Morning routine habits for a healthy, productive life
It’s no secret – the way you start your morning can make a HUGE impact on your day. Overslept? Your day may start and end a little crazy. Missed your morning workout? You’re most likely going to need that extra cup of coffee. Life throws us curveballs, but controlling your morning can set the tone for the day you want to have.
We sat down with Nicole Blodgett, a morning routine pro and advocate, to discuss the morning routines we have been following for YEARS that keep us alert, motivated, and ready to tackle our everyday battles when they arise. We recorded this interview at the beginning of the pandemic, but the theme remains true and is even more important today when we are getting back to the busy lives we once knew. So come along with us to hear how you can implement three morning routine habits for a healthy, productive life!
Meet Nicole
Nicole is a daughter of the Most High King, wife, full-time working mama to 3 amazing boys (11, 9, and 4), and student! She exemplifies a go-getter mentality, determination, and enthusiasm for life. In 2009 Nicole started her career working in the insurance industry. She quickly learned the ropes and climbed from an administrative role to a role in executive leadership.
Simultaneous to her professional journey was a growing passion for community and serving others. Nicole began volunteering for more organizations like Meals-On-Wheels, Hudson Backpack Program, and donating to local food shelves. Nicole also saw a rise in the trends of obesity, chronic health conditions, and increasing sedentary lifestyles. As she became increasingly aware of the needs within her community, she wanted to do more for the gain of the greater good. That desire lit a fire to do more to understand the why behind the what.
Nicole left her executive leadership position in 2018. Since that time, she’s been pursuing her Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics with the hopes of becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Now armed with the education and training she needs, Nicole sits on the board for the Hunger Prevention Council and is excited to take her knowledge back to the industry she left to be a change leader in the world of preventive health and wellness. Teaching and educating others about improvements to nutrition and lifestyle habits by promoting and encouraging optimal health to live their best lives!
Nicole and her husband, Luke, live in River Falls, WI. They are actively involved in their local church, love the outdoors in any season, gardening, and spending time with family.
Those that rise get the prize!
Whether you want to hear it or not, the saying is true, “The early bird gets the worm.” It’s proven that those who rise early tend to be more successful. Just ask the nearly 50% of self-made millionaires who rise 3 hours before their day even starts! As Aristotle put it, “It is well to be up before daybreak for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.” Now we don’t expect to make millions of dollars just by waking up early (although, get it, girl, if you do!), but we do expect to tackle the seemingly overwhelming tasks for the day with an abundance of energy and stamina. So like it or not, the number one habit to include in your morning routine is to wake up early! The beauty is YOU get to define what an early morning means to you. Are you a 4 a.m.’er, 5 a.m.’er or later? Do you work the night shift? When you wake up is entirely up to you, but make sure that when you do, you allow yourself at least an hour or more to get the other morning routine steps in to keep you going throughout the day.
Move your body. Feel alive.
If we didn’t lose you with getting up early every morning, we might lose you here. BUT hear us out! Moving your body right away in the morning will get your endorphins flowing and your energy spiking. Forget about that second cup of coffee and mid-morning caffeine crash – this natural high will keep you buzzing until your lunchtime fuel up. And unlike popular belief, an Insanity or P90x sweat sesh is not required. What is needed is at least 15-20 minutes of body movement with 30 minutes as the ideal amount of time. Find the type of activity that works best for you, your morning, and your day. Is your schedule light on meetings and stress? Go for a long uninterrupted run. Have a high-stress, high-impact day on the docket? Maybe shoot for some pilates and yoga for invigorating energy to start the day. Just remember, it’s not how you look; it is about how you feel. Your body changes daily, and committing to movement will help you feel confident and comfortable in your skin. We don’t need to tell you how good exercise is for you, you already know!
Yeah, you know me, I’m down with G-O-D!
So what’s the third important step in a successful morning routine? We bet you didn’t see this one coming… spending time in the Word! Waking up early will give you the time you need, moving your body will provide you with the energy you need, but spending time with Jesus and reading the Word will give you peace, purpose, motivation, and inspiration you need throughout the day. Do you find it hard to know where to start? Following a devotional or a digital app plan can help jumpstart your time with the Lord and lead you down a path you least expected. We challenge you to spend at least 15 minutes in the Word and work your way up to a consistent 30 minutes to an hour for an optimal faith-inspired, life-changing experience.
More from this episode
We couldn’t give away all of the secrets here, so you’ll just have to take a listen to the episode to hear our BONUS steps to a healthy, productive morning routine, along with tips on how to overcome obstacles that may stand in your way (we’re talking about you, “haters”).
Want to connect with Nicole? Connect with her via Instagram and Facebook.
Looking to build a community of Christian women? Head over to Faith & Gather for connection and more stories to become faith-inspired.