Categories: Routines

The Pre-Work Ritual: What do you do to get ready in the morning?

Some people wake up and do the three S’s (shower, shave, and… well, you probably know what comes next), while others shower in the evening. Me? I can’t do anything without the morning shower and smoothie. Ever since I was a wee lad I’ve been preached to about the wonders and the importance of the early morning meal. Breakfast, apparently, is the cornerstone to success.

Funny, because I can count on one hand how many times I’ve actually taken the time to prepare and eat breakfast. My smoothie (generally a fantabulous blend of strawberry/blue berries or banana/strawberry) has become the morning meal, jam-packed with 175 calories and plenty of fiber, essential acids, and a bit of protein whey for good measure. But that’s not a breakfast. Breakfast is eggs, bacon, with toast and jam; cereal with a muffin and milk; fresh fruit and a couple of eggs. That’s breakfast.

There’s more to a morning than breakfast, and while I rant off about what breakfast is and isn’t, many people don’t even realize how a few adjustments in the morning could be the difference between a good day and a bad one.

For example:

  • Shower – Many people shower the night before, and while that is certainly fine for hygienic purposes it lacks something… just something that makes it an essential part of any morning. I hit the shower in the mornings and I am immediately refreshed- I’m ready to rock and roll all the way to my home office!
  • Shave – This applies more to men than women, but a good shave is a great way to start the day. Get yourself looking like a million bucks and then go out there and make it!
  • Exercise – Many people find that a brief cardio workout in the morning is a great way to wake up. Scientifically, its proven to boost the metabolism (promoting weight loss) and set the metabolic rate for the day. I see this as a winner!
  • The Newspaper – Ahh yes, an old favorite. Get up, pour a glass of OJ, and then read what’s going on in the world today (or last night).

The point here is that your early morning ritual is important, and every now and then a change is good. Try it: if you normally shower at night, try showering in the morning for a week. See if it makes a difference in how you feel. You never know when you may stumble on to something great!

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  • thanks for the post. starting the day on the right foot is very important. i suggest popping out of bed in the morning with high energy!

  • Nice post. I usually wake up and fire up the computer to check out the premarket action. I might try the shower in the morning to see if I feel any different.

  • After showering, I like to check out my RSS reader for any interesting stories in the world of blogging while having the morning business news playing on the TV in the background.
    I should try excercising if I can get up a little earlier!

  • Liked the post. For me a two mile walk (getting the paper on the way), a shower and a coffee to start the day off get me in a good mood. I tend to check my mails and RSS in the morning and get updated on the events, then I have a read of the paper and back to the computer to get some work done.
    Couldn’t handle the day without the coffee though, become something of a ‘norm’.

  • I couldn’t agree with you more on most of the “morning rituals” that you posted. Although, I’m still sold on the fact that breakfast is the important meal of the day, I do appreciate your advice on the morning cardio workout.

  • You must have more time than me in the morning!
    I think I am out of the house before the papers are available, I don’t tend to hang around in the morning… straight out!
    That said, I get the train to work, so, I can read the paper en route… one of the benefits of not driving

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