After a couple of weeks off without any kind of routine in sight I must say I was actually looking forward to going to back to work, to again have some structure in place. Although there are 24 hours in every day we know that not every hour is created equal. If  you have a purpose in mind or a idea of what you want to achieve then your chances of meeting your goals increase significantly if you have a structured approach to it.

There are two main reasons why your morning routine may come unstuck. They are sleep quality and inconsistency. We are all human and that means that from time to time we may not sleep well, some of you may struggle to get good quality sleep for different reasons. Inconsistency will have you all over the place. Consistency is all about making the decision to follow a schedule knowling that eventually it will become your habit – remember it takes 21 days to change a habit.

Now we all have different life styles; some work, some at home trying to organise kids, some may be studying, some may be retired and so on but what we all have in common is that a routine can help you to be successful at whatever you are trying to achieve.

Here are 6 easy things you can do right now to get that routine working.

  • Get an early start. When I get up early I feel like I am setting the tone of my day. I find that when I get up at 6 am, or earlier in the summer, I can do amazing things when no one is around. I make a conscious effort to take back control of my life and that extra time just allows me to get things done in a more calm and relaxed way. I feel that I start my day both organised and stress free. Now that’s something worth having.
  • Refocus Your Mind I got into the habit of listening to my 10 minute download before I get out of bed to help me focus and set me up mentally for the day. It increases my motivation, confidence and reduces stress. You can download a 10 minute session here and give it a try.
  • Move Taking time out to move, stretching, walking the dog, hitting the gym, going for a swim – all will set off endorphins which increases brain function and keeps you both focussed and engaged.
  • Feed Your Body Have a healthy, nutritious breakfast with lots of protein, good fats and vegetables/fruits. Enjoy the flavours, savour the taste and eat consciously, then stop when you are satisfied.  We often underestimate the importance eating healthy, nutritious foods can have on the way our bodies and minds function.
  • What is your Focus? What are the things that are on the ‘must be done’ list. What else needs to go on that list, remember ‘what you plan you are more likely to achieve’. Look at the balance within the list, make sure there are some fun thing in there for you. So if your goals are to complete a report at work, take the car for a service, supermarket shopping, pick the kids up from school, meet with your boss then consider some personal fun goals for you, goals to help you create balance – catch up with friend for coffee, have a massage, read a chapter of your book. Having goals to look forward to are as important as goals that need to be done.
  • Improve your sleep quality Work on how much sleep you need to function at your best. Usually between 6 and 8 hours. Start preparing 30 minutes before you get into bed.  Turn off all the gadgets, have a warm shower or bath, check your ”to do” list for tomorrow and do a brain dump, do some gentle stretching or light exercise, affirmations, diary, EFT practice (whatever is important to you). This way you will not have clutter in your head when you hit the pillow. If you do struggle getting to sleep consider my Night Relax download to help you sleep.