February 28^th, 2022

Morning Routines: What Mine Is and Why You Should Consider One

Your morning routine sets the tone for the day. My 8:30 AM lectures pushed me to build a simple but effective routine that keeps me productive and on track. If early mornings are a struggle, here's how mine helps - and why you might want to create your own.

Science Problem Solution Benefits Feedback

The Science

In a study performed by Roenneberg and their team in 2007, it was found that a relatively small amount of the population (around 15%) can be categorized under extreme/moderate Early chronotypes (source). While such individuals may be more likely to accrue sleep-debt during the work week, there is a significant tradeoff: Their circadian rhythms fall in line with standard working hours. I am one of these individuals, and I believe that my morning routine is a key promoter of such a sleep schedule.

Problem: Early Classes

Due to some scheduling issues, I have a lecture scheduled for 8:30 AM every morning. As seen in Roenneberg's study, a schedule like this would not align with the circadian rhythms of a majority of people. And, initially, it did not align with mine, either.

However, that changed when I began implementing a rather lax morning routine.

Solution: My Routine

However, that changed when I began implementing a rather lax morning routine.

While I know there are significant issues with using devices early or late in the day, I start my day by checking my phone.

Whether it's a barrage of campus-related emails, an update from a friend, a summary of today's weather conditions, or just a suggest video on YouTube, clearing these notifications and acknowledging their content helps me exercise my brain and gets me thinking.

After I down my digital digest, I get out of bed and head down the hall to my dorm's bathroom for some personal hygiene. This may somewhat basic, but I felt that I should mention it because it's important that we all maintain our bodies.

While some portions of your individual morning hygiene routine may be somewhat time-consuming, it's worth planning around this to ensure that you are taking care of yourself. For example: It doesn't matter if you brush before or after eating breakfast, it's important that you just get it done to prevent a slew of health issues.

I then return to my room to get dressed, pack my bag, and head to the dining courts for the last part of my routine: Breakfast, which presents another common divide among people: Whether or not we eat it.

While personal preferences and opinions on breakfast-eating may vary, research presented by Adolphus and their team help to shed light on some of its benefits. Adolphus' results show that eating breakfast may have a positive effect on individuals but reasoning behind such effects can range from it providing structure to reducing disruptive behaviors (source).

Personal Opinion: Benefits

Similar to a building, I believe every day needs a strong base to build on in order to be end up being a successful one. And, for me, that base is my morning routine. As a college student, my daily schedule varies quite a bit throughout the week. Stresses and tasks come and go, but there is one constant I can rely on: My mornings. By setting up a routine to help start my day, I can give myself some basic structure.

Feedback?

This was my first article on LinkedIn! I'd love some feedback on it, so feel free to leave comments on the original article and suggestions on areas that my need improvement, elements you liked, etc.