Start Slow: 5 Morning Routines to Stop and What to Do Instead
Create a calm buffer zone in your mornings.
In our previous discussion on managing leadership stress, we explored the critical importance of bookending your day. Waking up and immediately reacting to a late-night email is a surefire way to start your shift on the defensive. When you do that, you are letting all the other pieces of the business dictate how you feel and your stress levels before you even get out of bed.
Starting your day in a positive, calm way is entirely within your control. You simply have to make the choice to own your morning. I know, easier said than done. As most things are, if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. This is the type of choice that separates good from great.
Before we get into the specific habits that will transform your morning, there is one non-negotiable rule you must put in place. You have to delay your screen time. Before your alarm even goes off, you must decide that looking at your phone first thing simply cannot happen. That may seem impossible, I thought it may be the case as well. But the mornings I don’t get sucked into my phone are always the better morning routines.
Fair warning, all of these recommendations may seem crazy and almost impossible based on what we have become accustomed to. Pause for a moment and realize that it hasn’t always been this way. Twenty years ago, none of us were waking up with a hand-held internet connected device sitting next to our bed. So before you dismiss any or all of these, think about what could be possible. Just give it try for a period of time to see what happens. You may be surprised.
If your phone is your alarm and the temptation to check your notifications is too high, you need to change your setup. Consider getting a traditional alarm clock and placing your phone in another room entirely. Limiting your distractions is essential to maintaining focus. This has become so much easier for me since I started relying on my smartwatch. I wear it to sleep. Yes, it is a piece of technology. But I can turn off the alarm with a simple tap on my wrist without ever touching my phone or seeing a screen full of unread messages.
Once you have removed the digital temptation, you can focus on building a morning that actually serves you. Here are five simple, analog routines you can adopt to start your day off right.
1. Stop Hitting Snooze and Start Finding the Light
We all know the feeling of the alarm going off when we are just not ready to wake up. The wish to hit the snooze button is strong. Just nine more minutes, you tell yourself. But hitting snooze does not give you restful sleep. It actually extends the state of sleep inertia most of of feel each morning, leaving you feeling groggier and more exhausted than if you had just gotten up the first time.
Stop hitting snooze. When the alarm goes off, make the choice to get up and get moving. Start your day by finding the light. Natural sunlight is ideal for waking up your brain and setting your internal clock, but turning on bright indoor lights works well too. Light signals to your body that it is time to be alert. This simple, physical action immediately shifts your momentum forward. Add in a splash of cold water on your face too; it isn’t just for effect, it has real benefits in getting your started.
2. Stop Overthinking and Start a Simple Anchor Routine
Many leaders wake up and immediately start thinking about the dozen fires they need to put out at the store. They wander to the kitchen, checking mental lists, and already feeling behind. This scattered approach drains your energy before you have accomplished a single thing. I’ve been there.
Stop the overthinking and start the day with a simple anchor routine. This does not need to be a complex, hour-long productivity activity. It could be as simple as spending three minutes doing some light stretching and then brushing your teeth. The specific actions matter less than the consistency. Having a set anchor routine tells your brain that you are in control of the morning. It gives you a small, immediate win that requires zero brainpower. Basically, my first fifteen to twenty minutes each morning is pure autopilot.
3. Stop Reaching for Coffee First and Start Hydrating
The instinct for most of us is to stumble out of bed and head straight for the coffee maker. We rely on caffeine to shock our system into gear. But after a full night of sleep, your body is naturally dehydrated. Pouring coffee into a depleted system is not doing you any favors. Taking care of yourself should probably be first on every list that connects to time management and productivity.
Stop reaching for coffee first. Start hydrating. Drink a large glass of water before or after (or both is good too) you finish your anchor routine. Your brain and your body need water to function efficiently. This is a basic form of self-care. It restores your body and naturally wakes up your system. You can still have that morning coffee, but force yourself to drink a glass of water first.
4. Stop Dreading the Day and Start Practicing Gratitude
It is incredibly easy to wake up and immediately feel the weight of the tasks ahead of you. You think about the difficult conversation you have to deliver, the staffing challenges or the massive workload waiting in your email or message streams. Starting your day with a sense of dread creates an underlying current of anxiety.
Stop dreading the day. Start practicing gratitude. Taking just one minute to practice gratitude can completely shift your perspective. I find that the evening is the best time to be grateful for the specific events and wins that happened during the day. Morning gratitude, on the other hand, can be used for the simple things that are easy to take for granted. Sometimes, just waking up healthy each morning is something to be grateful for. Acknowledging the basics grounds you and puts the stress of your job into perspective. You choice on whether you write these down (recommended) or just take the time to quietly think about them.
5. Stop Reacting to the Inbox and Start Reviewing Your Top Priorities
Everyone needs a plan to start their day. If you do not know what is most important to do, you will inevitably fall victim to whatever urgent issue pops up first. The worst way to find your priorities is by opening your email inbox to see what other people need from you.
Stop reacting to the inbox. Start reviewing your top priorities. This can be an entirely analog process depending on how you capture your tasks. The key here is not to get caught in other applications if you are using a digital version. Look at the plan you wrote down the night before. Remind yourself of the top three things you must accomplish today. Reviewing this list on paper keeps you focused on your goals without the risk of a digital distraction pulling you off course. When you know exactly what your focus is, you walk into your business with calm confidence instead of frantic energy.
Keep It Simple and Analog
The beauty of these five steps is that they can be entirely analog. They do not require an app, a subscription, or a complex system. They are completely driven by your own actions. By delaying your digital input and focusing on these controllable choices, you build a protective buffer around your morning. You give yourself the time and space to wake up, hydrate, express gratitude, and focus your mind. Leadership takes hard work and requires a lot of energy. By establishing this positive foundation every morning, you ensure you have the strength and clarity to support your team and tackle whatever the day throws your way.
How will you slow your morning down and ensure your morning routine is working for you instead of against you?
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