Your Daily Routine Matters

“One of the great responsibilities that I have is to manage my assets wisely, so that they create value.”
— Alice Walton 

"Determine what your customers need, and work backwards."
— Jeff Bezos

How you start your day matters if you want to be successful. Here are 6 items that you should be included in your morning routine. If you already have a routine, see if these can be incorporated into your current plan. If you don't have a consistent morning routine, it is time to start one now. Studies have shown that a majority of successful people have a consistent morning routine. You may add or remove other steps to your plan but the important part is that you have a plan and are implementing it. Now, let's get started.

1. Get 7-8 hours of sleep. A successful morning routing starts with a full nights rest. Science shows that a body needs 7-8 hours of sleep to be fully rested. Your entire body and mind will function better with a full nights sleep. You will have more energy and more focus so you can be more productive.
2. Drink a glass of water. The benefits of drinking water are innumerable and there are millions of books, articles and videos about them so I won't spend too much time here. There are many physiological and mental benefits to hydrating especially with a cold glass of water to start the day.
3. Make your bed- studies have shown that this small task makes you happier and more productive. You start every day out with a win and sparks your productivity mindset.
4. Meditate- It doesn't have to be some Buddhist temple deep meditation. Just take 10 minutes every morning to breath deeply and to be grateful for everything you have in life. Bonus if you can write 3 things your are grateful for daily into a gratitude journal. In a tough spot in life and can't think of anything you are grateful for? There was a 1 in 400 trillion chance of you being born. You are living in the greatest country of all time in terms of opportunity. Don't think so? Think if you were born in remote Africa?  You woke up this morning. Start there. If you are religious, spending some time praying or reflecting would also work here or even in addition to this.
5. Exercise- Again, tons of information on the available on the benefits of exercise. Just know that your appearance, energy, mental and physical health will all improve with exercise. If will also improve your lifespan and extend your healthy years. If you are completely out of shape, start by walking for 10 minutes every morning. You can then grow it from there. Ultimately your goal is to build up to working out 3-5 times a week doing some aerobic work and some resistance training, whether that be with weights or body weight exercises.
6. Good to bed and wake up at a consistent time, even on weekends. Early is recommended but not everyone is a morning person. In a recent study, 82% of successful people say they get up before 7 AM and 41% said they get up before 6 AM. Getting your body and mind in a rhythm helps keep you in a routine. Once you develop a routine, you start to operate off of muscle memory, making the other decisions on this list easier to follow. They all become part of a larger routine.

It is important to find a morning routine that works for you but it should be a routine. There should be things you do every morning without even thinking about it. You will feel happier, more fulfilled and be ready to start your day feeling like you have already accomplished something. This makes being productive the rest of the day much easier. Now sit down and start planning your mornings and go Live your Lifestyle...Guaranteed!