Morning which includes exercise, reading, meditation, visualization, and affirmations – it has been proven that these simple habits can impact your entire life greatly. High caliber individuals are very protective of their morning hours.

Research shows that we tend to be most creative immediately after we wake up. Our brain is rested and increases its ability to make connections, which is when creativity happens. This is why many authors just begin writing after their basic morning habits.

We’ve liked this rhythm for our mornings over the last couple of years:

1. Wake up, wash up, make bed
2. Have an easy breakfast with 20-30 grams of protein
3. Write and get to work on most important creative projects
4. Read, answer emails
5. Take a break to exercise mid-morning

Tim Ferriss suggests to get 30 grams of protein, 30 minutes after you wake up. This keeps your body from feeling those mid-morning crashes. Eggs are a great option for protein, but Don and I have really come to love protein shakes even more. We use Arbonne’s vanilla protein powder and Califia coconut milk as the base and then add frozen berries or green apple, a handful of spinach, chia and flaxseeds, fiber, and Greens Balance. If we need more protein or are working out regularly, we will add the Arbonne Protein Boost or a banana as well.

It is surprisingly filling, easy to make, and gets us off and running for the day without experiencing those typical blood-sugar crashes later. We don’t always know where the rest of the day will lead with meals or social gatherings, but we love knowing that we started the day right with so much great nutrition. It’s one thing that we don’t mind feeling like Groundhog Day with because it’s so delicious and frees us up to be creative and spontaneous in the rest of life.

Is there something you’d like to improve on your morning routine?