Why I Wake Up At 4 a.m. and How To Create Your Very Own Solid Morning Routine
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You've probably already heard of the impact a solid morning routine can have on the rest of your day and even your life as a whole! And honestly, I've been pretty against routines in general for as long as I can remember. I didn't want to feel boxed in or tied to a schedule which is why I worked so hard to build up my first firm so I could take it full-time and finally stop working for someone else.
But the more I run both my business and my firm, I'm starting to realize that routines aren't what take freedom away, they actually GIVE you more freedom.
How?
When you have a routine established that actually makes sense for your lifestyle, you take the guesswork out of how to spend your time. And when you're not spending time wondering what to work on next, you're MORE efficient and end up carrying less of a mental load.
Routines create space and ease that free up room for doing things like creating a new team member onboarding process or using that pasta maker that's been collecting dust in your cabinet.
So in this blog, I'm going to break down my current morning routine for you and share how it helps me set up the rest of my day for success.
My Morning Routine: Disclaimer ⚠️
Before we get too far into the details of my morning routine, I just want you to know that this is NOT the only routine that works. It's just what works for me. I live in the mountains, alone, with my dog... and that's it. I don't have anyone asking me for a ride to soccer practice or when dinner's going to be ready. I know that's not everyone's situation, so keep that in mind when you read this blog and adapt it to what feels more aligned with your life!
My Morning Routine
I really wanted to start 2023 with intention and spend my energy in a more meaningful way. For me, that means having more discipline and making sure I always follow through when I commit to a project or idea. That's where this new morning routine came in. I've always been an early riser, so I knew it would be better to start my day early rather than try to fit into a typical 9-5 schedule. The goal was to give myself structure so that I always knew how to start my day. In the past I just let myself have too much flexibility which lead to me ignoring certain tasks I didn't want to do in the first place (can you relate??). This routine allows me to fill my cup first before diving into my responsibilities and work-related tasks.
Now for the good stuff! It literally took me 31 years to figure out my ideal morning routine and learn how to carry it out every day without feeling like it was a chore. This probably isn't something you'll figure out overnight, and that's fine! It's all about testing and making adjustments as you go.
4 am
Something about the darkness of the early morning is so magical to me, so I'll wake up at 4 and have a bath first thing. I use minty soaps and scrubs to help invigorate me and kick off the day with energy. I also love reading a book during this time, but it has to be a novel or personal development book of some kind - no business stuff yet! Then I'll end with my skincare routine and head to the kitchen.
5 am
After feeding the dog and brewing a fresh coffee, I'll walk myself upstairs to my office. The first things I'll work on are projects that don't require anyone else's input but my own. I don't check emails or Slack messages during this time because I want to make sure I'm not going to get distracted. I've talked about the concept of deep work before, so this is a great way for me to dive into some really focused work and stay in the zone.
I also use the RescueTime app (paid) which helps me ignore any notifications that might pull me away from my focus time. Hopefully, you're already tracking your time with something like Clockify, but if you're ready to take your productivity to the next level, RescueTime helps you track your time, block your (digital) distractions, and even coach you on how to improve! I'm obsessed.
Check out a quick overview of RescueTime 👇
https://support-media-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/video/RTX+Walkthrough+Video_720p.mp4
7 am
Around this time is when I'll start checking in with my team and answering any emails or messages that need my attention. I have my Get-To-Do List in Asana that reminds me of all the tasks I use to ease into my work day. Things like; check email, check Slack, check Facebook groups, etc.
Note: If I happen to read an email or Slack message before this portion of my day, I'll always schedule it to send out when I'm actively working!
I only schedule calls on certain days of the week so that I'm not pressured to be prepared for a call at any given time. I LOVE having the peace of mind that I'm not forgetting about a Monday morning call (for example)!
2 pm
This is when I typically wrap up for the day! I don't schedule any calls after 2 pm because, by that time, I'm typically pretty exhausted. Once I'm ready to turn off my laptop for the day, I might experiment in the kitchen by whipping up a cool new recipe (with Master Chef on in the background of course!). Or I'll do some off-roading, take Harley (my pup) for a walk, meet up with my best friend, basically whatever I want!
7:30 pm
All tech goes off and I'm taking my nighttime bath. I might read more of a (non-business) book before my head hits the pillow and I'm out by 8:30 pm. This is what's been working well for me and how my body typically wants to wake up and rest.
Creating a Sustainable Morning Routine
One of the major pitfalls I find with waking up and starting the day early is that some people STILL work until 5 or 6 pm! Don't fall into this trap. Part of the reason you're creating a routine in the first place is to keep yourself from working sooooo much and setting boundaries around how much you're working.
Remember that you're in full control of how much and how often you work! So when you create your routine, build it around the lifestyle you want to have and how you naturally operate. Don't try to fit yourself into someone else's "perfect" routine!
If you want to work 12-hour days, take a long break mid-day, or start work in the middle of the night, you can! The best part of owning your own firm is the ability to make those decisions, right? But if you don't have a system in place for how you're spending your time, that freedom can feel a LOT less fun. And if you're feeling like you HAVE to work 24/7 just to keep your head above water, you might need to implement a project management system and time-saving templates!
That's why I created my signature course, Kickoff with Asana for Bookkeepers & Accountants. Because I was tired of feeling like all of my time was dedicated to client work, watching deadlines pile up, and forgetting tasks left and right. This is the course that's helped 1,000+ firm owners get organized and start reclaiming their time! Use the templated projects, created specifically for the bookkeeping industry, and plug them into your project management system to start streamlining your processes ASAP.
