PP62 : Morning Routines
Over the next couple of episodes, we are going to spend time talking about the way we intentionally build our schedules. And it was the whole idea of routines that got me interested in productivity in the beginning. For many, the morning routine seems to be this myth of the perfect productive life.
So let’s dig into it.
So what is the perfect morning routine for a ministry leader?
I don’t think it actually exists. Not at least in some generic sense. But you have the ability to create a great, and healthy morning routine uniquely for YOU!
Any routine should serve you, and not you serving the routine.
That’s important for us to remember as we try to understand ourselves and create what helps us be the best version of ourselves.
What are the essentials?
This is where we can get into a bit of discernment towards fruitfulness or get lost in the weeds. I like to break it into two different sections; the bare essentials and the focused additions. For me, bare essentials are the small handful of things I am going to do EVERY DAY, no matter what. For me, this is really simple. I will get 7-8 hrs of sleep and I will do the morning office each morning. Those set my priorities.
What I add to that will be dependent on the day. If I will spend my morning in a creative space, I make sure to take time to read a bit in the morning. That gets my brain going. If I am going straight into some meetings or calls, I make time for a quick walk in the morning. Both of these activities help me be the best in the way I need to be.
My “first work” rule.
Another rhythm I have as part of a morning routine is what I do and don’t do first thing. I try to not go straight into my email or social media. I give myself a singular focus on one important thing before I come up for air and begin dealing with the outside world. I find this helps me accomplish more in a GREAT headspace.