Over the past five to ten years, I have found that sticking to a morning routine enables me to “conquer the day.” My routine has been and will continue to be an iterative process for me based on my current circumstances or pursuits. However, I will break down my current routine in hopes that it will be valuable to at least one person.

Please note that I have always been a morning person, and I’m rarely discouraged from getting up early to work on things I enjoy and am passionate about. Fortunately, I am working on my overall physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, so I can say I haven’t woken up at 3:30am in over a year. (I will save that for the future day when I finally attempt to train for a full Ironman.)

For 98 percent of the year, I do the following things seven days a week no matter what I have going on that day, but I may only spend 1-5 minutes on an activity depending on what it is. I’m not perfect at it, but I’ve found it’s best if I don’t look at my phone before starting my routine. For years, I looked at emails, texts, etc. right when I woke up and before I knew it, I was well into the next opportunity. Emails, texts, alerts, etc. will distract you from THE MOST important thing, which is the morning routine. I am personally convinced that a structured morning routine is a recipe for SUCCESS.

Here is my morning routine in chronological order from the time I wake up:

1. Brush my teeth. It’s amazing how much this can wake me up. (I go to a separate bathroom, as to not wake my wife.)

2. Drink a 12-20 oz. glass of water. A lot of research shows that we wake up dehydrated and benefit from drinking water first thing.

3. Pray.

4. Study the scriptures. Right now, I volunteer in my church as a youth pastor, and I am using a study guide to give me some structure to my study.

5. Exercise. I haven’t been to a gym in four or five years, so my exercise often includes a run, bike ride, yoga, etc. If I leave the house to work out, I usually push this to the end of my routine and do everything else first. On Sundays or other days when I have less time, my workouts may be as simple as 5-10 minutes of stretching or 12 sit-ups, 12 push-ups, and 12 air squats (this takes me about two minutes). I exercise seven days a week because I feel better and it’s a trigger for me that I am doing something for my physical well-being.

6. Journal. I have done the 5-Minute Journal, Miracle Morning, and a few others, and I am currently using the 6-Minute Diary (don’t let the word diary discourage you). Most important is to write 3-5 things I am grateful for. I express gratitude when I pray, but it becomes more meaningful when I write it down. I record a lot of these things or ideas in Evernote. I love Evernote (in fact, I’m writing these thoughts in Evernote).

7. Meditation. For the past two years, I have included regular meditation into my life, and it has been a GAME CHANGER. I have used the apps Calm and Headspace. Calm is quicker and can be completed in 1-3 minutes, but I have been using Headspace for over 18 months. I try to commit myself to 10 minutes of meditation, which can feel like an hour when there is so much else to do.

8. Read. I try to read 5-30 minutes of a business book. I’m currently reading Multipliers by Liz Wiseman. It’s probably good that I read at the end of my routine because sometimes I want to read for 30-60 minutes and would likely not get to the rest of these things. At some point, I’m going to figure out a way to share my book list and books reviews as it might be valuable to you.

When I have shared my routine with friends in the past, I’ve realized that it may seem overwhelming, but I can tell you that it is possible to do all these things in 15 minutes, although 60 minutes is ideal. If I’m on vacation, I tell my family I need 15 minutes of time before we start our first activity, or I’ll set my alarm 15 minutes earlier to ensure I complete my routine. One last piece of advice as you develop your morning routine: find a regular spot to compete your activities, so you can find a rhythm.

Please feel free to reach out directly to me if you have any specific questions.