Having successfully implemented my own morning routine and helped hundreds of others do the same, I wanted to share the one thing I’ve done to greatly increase the chances of me following through with my morning ritual the next day.
It doesn’t involve going to sleep at 6 PM…
Or waking up at 4 AM and sacrificing quality Zzz’s.
In fact, my biggest ‘secret’ to successfully building a morning routine starts the night before.
By getting your mind ready for the next day, you’ll be able to increase your ability to implement a powerful morning routine.
Here are a few things I’ve found to be extremely helpful in setting myself up for success. While you don’t have to do all of these, just doing one or two will help you get into the habit of starting your day off right.
Set Your Clothes Out For The Next Day:
This is incredibly helpful for reducing “decision fatigue” the next morning, and especially great at priming you to exercise if that’s one of your goals. As soon as you wake up, you see your clothes and know exactly what that means. You still have to put in the work of course, but this simple tweak can make all the difference.
Clean Off Your Desk / Work Area:
I take a few minutes each night before I go to bed and clean my desk and work area so I’m greeted with an organized desk the next day. I’ll set my laptop out with my calendar / most important to do items, so as soon as I log on to my computer I have a clear picture of what I need to get done.
Put Your Favorite Book Out In The Open:
When finished cleaning my workspace and desk, I’ll leave the book I’m reading on the desk. When I wake up I’ll see my book and know that reading just a few pages before ‘life gets in the way’ I’ll make progress on the book and feel good about my efforts.
Plan Your 3 MIT’s:
I also like to take 5-10 minutes the night before and plan what my 2-3 “Most Important Items” are. Because my morning ritual is virtually on autopilot the next day, I know I won’t have anything distracting me from getting to work on the 2-3 things that will have the most impact on my business and personal life.
Of course, things might change when I wake up, but having a few clear goals the night before makes it significantly more likely my most important items will get done.
Take A Peek At Your Calendar:
In addition to planning my 2-3 most important next tasks for the day, I’ll also take a quick peek at my calendar. I look for any major events that might distract me from my getting my 2-3 Most Important Tasks done. This way, I’ll reduce the chances of anything “popping up” and distracting me from my goals.
In total, my nightly routine prepping me for the next day takes no more than 15 minutes, and in my experience, it has significantly increased my chances of getting the next day started with all the momentum in the world.
If you’ve struggled with sticking to a morning routine in the past, try just a few of these things the night before. I think you’ll be surprised at the results.
P.S If you’re still looking for every advantage in building a powerful and productive morning routine, you’ll love what Pavlok Rise has to offer. Comment below to stay up to date with all the latest as we launch later this month.-Maneesh Sethi
-Bud Hennekes
Head of Content