“In the morning a man walks with his whole body. In the evening, only with his legs.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

-Marcus Aurelius

The Importance of a Morning Routine for Me

I’ve always been an early bird. I remember my parents setting a limit on how early I was allowed to come out of my room. I remember the awkwardness of sleep overs, waking up hours before my friends would and sitting patiently waiting for them to stir. I remember my wife – not a morning person – drowsily chiding me for making so much noise as I got out of bed on the weekends.

As a professional today, I still rise early. The difference now is that I rise with purpose and with structure to make sure I’m making the most of the wee hours.

I have four children, all of whom – my wife reminds me – inherited my propensity for rising early. They are loving and they are active…and they are all over me the moment they wake up. I realized very early into parenthood that if I want to take advantage of my day, it starts with conquering my mornings.

It was fascinating to learn over the years that establishing a morning routine is a highly embraced practice by so many people. “A good morning routine can positively influence your attitude, energy level, and performance throughout the day” the Harvard Division for Continuing Education reminds us. Teaching is a profession that involves a high level of performance throughout the day, on top of planning, assessing, communicating, and training.

Mornings have been my opportunity to frame the rest of my day in a way that helps me feel productive, in control, and happy. Many incredibly successful people would agree, such as the celebrities and influencers interviewed here on Tim Ferriss’s podcast. If you listen to these interviews, you’ll notice that no two people have the same routine, but the common thread is that they wake up with a plan and stick to it each and every day.

To develop my own plan, I’ve listened to experts, spoken with friends, and enjoyed resources like Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. (There’s also an edition just for teachers worth checking out as well!). Let me share with you what I’m currently doing – and I’d love to hear your feedback and your own routines as well!

My Routine At Home

Get out of bed: My alarm goes off between 4:45AM and 5:00AM each day, depending on what I want to get done. I am as inclined as any of you to hit “snooze,” but am inspired by people like retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink who remind us “if you can wake up early in the morning, get a head start on everyone else that’s still sleeping, get productive time doing things that you need to do — that’s a huge piece to moving your life forward.” So how do I get out of bed each morning? I just do it. No snooze. No excuses. Even on weekends.

Drink water: Hydration has become a big part of my well-being. I get down about 10-15 oz of water as soon as I’m in the kitchen.

Work out: My wife and I have subscribed to BeachBodyOnDemand.com for years. The types of work outs I have done vary, but for me it’s always been easier to exercise when I have someone telling me what to. To make things easier, I make sure I have laid out my clothes, water bottle, and shoes the night before. This limits excuses and distractions, and helps me to get right to it. My work outs are usually around 45 minutes.

“Jordan’s Log”: I’ve kept a diary for years. It’s not complicated – I just write down my activities and observations from the day before. This has been a vital tool for reflection, helping me take note of the little things that make each day unique from any other I’ll live. This takes me about 20 minutes.

Prep and Food: After showering and dressing, I’ll make a gorgeous breakfast for myself, including eggs, avocado toast on whole grain bread, fruit, and vitamins (I’m currently subscribed to the Care Of vitamin pack).

Family:I love my family. Although I am sorely tempted to leave early and get started on work faster, it would devastate me not to see my crew for at least a few moments. We’ll connect in the kitchen throughout the morning, and everyone gets a hug and kiss before I leave.

***What’s NOT part of my morning routine? Checking email, doing work, or using my cell phone or social media. These are distractions for me in the morning, and I decided a while back to keep them out of my routine.

On the Commute

I have a relatively short commute – about 20 minutes. Each day I’ll plug in one of my favorite podcasts and be inspired or educated by one of the thousands of amazing podcasts out there.

My Routine At School

Make a list: Gary Keller – real estate guru and bestselling author – asks himself, “What is the one thing I can do, such that by doing it everything else is easier or unnecessary?” For me that’s to make a short, reasonable list of what I absolutely need to focus on that day. Before cracking open my computer and hacking away at emails, I like to sit down with pen and paper, clear my mind, and organize my thoughts.

Greet my colleagues: I work closely with a core group of colleagues every day. My mornings include making sure I am greeting each of them as they come in, and even engaging in some simple small talk like, “How was your weekend?” or “What do you have going on today?” This is a simple but important part of my routine that helps me keep people at the center of my day.

Why Routines are Important for me…and maybe for you

My routines have varied over the years and, let’s face it, I’ll admit that I haven’t always been as disciplined as I would have liked. But having a morning routine helps me to achieve my goals and frame my day. I have goals related to my health, well-being, and presence. If I wake up and rush out the door, I’m starting in a reactive instead of a proactive mindset and am far less likely to achieve my goals.

Additionally, my morning routine gives me fewer decisions I have to make. I don’t decide what to do, what to wear, what to eat…it’s already been decided and all I have to do is act. My days can quickly become chaotic and tiring, but maintaining a strong morning system helps me ensure that I have control and am empowered to do my best work each day.

I’m interested in hearing your feedback on my morning routine, as well as insights into how you conquer your mornings. Share with me by contacting me or leaving a comment below!