Own your mornings...
Here are five simple things you can do to start your day off on the right foot!
The most overlooked and underutilized factor in human performance is self-awareness: Who am I being? What am I thinking? What is my emotional state? What is my intention? What results am I striving for, and why do they matter to me?
Together, these elements create a powerful force that either hinders or enhances our ability to show up as our best selves.
When we invest time in clarifying these elements, we support not only our own selves but also those around us.
And that is the focus of these performance-minded SubStacks—that’s what I will dig into.
This first week, we’ll look at how we can begin our day with habits and strategies that support our well-being and our ability to show up as our best selves.
FIVE THINGS TO DO FIRST THINGS IN THE MORNING:
Hydrate: Drink a room-temperature glass of water. Add some freshly squeezed lemon juice to support alkalizing your system. Some people like to use a pinch of sea or rock salt—helps with our electrolytes.
Meditate: Look, if that word bothers you the way it used to bother me, get over yourself! There’s just too much research to blow it off as hippie fluff. I spend at least 10 minutes in the mornings meditating. If you’ve never done so and you don’t even know where to begin, there are Apps and even loads of follow-along meditations on YouTube. Check them out—they will help get you started.
Move Your Body: a.k.a. exercise! I’ve been told rather bluntly that my old-school way of speaking can be “triggering” for some of you. Okay, fair enough; I’ll try to keep things in check. Regardless of what jargon works for you, here’s the rub: get up and do something physical every morning! Again, the research on morning movement is quite something. Aside from increased energy and improved circulation, it also sends feel-good hormones into our bodies. Including one called the “hope hormone,” which is released every time we squeeze our muscles. It helps us feel happier and increase our desire to get-shit-done. So, I guess we know what you’re doing tomorrow morning … MOVING!!!
Plan Your Day: If you haven’t already the night before, take a moment to get your priorities straight for the day. What are your one, two, or three big tasks that absolutely have to happen that day? Our brain loves accomplishing tasks, and planning your day helps that happen. Make a mental note of everything you’ll need to achieve those tasks, and then giddy up!
Nourish Your Body: Fuel yourself with a healthy breakfast rich in protein, fibre, and healthy fats. This keeps your energy levels steady and helps you avoid mid-morning crashes. It’s a simple premise, eat crap—feel like crap! Every January, I’m reminded of this as I resume my usual diet of mainly whole foods. In the week or two that follows the Season’s Festivities, I can sense my body enjoying a big exhale as the good stuff once more resumes its well-earned place at the top of my food choices. And if you start your day with good food, you’re more likely to finish your day with the same good food.
RESOURCES:
Here are three excellent books that align with building effective morning routines and supporting a productive, healthy day: check the links if you’re interested.
"The Miracle Morning" by Hal Elrod
This book introduces the "S.A.V.E.R.S." routine, which incorporates silence (meditation), affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and scribing (journaling) to transform your mornings and overall life."Atomic Habits" by James Clear
A practical guide to building small, effective habits that compound over time. This book provides actionable strategies to create routines that stick and support personal and professional growth."The 5 AM Club" by Robin Sharma
A story-driven book that shares a framework for using the early hours of the day to build focus, improve health, and increase productivity through structured habits.
If you’re a Podcast person, I’ve got you covered. Here are three good ones that focus on productivity, health, and personal growth to complement your morning routine:
"The Tim Ferriss Show" Tim Ferriss interviews high achievers from various fields, diving into their habits, routines, and strategies for success. Episodes often include actionable tips for productivity, mindfulness, and health.
"The Daily Stoic" by Ryan Holiday
This podcast delivers short, daily episodes that offer old-age wisdom to help you start your day with perspective, mindfulness, and a focus on what truly matters."Huberman Lab" by Dr. Andrew Huberman
A science-based podcast that explores tools and strategies to optimize mental and physical performance, with topics such as sleep, exercise, stress management, and focus.
There’s just so much to learn—and there’s no rush! You can begin today. So, jump in at your own pace and start—just start. See what grabs you. Try it on. See how it makes you feel. And, then, keep going…
"Win the morning, win the day."
— Tim Ferriss
If you enjoyed this “Performance Minded” SubStack, awesome—I’m glad to hear it! I will continue to offer these once a week, along with my usual “Thoughts from a guy and his dog,” SubStack. However, this Performance Minded piece will only be available to paid subscribers. If you’d like to change your subscription to “paid,” you can do it here. Thanks for your support!
PS—I’d love some feedback. Tell me what you liked. What was tricky? What you’d like to see more of? Less of. Send me some suggestions or challenges that you’d like some support with. I’ll do what I can.
