by Oli Anderson, Transformational Coach for Realness
Oh, hi there.
I hope you’re feeling REAL today and that life is moving in the way you want it to? If not, then book a call with me.
In this quick article, I want to give you a ‘Pick and Mix’ approach to creating a MORNING ROUTINE that will help you to keep growing real if you’re consistent with it and that will set the tone and shape of your day so you can make every day count (time sure does fly by, after all).
In my own life, my own morning routine adds so much structure, stability and growth and – often, not always – when I’m working with coaching clients, ‘installing’ a routine in the early days of the transformational journey is one of the best and most effective ways to start getting results but – more importantly – to start reconfiguring the unconscious blocks and assumptions that may be holding them back.
My own routine is really simple:
- Do some basic yoga stretches depending on what my intuition tells me I need (main focus is to wake my spine up and get the blood flowing).
- Do my Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar B for five rounds).
- Do some High Intensity Interval Training (only 5 – 10 minutes)
- Meditate.
- Journal and plan my goals for the day (surprise, surprise – I use my Flow Builder)
- Write (currently working on a new book called ‘Trust’)
I have other habits throughout the day (another article maybe) and I do my main workout in the afternoon/evening but this is a simple but effective routine that gets my blood flowing, wakes me up, and sets the tone of the day.
It’s also FUN – and remember: “IF IT AIN’T FUN YOU WON’T GET IT DONE” (sounds better in real life when you rhyme “fun” and “done”).
The results of a good morning routine also COMPOUND on themselves day by day as my general fitness keeps getting better, I have continuity of action from one-day-to the next (by checking in with goals etc., and that book keeps growing before my very eyes because I’m consistent with it.
In my view, there are 3 things that we need from our morning routine to make it effective (and it doesn’t have to be complicated:
- Wake up the body: When we first wake up we’re often tight and dehydrated and so what we need is something that kicks us physically into gear.
- Quieten the mind and emotions to find PRESENCE: The tone that we set in the morning affects our whole day – in my view, the best tone to set is that of being fully PRESENT. Getting in our body helps with this (as body = breath and breath = presence) but there are other things we can do to calm our mind and emotions (like journaling etc.).
- Plan direction for the day ahead: Ensuring that we use our presence to focus on the ACTION that will make a difference and take us where we want to be (towards our realest VISION for our lives).
If you can build these three things into your morning routine – even just five minutes of each – then I can pretty much guarantee your quality of life will improve over time (but you gotta be disciplined, consistent, and focused).
Use this simple morning routine generator to get a customised routine (or keep scrolling for more ideas):
Morning Routine Generator
Here’s a ‘Pick ‘n’ Mix’ list to get you started with more ideas (you can do as many or as few as you like – 1 of each is good, 2 of each is great, 3 or more of each is BEASTY):
Morning Routine #1: Wake Up the Body
Stretching routine: Perform basic stretches focusing on the neck, shoulders, back, and legs.
Jumping jacks: Do 100 jumping jacks to get your heart rate up.
Sun Salutations: Complete 5 rounds of Sun Salutations (Surya Namaskar A/B/C).
Push-ups: Do a set of push-ups, aiming for 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps. Studies have shown if you can do 40 push-ups then your risk of heart disease goes down drastically.
Dance to your favourite song: Put on an energetic song and dance like a maniac. Get out of your mind and into your body.
Quick walk outside: Take a brisk 10-minute walk around your neighbourhood.
Yoga poses: Practice 2-3 yoga poses like Downward Dog, Child’s Pose, and Warrior I.
High knees: Perform high knees for 1-2 minutes, rest, and repeat.
Bodyweight squats: Complete 2-3 sets of 15-20 bodyweight squats.
Get marching: March in place or around your living room for 5 minutes.
Foam rolling: Use a foam roller to massage your back, legs, and shoulders (I have this thing called a ‘Rumble Roller’ and it’s GODLY.
Balance exercises: Stand on one leg for 30 seconds each side, repeating 3 times.
Plank hold: Hold a plank position for 1-2 minutes, resting as needed.
Calf raises: Do 2-3 sets of 15-20 calf raises.
Breathwork with movement: Inhale while reaching arms up, exhale while folding forward (repeat as long as you like).
Leg swings: Swing each leg forward and backward for 1 minute each.
Side bends: Perform side bends, reaching your arms overhead and bending at the waist.
Dynamic stretching: Engage in dynamic stretches like arm circles and leg swings.
Qigong: Do some Qigong by following a YouTube video or learning a flow.
Skipping rope: Skip rope for 2-3 minutes, rest, and repeat.
Mountain climbers: Perform mountain climbers for 1-2 minutes.
Hip bridges: Do 2-3 sets of 10-15 hip bridges.
Toe touches: Stand and alternate touching your toes with opposite hands.
Jump squats: Do 2-3 sets of 10 jump squats.
Walking lunges: Perform walking lunges for 5 minutes.
Progressive muscle relaxation: Tense and relax each muscle group from head to toe.
Morning Routine #2: Quieten the Mind and Emotions and Find Presence
Deep breathing exercises: Practice slow, deep breathing for 5-10 minutes (use some of the techniques discussed in previous emails like 4-7-8 breathing).
Gratitude journaling: Write down 5 things you’re grateful for and why. Really get into feeling that gratitude feeling.
Meditation: Sit quietly and focus on your breath for 5-10 minutes.
Mindful drinking: Sip a cup of tea or water slowly, noticing the sensations.
Guided visualisation: Visualise a peaceful place or a positive outcome for your day. Get into the feeling that it’s already happened.
Affirmations: Repeat positive affirmations to yourself and remind yourself how you want to show up in a REAL way.
Mindful listening: Listen to calming music or sounds of nature with full attention.
5-minute body scan: Mentally scan your body from head to toe, noticing any tension.
Morning Pages: Spend 5-10 minutes just writing whatever needs to pour out of you. This can help you make the unconscious conscious and see what you really think.
Breath counting: Count your breaths up to 10, then start over.
Mindful walking: Walk slowly and pay attention to each step and your surroundings. See what thoughts and feelings come up to be processed.
Journaling: Write about a specific issue or problem you’re dealing with and see if you can gain some clarity.
Grounding exercise: Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste to ground yourself in the present moment.
Self-inquiry: Ask yourself a awareness-raising question like “What do I need most right now?” or “What’s truly important today?” and write down your thoughts.
Emotional check-in: Pause and ask yourself, “What am I feeling right now?” and name your emotions without trying to change them.
Focus on an object: Choose an object and observe it closely for 5-10 minutes.
Breathing with intention: Inhale peace, exhale stress, and repeat.
Morning mantra: Create a personal mantra and repeat it to set a positive tone.
Chanting: Chant a soothing sound or mantra to calm your mind.
Observe nature: Look out the window or step outside and observe nature for a few minutes.
Silent reflection: Sit in silence and let your mind wander gently for a few minutes.
Brain dump: Write down all the tasks, ideas, and worries on your mind.
Morning Routine #3: Plan Direction for the Day Ahead
Review your to-do list: Go over your tasks for the day and prioritise them. Carry over any items that didn’t get done the day before.
Set daily intentions: Write down 1-3 POWERFUL intentions or goals for the day.
Time blocking: Allocate specific times for your key tasks or activities.
Visualize your day: Mentally walk through your day and see yourself completing tasks.
Create a mini-schedule: Write out a rough schedule for your day.
Identify top 3 priorities: Decide on the top 3 things you want to accomplish and make a promise to yourself to get it done.
Prepare a quick breakfast plan: Decide on your meals/snacks for the day.
Send a quick positive message: Text or email someone to set a positive tone for the day and keep relationships flowing.
Read a motivational quote: Find and reflect on a quote that inspires you.
Mind map your day: Create a quick mind map to organise your thoughts and tasks.
Set a challenge or Stretch Goal: Choose one challenge to accomplish by the end of the day.
Review your vision: Look over your short and long-term goals to align your day with your vision.
All of these things will add value to your life and get you ready for the day ahead – of course, you can change things up as often as you like…the important thing is to wake up the body, find that presence, and get ready to take ACTION (that’s the only thing that gets you where you’re going, after all)!
Hope this helps and stay real out there,
P.S. This article was originally an email that got send out on my mailing list but it got some great feedback so I thought I’d share it on here too.
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