What is your morning ritual?

The new school year is upon us, and as we get our family back to a routine, it has me thinking about morning rituals. I’ve always been interested in how people start their day, and I believe it’s crucial for setting the tone for your overall happiness and productivity.

For me personally, I’ve worked hard to resist the urge to go right to email first thing in the AM. I find that this puts you into a reactionary mode. Before I check email, I use the “Rule of 3” and write down the 3 things I want to accomplish that day. By doing this, I dictate what will be accomplished each day. A good exercise is to mentally fast-forward to the end of the day and ask yourself: “When this day is over, what 3 things will I want to have accomplished?”Those 3 things you identify should be your focus for the day.

I also wanted to share a graphic with you that highlights how some of the most successful people start their day. I especially love the question Steve Jobs asked himself each day, and I think we could all benefit from starting our mornings in this way.

If you have any morning tips or hacks, let me know! I’d love to hear about them.