As a fashion entrepreneur, your morning routine is incredibly important. Not only does it help set the tone for the day and improve productivity, but your morning routine also helps ensure that you don’t miss out on anything. What you include in your morning routine will vary based on your specific needs. Consider including these elements in your important weekday mornings–and potentially to streamline your weekends, too.
1. Give yourself a few moments of Peace
All too often, we wake up in the morning feeling as though we have to dive into our days full throttle. You may feel as though you have to get moving fast and not slow down until the day is done, especially in the early days after you launch your fashion brand or during periods of growth. While that driven pace may be an important element in helping you succeed, you also need a little time for yourself each day. Take a few minutes each morning to relax. You may choose to journal, meditate, or spend time in quiet thought. Whatever you do, allow yourself a little peace before the craziness of the day begins, even if you need to set your alarm a few minutes earlier to accomplish it. You may quickly find that this becomes the most important–and most cherished–part of your day.
2. Get in some exercise
Whether it’s a brisk jog around the block or a quick sweat session at the gym, getting in a little exercise first thing in the morning can have immense benefits. Your morning exercise routine can boost your mood and your energy all day long, preparing you to take on all the other challenges that your day might throw your way. As an added bonus, that exercise routine could be just the thing you need to wake up your metabolism every day.
3. Eat a healthy breakfast
Instead of rolling out of bed and not stopping to eat until lunch–or worse, eating an unhealthy fast food breakfast to go along with your favorite sugary coffee drink–try taking the time to eat a healthy breakfast each morning. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming. There are plenty of protein shake or protein bar options out there that will offer plenty of grab-and-go nutrition. You can also try yogurt and berries, overnight oats, or toast topped with avocado, egg, or peanut butter. When you eat a healthy, protein-filled breakfast, you’ll discover that you have more energy to start your day.
4. Stay disconnected until it’s time
Try to avoid picking your phone up first thing in the morning. If the first thing you do every day is check your email or scroll social media, you may find that you’re setting yourself up for disaster throughout the rest of your day. Instead, leave your phone off and those emails unread until a set time–say, after your morning workout, or after you’ve gotten to your office (even if that happens to be corner of your living room). This will help keep work in its proper place and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed before you even have a chance to start your day. Once you’re ready to start work, take a few minutes to sit down and answer your emails. Add any needed tasks to your to-do list. Then, resist the urge to check your inbox every time a notification dings: you can check those emails again later.
5. Create a daily To-Do list
First thing every morning, write down the top things you need to accomplish each day. Prioritize. As a fashion entrepreneur, some days, you’re going to need to accomplish what feels like a never-ending list of tasks. Other days, you may have a few complicated tasks that you need to get through. Focus on the top three things you need to accomplish each day. If needed, break those big tasks down into smaller pieces so that you can stay on track. Your to-do list can help guide you through all the demanding tasks that need your attention each day, from preparing for a fashion show to putting your samples together.
6. Face your most difficult task early
Often, we are at our most motivated and productive first thing in the morning. You have more energy and better odds of facing whatever the most massive task on your list is with, if not enthusiasm, at least focus. Get in the habit of facing those difficult tasks as soon as possible every day. Don’t put them off until the last minute; instead, go in with the assumption that you’re going to tackle those hard tasks early. The rest of your day will flow much more smoothly from there–and you’ll find that you don’t have to spend the entire day dreading whatever that hard-to-handle task is on your list. You’ll also find that the sense of accomplishment you carry with you will make it easier to take care of many of the other activities that go along with your day.
7. Spend some time in creative reflection
Just like you’re at your most productive in the morning, you’re also often at your most creative. Take a few minutes out of your morning to focus on some of the creative elements of your fashion business, whether that’s putting together a stunning new marketing campaign or working on a new clothing line. Some days, this may look more like perusing fashion magazines and keeping up with the latest trends, while other days, it may mean getting in there and playing with colors, lines, and fabrics. Spending a little time in creative reflection each day can help improve your mood and make you remember why you love what you do.
All too often, your day disappears in the blink of an eye. Set yourself up for success with a morning routine that, instead of leaving you shuffling through your morning like a zombie, keeps you actively engaged and ready to take on many of the challenges that go with your day–and allows you time for creativity and enjoyment of your job.