Lately I have been staying up way too late which has translated into a rough, disorganized feeling morning.

Many productivity and personal development books will tell you about the importance of owning the morning and it being a critical routine to get "right" because it sets the tone for the rest of the day.

While I agree having a smooth morning flow is a great feeling, I also know a crappy morning doesn't have to mean a bad afternoon or evening.

There are ways to turn a 'bad' moment around and ways to be more proactive in setting yourself up to avoid those 'bad' moments or mornings in the future.

In this newsletter, I'll give some tips for both.

3 Tips for Better Habits

Let's start with some proactive ways to set yourself up for future success. This is part of what I think of as "the thing before the thing."

By this I mean, what is happening, or what do we want to happen, BEFORE the behavior we are trying to change.

In the case of my rough mornings, I know for sure it has to do with working too late into the evening.

If I'm being honest, I don't really regret it because I've been creating some really cool stuff and prepping for some new programs launching in the future.

Even though I'm happy with what I'm working on, I also know this is not sustainable and that my work would be even better if I were rested and refreshed. So while this may be OK for a few nights here and there, it is not the best way to structure my schedule or my work.

Though "get to bed earlier" is the obvious answer to feeling better in the morning, it's not really all that helpful of a tip. Instead, here's what I'm going to do:

1. At around 3:00pm I'm going to pause what I'm working on and assess what's left to be done. I will choose the 1-3 tasks I have time for in the next few hours AND the 3 tasks or mini goals that are most important for the next day. Everything else gets pushed.

2. At 9:00pm I will start my prep for the next day. This means getting clothes (work/gym) picked out and ready, packing a lunch & snack that's easy to grab (even if I'm working from home), and looking at my calendar to remind me which meetings I have and what tasks are scheduled for the day.

3. Immediately after prep is done, I'll start my wind down routine. This doesn't necessarily mean I'm going to get in bed by 10:00pm but I'm going to do all the things I need to be ready for bed (walk the dog, switch to PJs, make a hot tea or protein + chocolate treat, etc.) so that when the time comes, I'm not delaying my sleep by an extra 20-30 minutes.

Even with all of this, I know I'll need to resist the urge to get back on my computer so I'll find something else to occupy my mind...a movie or show I've been hearing about (I highly recommend "Nobody Wants This" if you haven't see it yet), reading, decluttering some things around the house, or maybe even journaling some thoughts and gratitude from the day...all things that make me feel relaxed and help me decompress.

Double Click for More Details

Though the 3 tips above are mostly related to proactive prep, some of those actions can be used in the moment to redirect your energy if you're not having the best of days.

Pausing to get yourself organized on your top priority and tasks or journaling on insights and wins can help get some of the chaos feelings out of your mind and reduce stress as you ground yourself back into the moment.

Moving your body is another way to reset for the day.

Earlier this week, after one of my up too late nights, I headed to the gym for my normal 9:00am class but I really didn't feel like being there. It took a good 20 minutes of warming up to feel ready and even then I wasn't as enthused as I'd like to be.

I did the workout any way, scaling back on the weights a little because I knew my body wasn't exactly primed to perform. It wasn't my "best" workout but by the time class ended I felt more energized, more positive and joyful, and ready to start the work day with a better attitude.

Had I skipped the class because of being too tired or because I still had a lot of work to do, I might have got a few more smaller tasks done but I would have spent brain power wishing I'd gone and wasted time trying to figure out how to 'make up' the missed workout to stay on track with my training plan.

I'm not suggesting the "suck it up and do it any way" approach is always right but sometimes that is the answer, and sometimes moving your body even when it's tired is the best way to create a more energized feeling.

If you want some suggestions on movement options to increase your energy and decrease your stress, I'm happy to help. You can also check out this short article that lists 6 workouts to boost your mood.

1 Last Thing...

The actual plan you decide on to create a great morning or, if you're like me, to feel more rested and refreshed, is less important than the act of PLANNING.

Taking the time to reflect and create a strategy or set of actions is the valuable part of the process.

The plan itself can and will change. Being thoughtful and intentional in designing it and taking immediate (even if imperfect) action is what will move you forward.

So let's get moving, my friend!

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