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Morning, Colleague
January is traditionally the time for resolutions, but if the back-to-school feeling of September has left you filled with new hope (not to mention a desk’s worth of new notebooks) it could be the right time to make some adjustments. And where better to start than by examining your morning routine?
If I’m honest, mine tends to waver based on my mental health and how well I’ve slept, but I feel SO MUCH BETTER when I stick to some kind of routine. This month, after getting out of the habit, I’ve been running a mile each day pre-work. It’s not too time-consuming or knackering, and is over (relatively) quickly that there’s no excuse. Doing the same thing every working day means I don’t need to think about it, it’s just what happens before breakfast and a shower.
There are, of course, a million articles about morning routines, many of which are filled with conflicting advice, or involve getting up at ridiculous-o’clock. And some of the problem is that it’s a deeply personal thing, and one person’s ‘perfect start’ might feel like ‘Satan’s hellscape’ for another. But there are certain things, which many people find helpful, that are worth trying at least once to help you pinpoint what works for you.
“A good morning routine is important, but lots of lists from highly successful people just aren’t realistic,” says Katie Phillips, a business coach who specialises in helping people and businesses to avoid burn out. (We’ve all seen Mark Wahlberg’s list, and I think we can agree that if you’re playing golf at 4am then something’s gone wrong in your life.)
“That said, I’ve burnt out several times and it’s always been because I’ve been completely screwing myself in the mornings – rushing loads, drinking three coffees before 10am – it’s a recipe for disaster for me. We all want a blueprint of what works best for us.”
And here’s how to find yours.
The night before
According to Katie, a good start to the day is really down to what you do the night before. “Top and tail your day with good habits,” says Katie. “Switching on and off from work properly helps to reduce overwhelm and anxiety.
“Start at the end of the day by tidying up bits of paper into one neat space, and writing down a plan for the next day (I use Asana to help with this). It can also be helpful to pick out your outfit for the following day, making your morning as simple as possible.”
Once your desk is tidy, it can be helpful to do something positive to signify the end of the working day. “Do something to complete the stress cycle,” says Katie. “Our bodies need something tangible to process stress from the day, whether it’s a walk or something creative.” I’ve previously spoken about my decompression zone (which is currently being filled by MAFS UK - anyone else?), but even two minutes of the ‘legs up the wall’ yoga pose can help.
It’s not rocket science, but how well you sleep is obviously connected with the following morning’s workload. That said, it isn’t easy. I’m not someone who traditionally struggles with sleep, but this year it’s been all over the place, with lots of waking up at 3 or 4 to do my most essential worrying.
“I go in and out of a good routine too,” says Katie. “But it really helps to avoid using your phone or watching TV in bed — I did it last night and I feel gross today.
“Leave your phone out of the room or if you need it for listening to something then put it on airplane mode. For freelancers especially it’s hard not to check your phone or respond to emails in bed. This space needs to be your sanctuary, it’s where your body repairs and your brain gets rest.”
What about the actual morning though?
In the same manner, you can make your night less stressful with some early decisions.
“I get up and make my bed straight away, just like with my desk,” says Katie. “I then clean my teeth and wash my face, which is a signal to my body to start getting ready for the day.”
Before starting work, Katie recommends taking two minutes to do some breathing exercises or meditation (I recognise this is perhaps healthier than my habit of watching Love Island USA for an hour…)
“I put on a two minute timer and do slow breathing, and I also do this before meetings as it helps me walk in with a clear mind, and be present and more effective.”
Katie also sets an intention for the day ahead: “What is it that I need or want to do, or want to feel. Sometimes I do a list of things I’m grateful for too, it depends on the mood I’m in.” Other people might pull an affirmation card — personally I’m a fan of a daily tarot card (in fact, I wrote about how I use them for Vogue last year).
If you find it hard to stick to a routine (like me) then don’t forget that, to some degree, that’s natural.
“What works for you one month probably won’t work the next, and for women especially there might be times in the month where you feel more introspective, or more active,” says Katie. “There are loads of life hacks out there to inspire you, but we’re not robots, and we’re not all designed to be ‘on’ from 9 – 5.
“It helps to track it, like we would data in our businesses: what have you tried, how has it made you feel, and what were the benefits? Experiment with what works for you.”
Tell me about your morning routine (or lack thereof) - hit reply.
If I haven’t already waffled on to you in person about it, I’d like to massively recommend the new Oliver Burkeman book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It. I’m a big fan of his writing in general, and this book is deeply comforting if you’ve ever felt anxious about productivity, or struggled to ‘justify’ time off. Find it here with some other career book recommendations from moi.