September 26th, 2021
3 minute read
For the last year, I have been conforming to a loose morning routine. Although I wake up at 6 am, I am yet to stick to a consistent routine when I wake up. Therefore, I figured I'd write a post about how I plan to change that. Hopefully, you can gain some insight too. After hours of research, I've boiled the main components down to 6 components, an acronym that I've dubbed as "WANE".
Water
Ablution
Nutrition
Exercise
But before we get started, I have to highlight that a good morning routine always starts the night before. That means laying out your clothes to avoid decision fatigue, planning your breakfast, and of course, deciding what you want to achieve that morning. Because ultimately, your "Why" is the reason you're getting up early every morning.
I've written about the benefits of cold showers here, it's the first thing I do when I jump out of bed. Now, I'm not a psychopath, I don't start the shower cold, rather I ease into it, leaving my body and mind alert and wide awake.
Next, I chug down around 500mls of good-old-fashioned H20 since our bodies are dehydrated in the mornings. Those two actions should make you feel awake and sharp.
Congratulations, you have completed the hardest tasks of the day. The rest of these steps should be easy.
If you're a coffee fan like myself, you know that nothing beats a freshly brewed cup. None of that instant coffee nonsense though, I'm talking about the good stuff. Filtered, pour-over Italian roast. In some ways, I enjoy the process of making it, it almost feels like a ritual. One important thing to note is that I use my coffee very intentionally. Most days, I'll have it around 10am, followed by a glass of water to combat dehydration since caffeine is a diurectic (makes you pee).
Now the real nutrition comes from my favourite breakfast smoothie. I have tweeted about this multiple times and I will continue to preach its benefits. The ingredients...
Peanut butter
Flaxseeds
Oatmeal
Banana
Mixed frozen berriesfibre
Vegan protein powder
Green veggies
Enough protein, carbs, fibre, and vitamins to last you till 1/2 pm. It really was a game-changer for me. If you want to see an in-depth video of it, you can watch it here.
The last component to WANE is Exercise. I'm sure you all know the importance of regular exercise, so I'll save you the lecture on this occasion. However, on this occasion, exercise will be paired up with a powerful sub-component: sunlight exposure. You see, our bodies weren't made to be cooped up in tiny houses , cars and offices. Exposure to UV-rays naturally boosts your mood and literally brightens your skin.
Why not pair up nutrition with some learning? Dive into a chapter or two of a book, listen to a podcast or audiobook. Now, this is where I plug todays sponsor, Audible. But alas, I'm not at that level yet. But seriously, you could use your morning time to accomplish those micro-goals whilst everyone else sleeps and social-media is silent. Take it from me, its a good feeling.