The Importance of a Morning Routine

Written By: Jessica Gerber

It seems commonly accepted that positive habits lead to an improvement in the quality of someone’s life. Yet, one notion that often goes ignored is that these positive habits that we implement do not need to be major or drastic changes. After studying the work of James Clear & Robin Sharma, I’ve come away with a strong understanding of how habits can make an impact and I’d like to share these with our network of professionals who will hopefully be as inspired as I am about this topic.

In fact, as discussed in, Atomic Habits, written by James Clear, small improvements can create drastic results. James Clear explains that behaviors or habits typically compound, meaning that habits will build upon one another, ultimately resulting in a snowball effect of change. The good news is that performing one good habit or behavior typically escalates into more positive behavior.

While habits in the work environment are routinely discussed, how might one look at their personal life to evaluate how the hours spent outside of work may be contributing to your ability to build positive habits? In particular, how can embracing a morning routine help establish or reinforce these habits?

While the idea of waking up at 5AM may seem painful and impossible to some, in the book, 5AM Club, by Robin Sharma, it is argued that waking up at 5AM is one habit that is small enough to lead to a lifetime of achievement. The first hour someone is awake is typically the most productive hour of the day since that person’s body and brain are recharged, and therefore more capable of focus and thought. Additionally, in the quiet hours of 5AM, distractions are limited, which creates the perfect environment to focus on your mental, emotional, and spiritual being – this is believed to ultimately lead to more creativity, positivity, and productivity.

Having the routine of waking up just one hour earlier will set the tone for your whole day. While I personally have those days where I am tempted to hit snooze, I am striving to become more consistent in waking up at 5AM. The idea of habits compounding and finding myself more creative and inspired throughout the day is more tempting than 1 more hour in bed.