With a recent move, an even larger upcoming move, and a bunch of work and traveling and time with family in between, I’ve definitely derailed a bit.
I’m surrounded by unpacked boxes and a slew of to-do lists for my various work, school, and life responsibilities. I’m home spending time with family and navigating being present while also staying focused on everything I need to do.
Needless to say, I’ve dropped my regular workflow and focused energy. I feel like I’m living five minutes in front of my face, which is certainly wearing me down.
As I reflected on all this yesterday, I determined how I want to build in some structure and cultivate my focus during this time of transition.
I’ve been meaning to start a morning practice for some time now. I work for a wonderful life and business coach who preaches the benefits of having a morning practice. I’ve seen the success she and her clients have when they implement this time for focus and self-awareness into their daily routines.
And yet…I’ve struggled to initiate my own morning practice.
As much as I despise waking up and jumping into a reactive mindset as I rush to get ready and get to my responsibilities, I have struggled to keep up any type of morning ritual.
But right now I so need to infuse focus, grounding, and proactivity into my days, and a morning practice would be a great way to start off each day intentionally.
What Does A Morning Practice Include?
A beneficial morning practice is going to look different for everyone. It may shift as life situations change and this focus time fulfills different needs.
I know many people who journal, read from daily reads books, engage with their religion or spirituality, meditate, drink a full glass of water, exercise, review goals, prepare a cup of coffee, and create daily schedules and goals as part of their morning practice.
Some people take 10-15 minutes. Other people take 90 minutes. Some vary their time commitment day to day depending on what they need and the other things on their schedule.
How Can I Start A Morning Practice?
There’s no right or wrong way to go about this. What I’ve done so far is make a list of activities I want to experiment with in the coming weeks.
I suggest first getting clear on your why. What purpose will your morning practice serve?
It could be something like: The purpose of my morning practice is to spend time every day quietly by myself so I feel fulfilled and able to be present and focused in the other areas of my life.
Once you define your purpose, you’ll need to experiment with the logistics. What activities or routines will make up your morning practice to serve its purpose? How much time, at minimum, will an effective morning practice require? How much time, at maximum, can you dedicate to your morning practice?
To answer these questions you will likely need to experiment. Don’t worry if things don’t click right away. Stay committed to your why and things will eventually become clear.
I’ll keep you updated on my own experiments, but in the meantime, if the idea of a morning practice resonates with you, I encourage you to go for it and see what happens.