“A daily ritual is a way of saying I’m voting for myself; I’m taking care of myself.” —Martel Hemingway.
A few months ago, I made a decision that surprised me: I decided to try waking up at 5 am every day. Inspired by best sellers like Atomic Habits, The 5 AM Club, and Daily Rituals, I wanted to give intentional morning structure and daily ritual a chance. While I am still tweaking my routine to find what works best for me, challenging myself and building healthier habits has been an amazing exercise.
The 5 am wake-up may not be for everyone, but bringing more thoughtfulness to your routine is a great way to uplevel health, positivity, and productivity. Studies show that routine and ritual build resilience, help us manage stress and reduce anxiety, increase performance, and even assist individuals in kicking bad habits.
Let’s explore some simple yet effective daily habits and rituals that lead to greater wellbeing and higher productivity.
“The habits you repeat every day largely determine your health, wealth, and happiness.” — James Clear.
Start With a Solid Morning Routine
Your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of your day. In his study of successful business leaders' routines, Sujan Patel found that most wake up bright and early, with an average wake-up time of 6:15 am.
The beauty of the early morning is that it carves out distraction-free time for yourself when most of the world is still asleep. You don’t need to worry about making breakfast for your kids or emails and texts disturbing you. You will have uninterrupted time to focus.
If an early morning doesn’t work for you, a routine of healthy habits upon waking is still beneficial (whatever the time). Robin Sharma, author of The 5 AM Club recommends beginning your day with:
- 20 minutes of strenuous exercise, followed by
- 20 minutes of reflection practice (meditation or journaling), then
- 20 minutes of self-growth (reading, studying, or reviewing goals).
This hour routine sets you up for a day of clarity and drive.
Why Exercise?
Exercise is beneficial to your health, no matter when you do it! Among other things, developing a daily routine that includes physical activity:
- Increases Brain Health
- Helps with weight management
- Lowers the risks of heart disease and stroke
- Reduces the risk of Type 2 Diabetes
- Reduces the risk of certain types of cancers
- Strengthens bones and muscles
- Increases chances of living longer
When you exercise in the morning, some benefits are optimized:
- Healthier food choices throughout the day
- Increased alertness
- More overall energy
- Better focus
- Better mood
- Blood glucose control
- Blood pressure management
Figure out what motivates you when establishing a workout routine! I workout for 15-20 minutes first thing each morning, then wait until friends can join me for a longer workout later in the day. When I was a regular at the local fitness center, my workout schedule revolved around when my favorite classes were held. There is no one right time or right way to workout.
Why Meditation?
Meditation – like exercise – is beneficial anytime you practice. Meditating in the morning helps put you in a calm, focused state for the day ahead. The benefits are plentiful! They include:
- Reduction in anxiety, stress, depression, and burnout
- Greater empathy
- Increased psychological wellbeing
- Improved cooperativeness
- Slows brain aging
- Improved attention
- Increased innovation and better problem solving
- Strengthened immune function
- Improved sleep
- Reduced panic attacks
- Reduced chronic pain and hypertension
- Increased work satisfaction
Read more about building a meditation habit here.
Why Reading?
In his book, Change Your Habits, Change Your Life, author Tom Corley states that 88% of business leaders read at least 30 minutes every day. Reading opens worlds of learning, growth, and inspiration. It boosts creativity, improves memory and concentration, engenders curiosity, and builds vocabulary. Reading also offers physical health benefits, including:
- Prevention of age-related cognitive decline
- Reduced stress
- Better sleep
- Alleviated symptoms of depression
- Longer life-expectancy
When building a habit of reading, consider what topics and genres you enjoy. If devoting 20 minutes each morning isn’t plausible, perhaps listening to an audiobook during your commute or workout is the way to go. Reading before bedtime is a great option too.
Evening Routine
If you’ve experienced a time where sleep was scarce (new baby at home, graveyard work shift, sickness, etc.), you’ve probably felt some of the negative impacts of sleep deprivation: trouble learning and focusing, bad moods, increased worry, depression, and increased risk for many chronic health diseases.
Simply put, good sleep helps us feel good. Having a great evening routine helps us sleep better.
Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep
- Go to bed at the same time each night, and wake up at the same time each morning. Consistency helps reinforce your body’s sleep/wake cycle.
- Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol in the hours before sleep. Alcohol may make you feel tired, but it lessens your sleep quality over the night.
- Do calming activities before bed. This can include meditation, easy yoga or stretching, bathing, reading, journaling, or drinking tea. Avoid any screen time the hour before bedtime.
- Set up your environment. I started using white noise a couple of years ago and it helps me stay asleep even when my partner snores. Other sleep tools include dark curtains or shades, earplugs, magnesium, or a fan.
Three Good Things Practice
Another valuable daily ritual, called The Three Good Things Practice, is done in the evening hours. This simple exercise has been shown to strengthen relationships, bring more meaning to our lives and work, and promote wellbeing and resilience.
Step 1: Look back on your day and think of three good things that happened.
Step 2: Write the three things down, in detail, with pen and paper.
Step 3: Reflect on the good things. Spend at least 15-20 seconds on each positive occurrence.
That’s it! After a week or so, you should notice a shift in your thinking: you will scan for more positives in life and may feel a bit happier too.
Practices to Keep Your Mood Level and Focus Clear Throughout the Day
“A solid routine fosters a well-worn groove for one’s mental energies and helps stave off the tyranny of moods.” —Mason Currey.
While morning and evening routines set us up for great days, things inevitably come up that take us out of a productive rhythm. Below are a few other habits that can help keep our mood level and focus clear.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water helps with brain performance, increased energy, and fewer headaches, among other things. Tips to make sure you are drinking enough water include:
- Set a daily goal that fits your physical needs (read more about that here)
- Have a water bottle at your desk
- Drink a certain amount of ounces after each bathroom break
- Drink water before each meal or snack.
Be Mindful and Utilize Reset Strategies
Drops in mood lead to decreases in concentration and creativity. When this happens, taking a small break to reset can do wonders for your productivity. Be mindful of how you’re feeling and respond accordingly. Some easy reset ideas:
- Turn on music that makes you happy
- Eat a good snack
- Take a short walk outside
- Stand up to stretch
- Quick yoga or meditation practice
- Reach out to a friend to see how their day is going
Make Your Routine Fit Your Life
There is no one-size-fits-all routine. We all have stuff we have to work around: family responsibilities, job requirements, health issues, etc., but the power of a good daily routine is worth working toward.
When figuring out what to apply to your life, consider what daily habits resonate most with you. Brainstorm how they can fit into your lifestyle and give them a try. Keep in mind that context cues help build habits. For example, drinking a large amount of water each morning is automatic for me now because I don’t let myself have a cup of coffee until it’s done. And my 5 am wakeup is so much easier than it was two months ago because I know how rewarding my alone time is in the morning.
Don’t wait to start implementing the daily rituals you think can make a difference! Routine building is challenging but empowering.
“The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” –Mike Murdock.
This blog post was written by Erin Malan, Meditation Facilitator at Nivati. You can see more of their content on the Nivati platform and on the Nivati blog. If you want to learn more about Nivati, click here.
