Category Archives: Morning Routine

Need More Time? Make Decisions Less Often

I mentioned in my recent blog post, Wake Up, Write (Right), that my goal was to write first thing in the morning. I have been doing a fair job of forming that habit. However, in order to enhance my chance of success- I need to make a few more changes.

Morning is a very busy time that requires me to make a lot of decisions: What to eat for breakfast; what to wear; what do I need to accomplish today; what to bring for lunch and so on.  It can be challenging to focus on writing when there is a whole day to prepare for as well.  How can I get the peaceful, productive writing time that I need every day?

I believe the answer may be to make as many of those other decisions in advance, as possible.  If I prepare all my lunches for the week on the weekend before, then I can just grab and go each day.  I can do the same thing with my clothes.  If I plan and assemble all five five outfits needed in advance, including jewelry and accessories, I’m saved from making all the tiny choices involved in getting dressed each day.

Paring down decisions, thereby saving time and energy, has been practiced by many successful people including Albert Einstein and former President Obama.  They both simplified their daily decisions by each buying several of the same suits.  So, all they had to do was put them on; no thought required.  The late Steve Jobs, former CEO of Apple, was also famous for his daily uniform compromised of jeans, a black turtleneck and sneakers.  These gentlemen were aware that humans have a limited capacity to make good decisions over time.  So, they eliminated having to make certain choices like what to wear. Thus they were able to fend off decision fatigue longer.

Decision fatigue, quite simply, is one’s diminishing power to keep making good decisions, the more decisions you have to make.  Have you ever watched the TV show Say Yes to the Dress? There was an episode where a man surprised his girlfriend with a proposal and then dropped her off at Kleinfeld’s Bridal right after to buy her wedding dress.  The woman was so overwhelmed with the enormity of having decided to get engaged, there was no way she was going to pick out a wedding dress the same day.  She probably had trouble picking what to have for dinner that night. Forget fatigue, she was decision exhausted!

My hope is that by prepping my week properly in advance and eliminating as many of the daily decisions as possible, I can wake up and write with abandon every single day.  We shall see…

Natural Rhythms: My Morning Routine

Early to bed.  Early to rise. Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.

– Benjamin Franklin

I finally got back into my regular morning routine today after being off for a bit.  I feel so much better!

Until fairly recently, I never would have imagined that I would ever become a member of the 5AM club.  Technically, I am in the 4:55AM club because my clock is five minutes fast but I digress… Getting up early was never my thing and I fought it whenever possible.

I had been frustrated for a while that I wasn’t getting to my yoga practice or walking the dogs during the week.  I was drained at the end of the day after work and la mega-commute.  It eventually became obvious that the only way I could be sure to get these things done was to do them first thing.

Now, I wake up at 4:55 am.  I meditate for 20 minutes.  After I finish, I put on exercise clothes and walk the dogs.  When I get back, I open the sun room for them and put on the classical music station for Lucy, the Bichon. (Yes, I know she likes it!)  Then I practice yoga for 20 minutes, followed by my neck exercises.  I make my bed. (I don’t make it right away after I wake up.  I like to air it out for a bit even though I am freshly showered when I get in it.) I make a green smoothie for breakfast.   I drink tea as I make my lunch.  Then I get ready for work.

All of these activities serve me well throughout the day.  Meditation helps me to stay calm and centered.  Walking the dogs helps them and me, as I explained in Naturally Kind and Fit: Walk ‘dem Puppies! Yoga and my neck exercises stretch, heal and strenghten my body.  Making my bed makes me feel pulled together and tidy.  It’s also a nice site to behold at the end of the day!  The green smoothie is packed with energy and gets my day off on the right foot nutritionally.

My life runs so much more smoothly when I follow this routine.  It’s so nice to leave for work, knowing that I already accomplished quite a bit.  I don’t have nagging thoughts all day about whether I will be too tired to walk the dogs, etc.  The morning is usually the only time that is my own.  I don’t know if I am going to get stuck late at work or get jammed in crazy traffic later in the day.  When I take care of these tasks first thing, I can relax when unexpected events come up.

Are you an early riser or a night owl?  What’s your morning routine like?

Many blessings,

Cynthia

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