We live in a time when productivity tips appear to grow on trees. A lot of that has to deal with social media, and influencers, gurus, and experts mapping out what works for them and has led to lives filled with success.
It’s easy to be persuaded to implement these routines (in this case, morning routines) because we all want to achieve success and live fulfilling lives.
However, should you follow the morning routines of highly successful people?
The answer isn’t as cut and dry as it might seem, regardless if you’re working for a material handling equipment company in New Jersey or a fitness center in Denver, Colorado.
Therefore, we will break it down in three parts: (1) Reasons why it’s a good idea, (2) reasons why it won’t work, and (3) what you should do instead.
Why it’s a good idea
If you don’t take the time to learn from highly successful people, then you’re missing out on a great opportunity to make your own life better. After all, what’s working for these people is not only working but it’s leading to them thriving in every aspect of life.
A successful morning routine can help people ease into the day, it can make them more productive, and it can lead to excellent time-management habits. And who better to learn these types of things from than highly successful people who are already starting their days on positive notes with morning routines?
Why it won’t work
While there appears to be a lot of science behind certain routines and why they should be incorporated, what works for one person … might not work for the next one. Not only that but you might not want to wake up and follow that up with journaling, meditation, exercise, etc.
Everyone’s circumstances are also different. If you have kids or other priorities, then those types of things probably need to come first before you start journaling in the morning. People can have different circadian rhythms as well depending on when they’re used to sleeping and waking up. Some people have to work at night and others in the morning, and that has an effect on their 24-hour internal clocks.
A highly successful person’s morning routine might not be relevant to you because your goals and values are different. Just because one person says you should be doing something at a certain time every single day, that doesn’t mean you should follow it or that it’s right for you.
What you should do instead
While you never want to have a narrow outlook and instantly say “that won’t work for me,” it’s OK to disagree with highly successful people, especially when it comes to morning routines.
Instead of trying to implement everything they do for the sake of implementing everything they do, pick and choose what you think you can do and want to do. Figure out what works for you by testing new morning routines and rituals.
You want to challenge yourself so you grow and improve, but, inevitably, you’re the one who has to go through the tasks of your morning routine, so make it something you can and want to stick to.
Morning routines can help you get your day started on the right note and add structure to your life, as opposed to hitting the snooze button over and over again, rushing through your morning, and being in catch-up mode by the time you get to work. The key is figuring out what works for you, no matter what the productivity gurus preach about morning routines.