Great Habits Start in the Morning

Health and Wellness Great Habits Start in the Morning

by Kristen Horler, MS

What is Your Routine?

Routine is everything and a break in routine can help you recognize how important consistency is to success. Grab a piece of paper and a pen. Write down every detail of how you started your day today.

Did you wake up to an alarm? What time? Did you hit snooze? If so, how many times?

What was the very next thing that you did?

Did you make coffee or tea? Brush your teeth? Workout? Shower? Write it all down. Do you follow this routine every morning? What has changed in your morning routine since March?

It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about making improvements in your fitness, nutrition or business -- the first step to creating change is awareness. Now that you have written down what your morning routine looked like today, is there anything that you want to reduce or eliminate?

What Needs to Change?

When COVID-19 resulted in a shutdown, my morning routine changed dramatically. I was no longer getting up at 5:00 a.m. for crew practice, going for a run, or teaching a fitness class. This resulted in staying up late with my husband and watching Netflix. I soon began waking up with the sun, instead of to an alarm. I also found myself picking up my phone in the morning and spending up to an hour looking at the news to see what new, shocking information was available. I soon realized that I was struggling to start my workday before noon, which meant I was working late into the evening and missing quality time with my family. It was a vicious cycle that I wasn’t sure how to break.

…the first step to creating change is awareness. “

I started small. I decided to set my alarm Monday through Saturday morning for 7:00 a.m. with a second alarm set for 7:30 a.m. My intention was not to look at my calendar, social media or news on my phone. Instead, I decided to get up and get out of the house to exercise by the time my 7:30 a.m. alarm went off. After a week, I had created new triggers and new habits...and even more importantly, I felt so successful!

Tips to Create Good Habits

• Accountability is essential to success. Tell more than one person what you’re going to do and why you’re going to do it.

• Setbacks? The past is the past. Today is a new day and an opportunity to start again!

• Not sure where to begin? Look at your morning routine. What is one simple thing that you can change tomorrow?

Kristen Horler is a recovering overachiever who is learning to let more stuff go that is not aligned with her values, priorities, and goals. As a former pastry chef turned fitness professional, Kristen created Baby Boot Camp shortly after her first child was born in August 2001. Eighteen years later, Kristen rebranded the company to MOMLETA. The new brand represents the company’s mission of inspiring moms of all ages and stages through fitness, nutrition, community, and business. Kristen is passionate about food, fitness, and inspiring wellness. She enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and traveling. Visit www.momleta.com to learn more.