How To Use My Morning Routine Journal
STEP 1: MORNING SILENCE AND A MOMENT FOR REFLECTION
I can't tell you how much this has changed my life! Every day, as part of my morning ritual, I start by sitting silently (from Hal Elrod's SAVERS method) for a few minutes to acknowledge how I am thinking and feeling. Go on try it!
This doesn’t have to be for a long time—just 5 or 10 minutes, just as long as you connect to how you are. You can do some 4-7-8 breathing (developed by Dr Andrew Weil) if you’re feeling emotionally dysregulated to calm and ground yourself for the day ahead.
STEP 2: START FILLING IN YOUR JOURNAL; TAKE YOUR TIME (BUT IT CAN BE DONE IN 5 MINUTES IF YOU NEED TO)
While your thoughts and feelings are fresh, take a printed copy of your one-pager journal and start filling it in from left to right. Take your time, as there’s no rush.
Yesterday, I was grateful for:
Reflecting on yesterday, what are you grateful for? I think writing down three things daily can help NOTICE the good things in our lives. We can all get stuck in negative thought patterns, and stopping to notice can have a profound effect on our mental health and happiness. Find out more about the benefits of gratitude journaling here - really push yourself for 3!
My feelings leftover from yesterday:
Our brains process all our thoughts and experiences overnight and file them away, and our bodies try to clean up the impact of the day on us and help us rest and recuperate overnight. With that said, we still wake up from the remnants of some of yesterday’s stuff—what do we bring from yesterday into this new day? It’s great to be aware of it.
What I achieved yesterday:
To increase our neuropathways of positive self-image, it’s really important to acknowledge and celebrate our wins. What did you do yesterday that you are really proud of or pleased it’s off the list?
ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED REFLECTING ON YESTERDAY, IT'S TIME TO FILL IN TODAY!
How many hours did I sleep? How was my sleep?
Tracking how much we sleep is really important - it helps us to realise where we are scrimping on sleep, possible signs of burnout before we get there and if our adrenaline levels are too high (3 am wake-up call anyone?) The recommended sleep for an adult is 7-9 hours, so make sure you achieve this more often than not. Wearing a smartwatch and apps like Sleep as Android can help do this for you.
How self-regulated do I feel? Describe my self-regulation:
If you are not sure what self-regulation is, read this. It’s a word you will be familiar with if you are neurodivergent, but if not, it’s really our ability to feel and process our emotions and to understand and manage our behaviour and our feelings.
Your level can impact our ability to :
Calm down after anger/upset
Control your impulses
Focus on one task
Be flexible in light of change
Handle your frustration calmly
Regulate strong emotions like anger, excitement, and shame
Give and take or negotiate and collaborate with others
Many of us wake up feeling totally dysregulated, especially if we went to bed late, had an argument that wasn’t dealt with yesterday, or had a funny dream.
Just rate yourself out of 10—a gut feeling. There is no right or wrong answer here. Just start to do it, and you will get better at connecting with yourself and judging your level the more you do it.
It’s a good idea to notice our baseline where we start and then decide if we are going to try and increase our regulation before the day truly starts. You can find out more about how to self-regulate here.
Today, I am thinking:
Over 90% of our thoughts are repetitive - we have them over and over again. Write down your thoughts about the day, and over time, you will start to see patterns.
Today, I am feeling:
How are you feeling today, right now, in this moment?
Maybe your head is already in the day ahead, and that meeting is coming up with your boss that you are dreading, maybe you are overwhelmed by all there is to do already.
Get it all out on paper. Did you know that writing things is a way to decrease being overwhelmed and anxious? If you don’t know about the benefits of brain dumps and journaling, read this.
If you wake up and feel sad, you can tend to that sadness and sit with it until it passes. If you struggle to label your emotions, this Feelings Wheel App is brilliant.
Today, I will practice self-love with the following healthy habits:
I am a MASSIVE ran of Dr Rangam Chatterjee - if you don’t already listen to his podcast “Feel Better, Live More”. In his book 'The 4 Pillar Plan', he says we have to get the following right: Set your intentions for a GREAT DAY ahead by planning your self-care.
Eat - Can you increase the number of veggies and fruits you consume today? Maybe try out the healthy recipe you saw on Instagram last night!
Relax - How are you going to build in some me time, time for doing what you love, and intellectual fulfilment in your relaxation time?
Move - We are too sedentary these days, and planning to move more is a really good idea. Can you plan a 10-minute game of footy or cricket with the kids? Will you get out for a lunchtime run or do a 5-minute mini-strength training workout first thing in the morning to get it out the way (because you know your motivation will dwindle throughout the day)? Maybe you can bring back lockdown vibes and hit up Joe Wicks on YouTube for a quick 30-minute HIIT workout.
Sleep - How are you going to help yourself get enough shut-eye? Do you need to think about sleep hygiene and get back into reading novels at night? Maybe you need to knock that Netflix hour on the head for a bit while you get back into a better bedtime routine, or maybe you want to adjust your sleeping hours so you can get up earlier and have a lush, quiet hour in the morning all to yourself (that’s what I love these days). I can’t recommend an eye mask enough; blackout curtains have been life-changing for me.
My Actions for Today:
The list-making had to start at some point, right? This isn’t about putting pressure on yourself to get on with the day and start doing. I would advise looking at the end of your day and thinking what would be amazing if I really achieved this today -then write down 3 things you are setting the intention to make sure you complete.
For me, this is often one really urgent and important work task, one household on the to-do list but putting it off, like making a dentist’s appointment and often one connection action like booking a dinner with friends or planning in some 121 times with each of my kids that evening (the day so often runs away with itself)
Compassionate note to myself:
The popular phrase "You've got this" has been used so much lately, and it works because it's positive feedback to the brain—you are saying to yourself, "I am able/capable/good enough," and you are saying, "I believe in you, I trust you." In three little words, you don't have to say anymore; your brain knows what is implied. It works great as an affirmation, too, but writing also helps affirm, so make sure to write a little note to yourself in the compassionate note-to-self box in your morning journal. What 3,4,5 word phrase do you need to hear today?
Maybe “Be Kind” is a good one, or “Take it easy” or “Rome wasn’t built in a day” is one of my favourites; have a play around, and you will find you start saying these little phrases to yourself during the day, too! This is my favourite section of the whole journal!
STEP 3: PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DAY AND KEEP A MENTAL NOTE OF ANYTHING THAT COMES UP FOR YOU
As you go through your day, remember your goals and intentions to help keep your focus so you don’t lose sight of them. Keep a mental note of anything that comes up for you throughout the day for tomorrow’s reflection, and use your journal as a reminder to stay on track and motivated. You can even fill in the first section at night when you reflect on your day; if this works better for you, I am just too exhausted at the end of the day and prefer to wait until I have lots of renewed energy the following morning.
STEP 4: COMMIT TO TRY IT FOR 30 DAYS
If you really want to see a difference in your habits, productivity, and regulation, I recommend committing to journaling for 30 days (make sure you print 30 copies of your one-pager so you don’t have to interrupt your morning ritual). Consistency is key to changing habits and creating healthy new ones — especially those that positively impact your day-to-day and emotional wellbeing. Keep an eye on your progress throughout the month, and please do let me know how you get on in the comments.
STEP 5: KEEP YOUR JOURNAL PAGES TOGETHER AND REVIEW THEM MONTHLY
All in all, journaling can be incredibly beneficial for your wellbeing, life, and work, but the POWER is in reviewing what you have written regularly
Can you have a monthly Power Hour with yourself - Look back at your pages from the last 30 days (it’s ok if you have only filled in 10; by the way, we are being kind to ourselves here)
What do you notice?
What patterns are there? Do you say you will do a 10-minute workout 3 days every week but have nothing to show for it? What are you doing to do about this? Be honest with yourself (no blame or shame required!). What’s preventing you from doing the things you really want to? What changes will you resolve to tackle the following month? What are your wins? Where have you been showing self-love and self-compassion in your life?
How do you feel about what has been happening?
Are your feelings and emotions a bit of a rollercoaster? Are you giving them space to be felt, heard and processed? When and how could you invite some grounding and calm into your life?
We’ll explore more benefits of journaling in upcoming articles, but enjoy your new and improved morning routine for now! If you are enjoying a morning routine, why not try out the S.A.V.E.R.S. Method from the book ‘The Morning Miracle’ by Hal Elrod.
ABOUT CAREER COACH NAT HARRISON OF AYAMA COACHING
Hi, I am Nat. I help people become more fulfilled and happy in their working lives by aligning their careers or businesses with their skills, values, and interests and helping them overcome barriers to making the desired change.
I am also a trained ADHD coach. I work with neurodivergent people who want to harness their brains for the better and improve their relationships with themselves.
Book a FREE consultation below if you would benefit from some coaching on your work life.
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