A morning and an evening routine are a great way to bookend your day. My grandma used to tell me that, with a morning routine, I can start the day right, and she was right. A morning routine enables you to prioritise all the things necessary to take care of yourself and your body while your willpower is high. Meanwhile, an evening routine can help you relax, unwind and prepare yourself mentally and physically for a productive tomorrow.
I absolutely love my morning routine — it prepares me for the day, boosts my energy levels, increases my productivity and helps me stick to healthy habits throughout the day. Starting a morning routine is simple. Create a short schedule for the morning, beginning with the moment you wake up. Experiment with different orders of activities to find out what works best for you.
Here are few highlights of my routine, for some inspiration:
And here is my morning routine in more detail:
5.30ish: I like to get up early.
As soon as I wake up, I check the quality of my sleep on my Oura Ring app. I then do 5–10 minutes of oil pulling which is an ayurvedic practice that involves swishing oil (I use castor or extra virgin olive oil) in your mouth to promote oral hygiene and prevent tooth decay. I then drink a large glass of lemon water that has added fresh or ground turmeric in it for a morning shot of Vitamin C and anti-inflammatory compounds.
5.30am-6.30am: Movement, recovery and breathwork
Before I head out for my morning activity, I strap on my Apollo Neuro vagus nerve activator. It is supposed to improve your body’s resilience to stress and maximise recovery so you can perform at your highest ability. I can’t vouch for it yet, but at least the placebo effect gives me that morning boost I need to start my day. I do my 30 minute fast walk, after which I dedicate my time to some movement, recovery and breathwork — which varies a bit from day-to-day.
7:00am: Coffee and learning.
To fuel the start of my work day, I make a bulletproof coffee (this is a blend of high quality black coffee, MCT oil and ghee — to which I also add collagen, organic cocoa, cinnamon and adaptogenic mushrooms including lion’s mane chaga). I also take basil leaves for digestion and the Qualia mind nootropic for enhanced brain function.
While sipping my coffee, I read the latest research on topics such as longevity, diagnostics for early detection of diseases and nutrition, sleep, and exercise for disease prevention. While I’ve read on nearly every health-related subject matter over the past few years, what we know is constantly evolving.
9:00am: The workday officially begins.
11:00am: Breakfast and supplements.
Just before midday, I break my fast with a protein shake and a tea (either turmeric, schisandra berries tea or green tea). I then have a massive, colourful breakfast of veggies, protein and berries — high in fat, low in carbs. I recently replaced dairy with coconut or almond milk and yoghurt, to decrease inflammation even further.
Starting my day focussed on my mind and body makes me happier, more productive, stronger, more peaceful and boosts my energy to keep me going throughout the day.
