Before diving into today’s topic, I just want to say thank you for your outpouring of support for my new Do It Scared™ book.These last weeks have been a total whirlwind as I launch the new book out into the world. All of the messages I’ve received and the stories I’ve heard have been so supportive and wonderful. I just want you to know that I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Starting your day in a calm intentional matter sets the tone for your entire day. How you live your days is how you live your life. Today, I’m sharing five simple practices that you can use to supercharge your morning, your day, and even your life.

Taking the time to start your day intentionally will allow you to get more done and avoid stress and overwhelm. I’m going to talk about taking care of your mind, body, and spirit to get the most out of your days.

I also talk about the importance of prioritizing and knowing what your goals are, so you can find your most important task to focus on. I share tips, tools, and some of what I do in my mornings.

Highlights

[06:35] – Starting your morning well can make a huge difference to your day.
[08:42] – Waking up frazzled and behind can set the tone for the entire day and make you feel stressed out and completely defeated.
[09:09] – Our mornings matters. How we spend those first precious minutes sets the tone for the entire day.
[09:38] – Don’t let the morning run you, instead of the other way around.
[09:57] – The simple secret to slay your day every single time is to start the morning with intention.
[10:10] – Practice #1 Plan. Take the time to sit down for 10 or 15 minutes and make a concrete plan about what you are going to accomplish.
[10:35] – Don’t just make a to do list. Prioritize it into must do, should do, and would like to do categories.
[11:05] – Some tasks matter much more than others. Getting them out of our heads and onto paper will help us prioritize what really matters.
[11:38] – Block out time and make an appointment with yourself to complete the most important tasks.
[11:51] – Identify your most important objective for the day, what a successful day looks like, and how you reward yourself for a job well done.
[12:15] – Accomplishing one essential task is so much better than accomplishing 20 tasks that don’t matter at all.
[12:41] – Tools that are great for categorizing your to do list are the Daily Focus Sheet™ and the Daily Do It™ Sticky Notes.
[13:03] – Taking 10 minutes each morning to fill these out is a game changer. It will let you know with crystal clarity exactly where your focus should be.
[13:32] – Practice #2 Reflect. Sit quietly and think. Practice affirmations or journal. Reflection time is essential to prevent making the same mistakes over and over again.
[14:46] – The essential part of self-reflection is reflecting on where you’ve been and where you’re going. It will look different for everybody.
[15:16] – You can also practice gratitude and set your intentions for the day.
[16:02] – Practice #3 Move. Movement and exercise is good for your body and ups your mental game.
[17:28] – Adding a little exercise to your morning routine is an excellent first step to fight the epidemic of too much sitting.
[17:42] – Exercising in the morning jump starts your metabolism, gives you energy, and improves your focus.
[18:05] – Regular morning exercise even helps you get better sleep which will improve your energy in the long run. It also increases endorphins that help us feel less stressed and better overall.
[18:30] – You don’t have to take an all-or-nothing approach to working out. Take 15 minutes and get your heart pumping.
[19:01] – Practice #4 Fill Your Inspiration Tank. Spend time reading or listening to an inspirational or motivational podcast or even reading the bible or doing a devotional. You can even combine these things.
[19:18] – I personally like to listen to podcasts and audiobooks while I run in the morning.
[20:05] – The more positive messages, inspiration, and motivation that we feed ourselves, the more likely we are to retain it and not let obstacles stand in our way.
[20:24] – Practice #5 Dedicated Focus Time. Spend at least 30 minutes working on whatever it is that will get you closest to your most important goal.
[20:51] – I spend at least 60 to 90 minutes writing. My most productive and creative time of day is after I’ve completed my first four practices.
[21:46] – Identify your biggest and most important goal, so you know what to work on during your dedicated focus time. Even 30 or 60 minutes of dedicated focus time can help you get to where you want to be.
[23:59] – You need to be intentional about starting your day well to set the tone for your entire day.