A Morning with Few Decisions

One of the main things I’m learning this year is how one time decisions and creating routines can make or break you. I recently heard a podcast from Craig Groeschel which explained the power of making a decision one time. Although I was already applying this to my morning routine, I didn’t notice that I’ve been shaving off about an hour every day from my mornings. I just knew that I needed to set a couple things up so that I wouldn’t have to make too many decision during the initial morning grogginess.

Below are just a few of the routines that I have come to set up for work:

Habit started in 2014

1. I drink the same morning shake at work for breakfast. This eliminated the need to think about breakfast or starting work on an empty stomach.

Habits added in 2015

1. I started wearing and interchanging the same two makeup styles.
2. I’ve set aside some items of clothing that have designated for work and I keep the outfits very simple.
3. I replaced coffee with a B12 energy drink. This eliminated the morning coffee shop run and the 2 pm crash.
4. I started taking the same four supplements by my first break. One for energy and focus, one for mental clarity, one for memory, and one for vision.

Habits added in 2016

1. I started to get to work a little early and park in the same spot every morning, regardless if there was a closer spot to the building. This eliminated the driving around the parking lot.
2. I set predetermined lunch options listed in order of preference: small bowl of oatmeal with honey, meal bar, meal shake, a soup, or leftovers. As long as a had a light lunch, I didn’t get that desire for a nap after lunch. I read a self-development books or replied to personal emails. If it was nice out, I would take my lunch outside.

Habits added in this year

1. If I schedule a lunch to meet someone, I pick a soup or salad. It keeps conversations going and less focus on the food.
2. I strike up conversations with people more often unless they have a very upset face or look away. I wrote a blog post about this little habit that keeps me on my toes about my attitude.

None of these will necessarily sound exciting and it’s not the complete list. I realized, however, that I haven’t had to think about making these 9 decisions in months. They’re all decisions that I made one time and reinforced a couple of times until they developed became habits. Then I build off of every habit so that I add a new one but also reinforce an old one. These routines have saved me at least an hour every morning.

I hope this post stirs up a couple of ideas of how you can streamline your mornings or how you can start a routine today that will help reduce one more item that you have to think about daily. Feel free to check out any of the products listed that I personally love and use on my retail website here.

Please let me know in the comments below if you try any one of them!

Questions for you: Do your mornings feel hectic, on track, or like clockwork? Do you do any of these routines or have some that are similar?