It's time to start the new year off on the right foot! What better way to set yourself up for success than mastering an effective morning routine for 2025?
Starting your day right is especially important in a high-stress profession such as law. A good night's sleep and a helpful morning routine can improve your mental clarity and boost your productivity for the day. It can also be something to look forward to and help motivate you to get out of bed each morning. So why not give it a shot?
Remember: even if you don't consider yourself a morning person, that doesn't mean you can't have a morning routine!
Wake up early. At least, as early as you can while still being a functional human being. Too little sleep and too much sleep both have consequences. Instead of making it about getting up early, focus on getting the perfect amount of sleep for your body. You know yourself best. Waking up early will get you a good jumpstart on the day, but don't do it at the detriment of your energy and focus.
Use that extra bit of time in the morning to set your intention for the day or practice a little mindfulness to clear your head. Steer clear of immediately hopping onto your phone or laptop. Not just to avoid the stressors of work notifications, but to give your brain time to fully transition into wakefulness. Read more on why you shouldn't check your phone first thing in the morning here.
Have a hearty and healthy breakfast. So many people love to skip breakfast, but it's the most important meal of the day for good reason! Be sure to eat a big breakfast full of nutrients. Meals including protein, such as meat or eggs, will keep you feeling full longer, and give you plenty of energy to take on the day. Avoid foods with high sugar content, such as cereal, which cause sugar crashes that will leave you feeling sluggish in the afternoon. Pair your healthy breakfast with a tall glass of water because our bodies often need extra hydration in the morning. Once you've done that...
Get your body moving. Nothing will wake you up faster than movement. Once your body is moving, your brain will have no choice but to follow. As a busy attorney, you probably don't have time to hit the gym for an hour (and if you do because you wake up super early, kudos to you!). Nothing says you have to start each day with strenuous exercise. It could be a 10-minute morning yoga session or a quick walk around the block--bonus points if you can get some sunlight on your face. Natural light keeps your circadian rhythm in top shape and helps you wake up faster.
Don't even have time for that? Then create a morning playlist full of your favorite songs that get you hyped. Listen to them as you move about and prepare for the day ahead. Feel free to throw in a little bit of dancing if you're really feeling the beat.
Get your brain moving, too. It's gotten to the point where I never skip a daily Wordle, or my new favorite word-finding game, Strands. Each game only takes a few minutes to play unless you get majorly stumped. It's the perfect way to wake up your brain while sipping on that morning cup of coffee. A classic crossword puzzle is another great option. Or you could wake up your brain with a little bit of journaling before diving into your day.
Review your calendar. Now it's time to shift into work mode. What are your priorities for the day? Do you have a to-do list? If not, time to get started on one. Make sure you're tackling the hardest tasks when you're at your most productive! If you have a court appearance, practice positive visualizations for what's to come. You got this!
Measure the impact. Observe how you're feeling after trying this routine for a month. What's working for you? What could use improvement?
Try your new routine for a month, or at least 21 days, which is how long it takes to form a habit. Once you form a habit, you will move automatically and not need so much brainpower to perform these tasks, making them easier as time goes on.
Want to build some CLE into your morning routine and check compliance off your list? Check out PBI's upcoming live webcasts here!
