Get Grounded and Control Your Morning Routine
There is a lot written about daily or morning routine. That is probably because it is very important to the type of day we have. Are we grounded in the present or stressed about the future? Do we let our morning routine control us or do we control our morning routine?
Get Hydrated with Hot Lemon Water
First thing I do in the morning, I make sure I am hydrated so have a glass of water right away and this is followed by a hot lemon water (juice of half a lemon in hot water). I sip this during my morning routine and top up if necessary too. I am pretty useless at hydration in the afternoon so I make sure I am well hydrated in the morning.
Not only does this help generally after a long period under the covers but sets my stomach acid in the right direction for food.
Movement and Mindfulness
Then movement, a Pilates routine on the floor followed by some meditative yoga poses or mindfulness. I have had 2 major back operations but if I knew then what I know now, I don’t think I would have had them. Now I would recommend anyone with a bad back to seek proper Pilates advice through an organisation like Body Control Pilates or similar so that you strengthen up your core muscles and avoid doing things that puts your back at risk.
The yoga does something different. It challenges me physically to a certain respect. It can be so challenging that it can come under the heading of “putting my back at risk”. So you need to treat it with respect always. The main reason for doing yoga is because it grounds me and focuses the mind. It slows down all the chattering that is a distraction from the present and calms the thought process. Meditation and mindfulness do the same thing. I learned all that I know visiting Sharat Arora at his Himalayan Iyenga retreats in Goa and Dharamshala
Breakfast and Nutrition
Next I am making breakfast, either a smoothie full of superfood supplement powders (sense* and single ones like baobab, lucuma, maca and spirulina) or kefir with the same powders plus fruit, nuts and goji berries. .
Following breakfast, I am taking my additional supplements (digestive enzyme, fish oil, triple magnesium, zinc citrate and sodium butyrate) to make sure that I have the best start to the day nutritionally. It will keep me going all through lunch and beyond if needs be.
If you get your nutrition right, it gives you freedom. You are not forever looking for your next meal nor are you hungry in between even if you exercise. Fast food, processed food and low quality food puts you into nutrition deficit so you are always looking to catch up and when you do this, it is generally more of the same that you reach for. Convenience is what we are programmed to go for. But it won’t give you the best result from a nutrition point of view.
Exercise as part of Morning Routine
I then cycle to work or go for a walk if working from home. Exercise is so important to your morning routine and whilst most people would say I do quite a lot. It is not always at the best times. For example, I will cycle to work everyday and back again. Nothing wrong with that but I should also be getting up from my desk every hour or couple of hours and make sure I am stretching or doing some squats or going for a 5-10 minute walk around the block. We live sedentary lives that need to be countered by movement.
Planning My Day
Then I am ready to work out what I am going to do that day. I will sit quietly with no distractions if time permits. Otherwise I will do it whilst I am on my bike, on the bus or when I first get to the office.
I set myself 3-5 important goals and 3-5 less important ones to do both personally and at work. At the start of the week I will set weekly goals too. I don’t need to become obsessive but I get them done or change them consciously to something else. You don’t have to write them down since mental agility in remembering what is important is a great skill to acquire. I then check back in at the end of the day. What have I missed or completed.
Circadian Rhythm and the Body Clock
I have also looked into the importance of the circadian rhythm or body clock. How this affects not only the sleep/wake cycle but also how it knocks onto controlling the metabolic processes that affects diet and wellness. Here is the article I posted on the sense* website recently. It looks in more detail at morning routine, rest and recuperation, positive attitude and Leap Year! Circadian rhythm, rest and routine SEE HERE
