A strong and intentional morning routine is the key to a great day. It’s great to make your morning routine a priority, but the truth is we don’t always have hours to dedicate to it. Sometimes we sleep in, sometimes we have somewhere to be earlier than usual, sometimes we simply don’t have the time. There are a million different reasons. What will set you up for a great day, even when you don’t have much time to devote to yourself, is having a set of non-negotiables. These non-negotiables are activities that you know will help you have the best day that you can.

Before you open yourself up to the outside world and influence, do something for your mind, your body, and your soul. Develop quick practices you can do in each category as your non-negotiables. What exactly you do to fulfil these requirements may differ day to day. Taking care of your body might be a walk, a strength class, Pilates, or a stretch. An activity for your mind may be reading a few pages in your book, a passage of the daily stoic, a crossword puzzle, or listening to a podcast. Something for your soul may be meditating, getting out in nature, playing with your pets, prayer, watching the sunrise, or a gratitude practice.

Starting your morning with an activity for your mind, body, and soul will set you up to have an amazing day. If you’re pressed for time in the morning, or have obligations extremely early, extend yourself grace and do something in each of these three categories at some point during the day. Stay away from an all or nothing mentality. A 5 min stretch before bed is better than no movement at all. Reading a page in a book is better than not reading at all. Are challenging 45 minute workouts great? Sure. Is learning a new skill beneficial? Yes, but you don’t have to do activities that take a lot of time and effort every day. You can achieve the results you desire with consistent small steps.

Use a system of trial and error to find out what helps you feel your best. Your non-negotiables may look different and may change during different times in your life. I encourage you to have a morning routine and a couple non-negotiable activities that you can do no matter how much time you have or what your day looks like. Have an extensive morning routine to foster the relationship you have with yourself when you have time. Curate a few quick and easy non-negotiable practices to fill up your self-care cup when you have to hit the ground running. This will set you up for a great day no matter what you have on the agenda

Want help curating a morning routine and a practice of non-negotiables? Learn more about 1:1 coaching and contact me to sign up for your first session here.