{Tea Set from Suite One Studio on Etsy}
There are two different ways that I start my mornings.
Some mornings, I hurriedly grab a diet coke and rush to the computer to check my emails and social media sites. Other mornings, I enjoy a mug of hot herbal tea and write my morning pages. {Morning pages are basically a brain dump—a written meditation. I got the idea from The Artist’s Way – affiliate link.}
Which one do you think leads to a more productive and inspiring day?
If you guessed the second one, you’d be right.
For the longest time, I’d grab my diet coke, plop my butt in my desk chair, and spend the entire morning online. After a couple hours, I’d peel myself away to exercise and shower.
It takes a lot of discipline for me to ignore the urge to check my email and put the emphasis on self-care first thing in the morning. But, it pays off every time I do it. I’m much more likely to have patience, be present, enjoy the day, and get my to-do list completed if I take care of myself first.
With that said, I recommend that you to take the first 20 minutes of your day for self-care. Even if you have children, a demanding job, or a needy spouse, try it for a month and see if it makes a difference in your creativity and productivity. This might mean that you have to wake up 20 minutes earlier, but I think it’s well worth the pay off.
If you’re not down for writing morning pages {which I highly suggest}, you could:
- Meditate
- Do yoga
- Read an inspirational book
- Take a walk
- Dance to your favorite songs
- Indulge in a bubble bath scented with pure essential oils
- Listen to a guided relaxation or visualization
It doesn’t really matter what you choose. It just matters that you start your day off in a way that will set your day up for creativity and productivity. If you suffer from anxiety or depression, a better morning routine will help to improve mood for the entire day. When I practiced therapy, I saw this one change make a significant difference in people’s lives.
When I first started morning pages, I thought I was wasting my time. The conversation in my head went a little like this, “Hello! You could be responding to the emails waiting for you or packaging the products you have to ship this morning. You could actually be doing something good for your business instead of wasting your time.”
I decided that it couldn’t hurt to try. If, after a month, I didn’t see any real changes, I’d go back to my diet coke and email. I have to admit that some mornings I do revert back to my old habits, but I always feel so much better and get more done when I start my morning right.
What do you say? Are you down for trying something new? Are you ready to put yourself first in the morning even if it means getting up a little earlier?
Related Posts:
12 Fantastic Ways to Bring More Creativity Into Your Life
The Artist’s Way changed my life! I wake up an hour earlier every day, write (I love to write), work with my art journal, THEN go to the computer… then work…I’m a mornings person anyway, and I love to be up before DH and play. And friends have started The Artist Way after reading my series about it online. I’m so happy – I know it will change their life too! {:-Deb
Thanks for adding to the convo Deb! I love hearing how many people are impacted by The Artist’s Way…I agree that it definitely is a must-read book for creatives 🙂
Wow, love this idea in practice, but I think it would take an army to keep my from my lap top first thing in the morning. My personal little ritual is making coffee and reading all my favorite blogs first thing in the morning before I start doing my own work. Especially when that work involves shipping (I’m not a big fan of the post office). Perhaps I’ll give it a shot for a week, and see how things go. Thanks for the advice!
Hey Adriana,
I completely understand–I still struggle with it! I have to admit that at least once a week I go straight to the computer to check my email even though I know how much better I feel all day when I don’t rush into it. When this happens, I don’t beat myself up about it–I just make an effort not to repeat the pattern the next morning.
I recently went back to journaling first thing in the morning. I noticed I feel better and feel more creative. I also give myself extra time to do a bit of exercise–that part is not always fun but it does make a difference for me when I am chasing two toddlers.
Thanks for commenting Erika! I try to fit in exercise on most days as well–and it definitely helps me concentrate and gives me energy.
I too have a morning routine and I have to say it is something that has made me at least 3 times more productive, no exaggeration. Although mine has a lot to do with exercise, making a special juice and meditation or visualization, whatever you choose to make yourself “strong”, (exercise or working on your mind), is the best way to set yourself for a successful day. And a lot more then a day.
It took me time and effort to do this, because I would always jump into my feed reader in the morning and going through inspiration folders, which would result in a long day and a lot of procrastination. Now I can do in 4 hours what took me a whole day to do, mostly because I have a morning routine in place.
Hey Stella!
I always love when you stop by to add to the conversation. Thanks for adding your personal story. When multiple people say, “hey, this really works,” more people will give it a shot.
Hi April,
I already have a morning routine (listening to songs while drinking a nice cuppa tea!)..
I’ve just got hold of ‘The Artists Way’ and am planning to make notes while I go so I can take a session of it with my work colleagues.
Just dropping in to say thanks for the wonderful book. Touching so many lives so powerfully and positively must feel great!
Cheers.
I’m glad you’re reading The Artist’s Way! Let me know how you like it. Connecting with people like you definitely makes me feel great 🙂
I may give this a try in the spring. Right now, snuggling in my bed before hitting the cold air is “my” time, even if it just for 15 minutes while the hubby is making the coffee. I used to do morning pages and miss it.
Oh man, Samantha–I have trouble getting out of my warm bed, too!
Thanks for the great tip! I’m gonna have to check out The Artist’s Way and learn more about these pages. I may opt to get up earlier and try out that essential oil bath while writing my pages right there!
Right now I wake up when my kiddos do, and we cuddle together in bed. Then we get dressed, I get them breakfast and an educational show, and I have my morning green drink and tackle some cleaning. It’s been going pretty well so far, but you never know if something else is better until you try it!
Hmmmm…bath + morning pages…that might be genius!
It’s hard to change a routine, especially one that’s already working. Let me know if you try something different and if you like/dislike it.
Hi April!
I absolutely love my morning routine because it is full of self care. I actually spend more like 2 hours reading, writing, puttering around the kitchen prepping food or whatever else I feel like first thing in the morning. It’s great to have that time to spend on whatever I want to do and not have to jump up and run out the door or dash to the computer. Makes the whole day more enjoyable! 🙂
I’m officially jealous of your 2 hours…but I know that with my personality it just wouldn’t work.
I like having creative and reading time in the evening, so after my morning pages, I try to get right to work. I like to get my to-do list done, and then I feel free to do other stuff.
I think it’s cool how everyone is different – and what works for you doesn’t necessarily work for me and vice versa. I just LOVE that I have the freedom to figure out and DO what works and forget the rest. 😉
Exactly–it’s definitely about finding what really works for you and then going with that!
I’m the same way April! I have to get my to-do list done before anything extra, or I feel like I’m wasting away the day and not getting what I need to done.
i’m not a morning person, but I really love my morning ritual: while everyone else at home gets up and heads for the shower…. I head for the kitchen and make myself a coffee, toast, cucumbers, cheese, ham and jam breakfast. I LOVE breakfast!! It’s what targets me to get up and do stuff!
Right there with you, April! My morning routine not only makes me feel great, it makes me about a bajillion times more focused & more productive throughout the day. I like to get up and do yoga + some other exercise, and then meditate for 10-20 minutes before I start my day. It makes a HUGE difference in how things go, I’ve noticed!
Very inspirational post! The idea of a morning routine just for oneself sounds great. I think that is what I am missing right now. Let me give it a shot for few weeks and see how it improves my day. Already reserved The Artist’s Way at the neighbourhood library 🙂 Thanks again!
I recently went back to journaling first thing in the morning. It’s been going pretty well so far, but you never know if something else is better until you try it!