Things I’m good at: karate, drawing, eating tacos. Things I’m not good at: waking up in the morning. Ever since my teenage years hit me, I’ve had the constant struggle of waking up in the morning. I always feel groggy and it takes me a solid hour before I feel like I can start doing work. But as Tim Ferriss said, “If you win the morning, you win the day.” Which is why I have been working on perfecting my own morning routine to make sure my day is as productive, successful, and enjoyable as possible.

I recently read “The Miracle Morning” by Hal Elrod and was inspired to re-vamp my morning in order to have the most productive days (and life) possible. Recently, I have felt like I have been in a rut, with no clear direction or inspiration. The tips in this book pushed me to sit down, write out what I want to accomplish in the next 30 days, and plan a morning routine that will set me up to achieve those goals.

5:15am

All of these first practices I do, I learned from “The Miracle Morning”:

I try my best to wake up when my first alarm sounds to prevent from hitting the snooze button (again…and again…and again). As soon as I am out of bed, I set a timer for a five minute meditation. I’ve used the apps Simple Habit and Headspace before, but I have been practicing self-guided mediation. I take these 5 minutes to focus on my breathing, scan my body, and quiet my mind.

5:20am

After meditating, I tell myself my daily affirmations for the day. I say them out loud to myself and put as much effort as I can into each one to really feel and believe what I’m saying. My current affirmations are focused on my career and health goals, but may change as time goes on and I achieve those affirmations.

5:25am

After I’ve said my affirmations out loud, I take a minute or two to think about exactly what I plan to do with my day. I visualize the goals I will achieve and how I will feel during each task. I then take ten minutes to read a chapter of a book to feel inspired for the day. I prefer self-help and success books to put me in the right mindset. Right now I’m re-reading “You are a Bad Ass” by Jen Sincero (10/10 would recommend). After reading, I journal in my Miracle Morning journal (I’m doing the 30 day challenge for September) and I also write in the app 5 Minute Gratitude.

5:45am

Once I’ve prepared my mind for the day ahead, I then focus on my body. I dry brush my whole body to get my blood flowing, and do a 5 minute stretch. I splash my face with cold water and do my oral routine (brush, floss, mouth wash, tongue scrape) which always wakes me up. I also drink room temperature water to re-hydrate my body. On a good day I try to finish two 32oz bottles before lunch.

6:00am-6:45am

This next part differs depending on if I am working from home or going into the office.

Going into the Office

Before leaving my house, I make a smoothie to have after my workout. I pack my lunch, work bag, and work clothes to change into. I drive to the gym, do a 30-40 minute workout, take a quick cold shower, and change into my work clothes. I then drink my smoothie while I drive into work, leaving the gym at 7:00am.

Working From Home

When working from home, I prefer to go for a 30 minute walk outside than going to the gym. I don’t take headphones with me and just focus on the sounds of nature around me as I watch the sky slowly brighten. Once I’m home I make my smoothie and coffee, then open my laptop and begin working.

And that’s it! While it may sound like a lot of things to do, I was surprised by how easy it is to flow through each part, especially once you are in the habit. I love that my morning routine incorporates things that benefit both my mind and body, and prepare me for the day ahead.

Once I’ve sat down and begun my work day, I feel invigorated from everything I managed to get done before 7am. I highly recommend reading “The Miracle Morning”, and incorporating what resonates with you into your routine.

Now get out there and carpe diem!

My Smoothie Recipe

• One cup of frozen berries
• Two handfuls of spinach or one scoop of my powdered greens (I use Amazing Grass green superfood)
• One teaspoon of maca powder
• Two tablespoons of chia seeds
• One and a half cups of liquid: I rotate between water, orange juice, and oat milk
• Optional: one banana, and one scoop of protein powder (I use Garden of Life vegan vanilla protein powder)