How to Be More Productive by Improving Your Morning Routine
As I always say, when you feel your best, you'll do your best. Morning routines are a key part of that.
Today's post is from Julie Bourbeau who's sharing how, as a single mom and entrepreneur, she was able to change her morning routine and learn to live and work smarter (not harder) after landing in the hospital.
I think we can all learn important lessons from this post! And who isn't trying to be more productive?
Up until 15 months ago, here’s what my weekday mornings would look like:
I would get up at 7:20 am, grab a coffee, get the kids ready for school, fix breakfast, get the kids on the school bus, and then get to work.
As a single mom and entrepreneur, I had become all about getting as much done as possible, in as little time as possible, running myself into the ground and to the point where, in December of 2015, I landed in the hospital with muscle spasms due to stress.
I vowed right there and then to slow down and to find a way to live and work smarter, not harder. I even went so far as to not set any goals for 2016… That’s how much I wanted to slow down!
Then, in April of 2016, I stumbled upon a post about the Bullet Journal on Facebook. This became my new way to better planning. I got so inspired by this method that I joined two Facebook groups on the subject. It was in one of these groups that I learned about the book The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod.
In his book, Hal Elrod talks about his journey and how he’s come to apply what he's called S.A.V.E.R.S.
These are a few practices which he says will transform your life before 8 am and include:
» S for Scribing (writing, journaling),
» A for Affirmations,
» V for Visualization,
» E for exercise,
» R for reading and,
» S for Silence (or meditation).
As for me, I’ve lost count of the amount of time that I’ve taken up a certain practice (meditation, journaling, gratitude log, you name it), only to give up after a few days. I was looking for ways to incorporate practices early in the day instead of trying to find time in my busy schedule to fit them in.
Hal suggests that we apply those principles first thing in the morning, every day. We can start with 5 minutes of each, or adapt it to what we want to do more of.
This is what my Miracle Mornings look like for me:
»Scribing (25 minutes): I use the suggestions laid out in The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron where she talks about the Morning Pages which are all about journaling 3 pages first thing every morning
»Affirmation (5 minutes): These days, I use the app "Think Up" where you can record affirmations
»Visualization (5 minutes): I read my business goals for the year and the month
»Silence (10 minutes): These days, I meditate using Mala Beads.
»Reading (15 minutes): Any personal or business development book
»Exercise (one hour): I don’t do that first thing in the morning, but I go to the gym three mornings a week
Like I said, this is what it looks like for me. How it might look for you could be totally different.
You might want to start with meditation or exercise, you might want to write 5 things you’re grateful for instead of 3 pages or journaling. It’s entirely up to you. The idea is to take time for yourself every morning, which I believe is so necessary.
My morning rituals have now become the foundation of my day and have changed my life.
Not that my life sucked before that, but it’s allowed me to fit some of the practices I used to do, either sporadically or every day if and when I had the time, into one single period.
I also believe that how I spend my evenings has a great influence on the quality of my sleep and on my mornings.
The last thing I do before going to bed is to write down three things to celebrate (ex.: landing a new client, a great workout at the gym) and three things I’m grateful for (ex.: my kids made their own breakfast, lunch with a friend).
Finally, as an entrepreneur, the above "rituals" have allowed me not only to be more productive, but less frazzled and exhausted.
In the last year, I have attracted tons of inspiring people and opportunities in my life, starting with finding a business coach.
I spent the first 9 years of my business with two young kids at home and became a single mom in year 3. My business was a means of survival for me and my kids and served my goal to stay at home with them until they were both in school. Once my son entered first grade, I felt I had reached the end of all that I knew to make my business thrive.
I then dove into networking, which eventually led to finding and hiring a business coach. This happened exactly one week after I began practicing my "Miracle Mornings" and, as a result, I’ve increased my revenues by 50% and I’m well on my way to achieving a 6-figure income in the next year or two. Life is good!
Has this inspired you to create your own morning routine?
What impact do you think it will have on your business? Leave a comment below!
About Julie Bourbeau
Julie Bourbeau is a language expert. She helps individuals, businesses, and charitable organizations get all of their material translated and proofread so that they can reach out to a broader market. Julie helps her clients achieve presence, keep their message consistent and look professional.
Julie is a heart and soul, free-spirited and determined entrepreneur. She is the founder of Julie Bourbeau, Translation Services which grew out of her desire and commitment to being a stay at home mom to both her kids and has now grown it into a full-time business and a team of dedicated collaborators.
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