IF you are a night owl you might want to start rethinking your routine. American life coach Hal Elrod has come up with a six-step programme that he promises will transform every aspect of your life.
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| Follow these simple guidelines for a better start of the day |
The catch? It all has to be done before 8am.
Hal explains that by 8am our mind is already likely to be on the day ahead – our commute, tasks that need completing and so on.
Waking up early to perform each of his daily practices will help develop the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual aspects of your life and will de-stress, energise and set you up for the day.
SILENCE
Time: Five minutes
For many of us, our morning routine would be best described as rushed and chaotic.
This is why a short period of calm silence can be just the thing to help reduce stress levels and start your day with clarity and peace of mind.
Five minutes is a good amount but even 60 seconds has its benefits.
TOP TIP: Don’t stay in bed as you risk falling asleep. Try sitting on your sofa instead.
Sit upright, close your eyes and focus on your breath.
When thoughts come into your head, acknowledge them then let them go, always coming back to your breath.
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| Take five minutes to sit in silence and focus on your breathing |
AFFIRMATIONS
Time: Five minutes
Your inner voice can have a dramatic influence on your confidence, health, happiness, wealth and relationships.
However it is important to choose positive affirmations, otherwise you are susceptible to repeating and reliving the fears, insecurities and limitations of your past.
Focus on what you want to accomplish and repeat them daily for five minutes as this will make the best impression on your subconscious mind.
TOP TIP: Write down what you really want, be it an improvement in your health, mindset, finances or relationships.
Next, write down why you want it and what you are going to do to achieve it.
Say each of your affirmations out loud daily until they become a reality.
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| Write down your thoughts and goals |
It all has to be done before 8am
Most people are held back by their past, constantly replaying previous failures and heartbreaks.Visualisation can be a powerful aid to overcoming old habits such as procrastination and can help you take the actions necessary to achieve your goals.It can be as specific as picturing exactly what you want from a meeting, or something more complex such as imagining the person you wish to become.TOP TIP: After reading your affirmations, sit upright and close your eyes.Take a few deep breaths and visualise yourself living your ideal day, performing all your tasks with ease, confidence and enjoyment.
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| Exercise for 20 minutes every morning to boost your energy |
When you exercise it significantly boosts energy, improves self-confidence and emotional wellbeing and enables you to think better and concentrate longer.The beauty of incorporating exercise into your morning is that it gets it over and done with before the day wears you out and before you have time to come up with an excuse to avoid a workout.Whether you go to the gym, go for a walk or do some body weight exercises in your living room, make sure you find something you enjoy.TOP TIP: Do 40 seconds of jumping jacks followed by a 20-second rest, 40 seconds of burpees with a 20-second rest, 40 seconds of running on the spot with a 20-second rest, a 40-second plank with a 20-second rest, then 40 seconds of star jumps with a 20-second rest. Repeat for up to 20 minutes.
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| Read at least 10 pages of your chosen book |
Whatever you want to achieve in your life, there will be a self-help book available that tells you how to get it.Set aside 20 minutes each morning to read at least 10 pages of your chosen book.This means you will read approximately 3,650 pages per year, which equates to 18 200-page self-improvement books.TOP TIP: Think about what you want to achieve and keep your goals in mind as you read.Underline, circle, highlight and fold corners as you go as this will make the important points easier to revisit.By getting your thoughts out of your head and on to paper you can gain valuable insights into your life.It allows you to document ideas, breakthroughs, realisations, successes and lessons learned as well as any areas of opportunity, personal growth or improvement.The process of writing something down forces us to think through it enough to understand it and stops you losing important ideas you may want to act on in the future.TOP TIP: Choose a format, whether digitally on a tablet or manually with a pen and notebook.Next, choose what to write, sticking to one area such as gratitude, jotting down only what you are thankful for.Extracted from The Miracle Morning: The 6 Habits That Will Transform Your Life Before 8am by Hal Elrod (John Murray Learning, £9.99). To order call the Express Bookshop on 01872 562 310 or visit expressbookshop.com
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