The Power of a Routine

[caption id="attachment_377" align="alignleft" width="225"] Taken on day 1 of new morning routine[/caption]

No one can create more time, it is impossible. I do think that we, especially me, can use time more efficiently. While on vacation I was trying to eliminate hurry from my life and was a bit overwhelmed. I read two different blog posts that helped me start the process of changing my behavior. One post was on the Art of Manliness blog, the other on Michael Hyatt’s blog. They both dealt with the power of having a morning and evening routine.


So while in the mountains, on vacation, I started playing with what my morning routine might look like. I had been working out at lunch, however it was taking too long and I was losing productivity at work. I started jotting on paper what I might change in my morning and evening routines to be more effective thus eliminated some hurry and stress from my life. What I found was surprising. Creating a morning and evening routine made me think about what was most important in my life. How did I want my day to start and to end? What did I want to make sure I accomplish? These questions led me to a larger task of identifying my ‘life-roles’ and desired outcomes from those roles. I value being healthy, I value my spiritual life and I value spending time with family.

After some trial and error, I came up with a workable morning routine for this stage in my life.

Morning Ritual

5.30am Wake up (put on w/o clothes, turn on coffee, have snack)

5.40-6.20 Prayer, Scripture reading

6.20-7.05 Head to Gym/workout – or run outside

7.10 Home shower/dress

7.30-7.45 Eat

7.45 – Take Kids to School

Evening Ritual (To be honest, I am working to implement this one, it is not as concrete as a.m., but it is coming along)

9.pm - Journal, review goals, day

9.15-Pray with Kelly (read devotional and scripture)

9.30 Read

10 - Lights out.

If I oversleep, or am up too late, I have created an alternative plan. However most days, probably 90-95% over the past 3 months I have been able to maintain this schedule.

I have realized a couple things: start even if the plan is not perfect, having a plan helps me do things, creating a plan makes you ask difficult questions that need to be asked, being consistent with a plan breeds a type of self-integrity that strengthens resolve. If you would have asked me if I could get up at 5.30 without an alarm 6 months ago, I would have laughed you out of the room. However now 3 months into the project, I will never live without a morning and evening ritual again.

What do your morning and evening rituals look like?