Let’s face it. Not every day of our lives will be sunshine and glitterbombs. Life has its share of ups and downs. We are all too stressed and too busy, our heads swimming with constant red notification bubbles.

It’s a jungle out there. I totally get it.

What if I told you that you could ensure #thebestdayever, every day, in just 60 minutes?

What if I told you that YOU hold the power to wake up excited, to feel confident and refreshed in order to take on your early morning workout, or bound into your 10-hour day at the office, or sing your face off at your call-back for Hamilton.

Would you buy the product / take the supplement / hire the coach?

Are you selling me something?

I know I sound super schemey right now, like some sort of creepy infomercial, but I promise I come at you with total integrity and the desire to help you conquer your daily to-do’s!

Even better, what I’m about to lay out for you will financially cost you NOTHING and help you gain EVERYTHING: perspective, balance, inner peace, organization, vibrancy, excitement, readiness. It is a tool I have personally learned to prioritize and it has changed my day-to-day, and my life.

(And no, I’m not asking you to join a cult haha, you’re already in one. #mffrealness)

Morning Routine: 10-Minute Bites

Want to be better at what you love to do? Maybe you aspire to become a top performing professional in your industry?

Perhaps you want to run your first full marathon, but lack the discipline or foresight to budget time for it. Or maybe you’d like to win the “best parent ever” award, and still have a few moments of quiet time for yourself.

Well guess what? You can. YOU SIMPLY NEED A MORNING ROUTINE. This tool is popular among highly successful people, including Barack Obama, Anna Wintour and Mark Zuckerberg (12 highly influential people’s AM routines).

Best of all, I’m going to help you create your ideal morning in five easy steps! Grab a piece of paper and pen, and let’s go.

1. Find What’s Meaningful

Draw a large circle. Inside that circle, brainstorm activities that help you feel centered and re-charged. Maybe that’s coffee, exercise, reading, music, meditating.

2. You Pick Six

Highlight the top six items that mean the most to you. If you don’t have six, that’s okay! Start with what you have.

3. Find the Time

Draw another large circle. Split the circle into six even sections, each equalling 10 minutes. Go through the circle clockwise, writing in your top six. Your morning ritual is born!

Sit back and admire your work. How do you feel looking at this morning “clock”? If it doesn’t excite you, re-think some of the items. It’s possible you are writing things you think you “should” do, instead of things that actually bring you the most joy.

4. Commit Today

Set your alarm clock NOW. Let’s say you normally rise at 6 AM. Set your alarm for 5 AM. Your morning routine won’t have the same effect if you are rushing through it.

If you’re a person who waits till the last minute to get out of bed and runs out the door in a panic, this will feel really new to you. Lean into the discomfort. It’s okay if this feels hard at first. Any big change requires a little elbow grease. If you already allow for extra time in the morning, this pie chart will help you make your morning time more intentional.

5. Grant Yourself Grace

There is no perfect way to do this. Everyone’s morning routine will look different, and that’s okay! Also, nothing is set in stone. You can change your morning routine any time to best meet yourself where you are at that day or week.

The point is, taking that uninterrupted time is so essential to setting your mood, your mind and your overall well being for the day. Make note of how you move through your day as a result of your new morning routine.

Bonus 10: For the Fitnessy Folks!

If you dedicated a 10-minute slice of your morning pie to fitness, here are some awesome suggestions to get your blood flowing in the AM:

10-Minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

• 20 Bodyweight Squats
• 10 Pushups
• 20 Jumping Jacks
• 10 Shoulder Taps in a Plank
• 20 Alternating Lateral Lunges
• 10 Reverse Burpees

Rest when needed; modify for your needs! Do as many rounds as you can in 10 minutes. This will work your full body, including core, shoulder stability, arms and chest, glutes, legs and elevate that heart rate.

On a Personal Note

When I commit to my morning routine, even if it means sacrificing an hour of sleep, I personally feel less irritable and more present during my day. I am prone to anxiety and if I don’t start my day feeling organized, re-charged and prepared, that frantic energy follows me throughout my day, disrupting my productivity, how I interact with others and even how I treat myself.

If you are still doubtful about how to actually implement this into your life (“I have kids, I have pets, I don’t get enough sleep as it is, how could I possibly?!”), check out this awesome interview with Lisa Canning, a mom of six, featured on The Miracle 5am Morning podcast with Jeff Sanders!

Another great resource is The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, who covers the how and why of a morning routine.

Lastly, remember that tending to yourself every single morning helps you to better serve others throughout your day. After all, you have to fill your cup first in order to fill that of others!

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After you nail your morning routine, how about another 60 minutes that will lead to more energy and a renewed focus around your fitness goals?

SCHEDULE A STRATEGY SESSION AT MFF

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Elizabeth Stacey Ellis is a fitness coach, entrepreneur, and (mostly) vegan located in Orlando, FL by way of NYC. Her business Upstrength Fitness is all about empowering females to banish “gym-timidation” by providing not just the what but the why of strength training. In NYC, she trained celebrities on the reg like Lin Manuel Miranda and Erin Andrews at our very own Mark Fisher Fitness and Physique57. YAS!  Currently you can find her coaching classes she developed at Spark Fitness, planting herbs (and trying not to kill them), and watching The Bachelor with her new hubby!