My Morning Routine (For A Successful Online Business & Healthy Life)
Since I started running an online business in 2017, I’ve become a big believer in morning routines. The more books I read, lectures I listen to, and firsthand experience I get, the more I come to understand that an intentional morning routine is the cornerstone for success.
When you’re running an online business, especially as a Company of One, the success of your business depends on your own personal development. You have to become a better self-motivator, with more self-discipline, who is able to resist distractions and stay focused, and you have to take good care of your health so that you can perform well.
As entrepreneurs, we don’t clock in and clock out for a quantity of hours as employees do, instead our work is based more on quality— how effective we can be in the hours we do spend working.
Budgeting The Minutes Of Your Life
If you budget your money, you know that everything changes once you learn to control every dollar and give it a destination. Rather than money running away from you or disappearing mysteriously, every dollar has a name once you learn to budget.
It’s name might be groceries, or rent, or vacation, but if you don’t give it a name, rest assured that it will give itself one. And this is how people end up without savings, without assets, and not accomplishing things in life.
The same is true of our time.
For most people, the minutes and hours of a day can get away from them— checking their phone here and there, surfing the Internet here and there, sitting in front of the TV, going out with friends, minutes turn into hours and several hours a day can dissipate into thin air (or so it seems).
So if you want to escape mediocrity and build an online business to increase freedom and satisfaction in life, you have to learn to budget your time.
Why is a MOrning Routine So IMportant?
I think routines in general are important. Personally, I have a morning routine, a chore routine, a self-care routine, and an evening routine.
Having such routines helps eliminate decision fatigue, giving you more mental acuity to put toward growing your online business(es).
Many successful high-performers even go so far as to wear the same outfit every day, as it’s one less decision they have to make. Think: Steve Jobs’ black turtleneck. [Read: Why Successful People Wear The Same Thing Everyday]
You might be thinking this all sounds too regimented and that life should be lived more spontaneously.
And I agree with you!
And guess what? I’m going to live life much more spontaneously once I grow my online businesses to the extent that they earn passive income for me!
But everything happens in stages. And the stage I’m in now is building. This is the grunt labor phase. And to be as effective and efficient as possible, I understand that budgeting my time is crucial.
What does this have to do with a morning routine? Because your morning really does set your day. So it follows that a morning routine holds great importance when it comes to the entirety of your life.
What Should A MOrning Routine Consist Of?
That’s up to you, of course.
But I can offer some pointers.
Movement: You should try to get your blood pumping after lying dormant for so long. Wake up your systems, get things moving.
A Healthy Beverage: In the mornings when you wake, you’ve essentially been fasting all night, so the first thing you put in your body is readily absorbed. You’re also mildly dehydrated, so drinking coffee first thing might not be the best idea because it’s also dehydrating. No worries - you can still have your coffee, but first drink a glass of something healthy. Read on to see what I drink each morning as part of my routine.
Emotional and Mental Training: I’m going to say the ‘M’ word that’s so en vogue, are you ready? That’s right - meditation is really important for getting your mind right, and clearing space for the day ahead. If you start a meditation routine every morning, you will respond to situations better, and you will feel better internally.
Remembering Your Goals: It’s a good habit to remind yourself each morning why you are doing what you’re doing, and how today contributes to those goals. I’ll tell you how I go about doing this in the next section.
Reading: Some of the best minds in the world have bundled all of their experience and knowledge into a handy book and made it available to you. I think this should be taken advantage of. I recommend reading non-fiction books as part of your morning routine, books on entrepreneurship, personal development, and that sort of thing. Evening is a better time for fiction tales, in my opinion.
And now…
My Morning Routine
6:30AM: Alarm goes off. No snoozing. Put clothes on (which are lying beside the bed, ready).
Make my way to the kitchen. Pour water into a glass that is already prepared (from my evening routine) and contains: turmeric, ginger, pine pollen, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice. Drink this concoction to get hydration and anti-inflammation to my cells, first thing! While I’m sipping this, I usually tie the curtains back for the plants, open the windows, and look around and listen outside for a bit. Just greeting the day.
6:45AM: Roll out my yoga mat and do yoga for 21 minutes, using this video.
After I finish yoga, I do a few additional stretches of my own and then a set of burpees to get my heart rate up.
7:15AM: Now I meditate for ~15 minutes.
7:30AM: Now it’s time for coffee. I pour myself a hot cup of coffee, move to my butter-colored chair by the fireplace, and read whatever book I’m currently enjoying. I usually read at least 10 pages.
7:45AM-ish: After I finish reading the book, I recite my list of affirmations out loud. I usually keep this list as a bookmark in my book so it’s right there. My affirmations include goals I’m working toward in my career and personal life. I don’t do affirmations like “I am a millionaire” or that kind of thing, instead mine are very down to earth and practical. The format is what I want to achieve, why I want that, and how I can make it happen. It looks something like this: "I am devoted to <what>, so that I can <why>. To achieve this goal, I commit to <how>.”
8:00AM-ish: Now I make my way to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. I always play inspiring or informative YouTube videos during this time.
Then, at around 9AM, I get to work!
Are you an an entrepreneur who works from home running their online business? Or are you a 9-5 employee with hopes of starting your own online business?
Either way, I’d love to hear what your morning routine is. Or maybe you don’t have one, but see the value and want to begin. I can’t recommend this book enough: The Miracle Morning For Entrepreneurs.
Welcome!
Hey there! I’m Tiffany ~ a Web Designer & SEO Specialist. Here on the blog I write about web design, SEO, and running an online business. I hope you’ll find some nuggets of knowledge and inspiration and that you’ll stop by again and again :)
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