Win the Morning, Win the Day!
Written by Connor Nellans
Wise quotes are ones that survive the test of time, and 19th century economist Richard Whately had a saying that is as true today as it was in his time, “Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it.”
I am sure you can attest to the truthfulness of this quote as much as I can. Those days when we wake up in a rush with barely enough time to get ourselves together before we have to be out the door and the busyness of the day moves us from one task to the next. I don’t know about you, but those days leave me with a feeling of hurriedness and underlying anxiousness.
But there is a better way! In his book The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod gives us a framework to build our morning around that sets us up for a day of success and ensures we are taking positive steps forward everyday both physically and mentally. I have practiced Elrod’s Miracle Morning technique for the past few years as often as I can and can say that it has left me more productive and effective throughout my days.
The technique is known as the morning SAVERS and encompasses all the areas needed to get your day started off on the right foot. The SAVERS covers all things we as coaches try to instill in our clients both physically and mentally.
S – Silence. Meditation, prayer, breathing. Whatever this is for you. The goal is to quiet your mind, block out unnecessary chatter, and begin your day with awareness.
A – Affirmations. Encouraging words or goals you repeat to yourself to overcome fear, set your intention for the day, and live out your purpose.
V – Visualization. Imagine yourself accomplishing your goals. See yourself in successful positions and imagine what it will feel like when you reach your goals. These can be physical, personal, professional or all of the above.
E – Exercise. This does not have to be an hour workout. I like to do 5 minutes of easy bodyweight movements, mobilizing, or yoga. I find the feeling of breathing just a bit heavy clears my mind and helps me focus on the tasks ahead.
R – Reading. Fill your mind with positive and informative information that can help you to continue to pursue your goals and accomplish the things you want from life.
S – Scribing. Writing or journaling is a great way to process your thoughts and reflect on your life. It will help you be more self-aware and more articulate. (1)
You can spend as little as one minute per station up to however long you like at each. I find that even if I only have six minutes to spare, running through the SAVERS helps to center me and create intention for my day to get after my goals. Also, feel free to mix up the order of your SAVERS as you see fit. Play around with the exercise, have fun with it, and win your day by winning your morning!