The Best Morning Routine to Start Your Day Right
My mom used to say, “Get news from God before you get news from the world each morning.” When I was young and growing up, there were probably days when I didn’t have an extremely high appreciation for this advice. But now, looking back, I am thankful for that seed she planted in my mind.
My current morning routine protects my heart and mind for almost the first two hours I am awake. I’ve got a system in place that keeps my mind focused on prayer, a Christian podcast, and/or worship music from the minute I wake up, all the way through my workout routine, getting ready for work, my commute, and up until I talk to the first coworker I encounter at school. (Sometimes I do get sucked into social media for a bit while I’m on the elliptical early in the morning… But my primary goal is to avoid it!)
I’ve realized recently how important that “protected” time is for me each morning. If a friend has left me a video message on the Marco Polo app the night before, I truthfully do not even consider listening to it in the early mornings. Actually, even the thought crossing my mind makes me get a little internally defensive! No! I’m not ready to hear from the world yet! This time is off limits, even to my closest friends. If a secular song started playing in my car speakers, I would literally feel like something dirty was seeping into my personal bubble.
If it sounds like a rigid, high maintenance standard to willingly subject myself to, I understand it may seem this way! My morning routine developed gradually throughout time, and as my body and mind got used to staying separate from “the world” for an extended period of time in the mornings, it became life-giving. Honestly, this sets me up for a successful day, and it prepares me to shine the light of Christ to those I encounter in my classroom, work hallways and beyond. Could this possibly help you get your heart and mind set on Jesus at the start of your day?
Now, I do realize that as a single person, I have the luxury of only being in charge of myself in the mornings. If I had kids to be waking up and preparing for the day, my protected window would obviously be considerably shorter. However, even if you have kids you’re in charge of getting ready for school in the mornings, you can still be intentional about what kinds of voices and sounds are invading your family bubble. You can set parameters around what music is being played, what is (or isn’t) on the TV screen, and what is (or isn’t) being read. Would that help set a Christlike atmosphere in your home at the very start of each day?
The Bible talks about the MORNING many different times, and lots of the instances can be found in the book of Psalms.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life. -Psalm 143:8
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. -Psalm 90:14
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. -Psalm 59:16
But I cry to you for help, Lord; in the morning my prayer comes before you. -Psalm 88:13
It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. -Psalm 92:1-3
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. -Psalm 119:147
If the Bible repeats an idea that many times (and I am not claiming this to be an exhaustive list, by the way), surely there’s something to it, don’t you think? So what are you doing with your mornings? Do you immediately open a social media app after your alarm clock goes off? Do you let your mind get swept up in thoughts or worries about the day ahead? Do you turn on a secular radio station? Do you tune into your favorite sports or pop culture podcast? While none of these things are necessarily “bad,” just think of the benefit of replacing them with Jesus-focused thoughts, words and sounds. What a difference this might make for your day ahead! What works best for you might be way different from what works for me. I am intentional about two hours with no worldly voices; but for you, maybe a focused 30 minutes is exactly what you need. No matter what it looks like, you can make it Jesus-centered.
In the words of Plato, “The beginning is the most important part of the work.”
Are you treating the beginning of your day like it’s an important thing to get right? I wonder what might happen if you fiercely protected the first hour or two of your day. Are you willing to try it out and see?