There are so many different permutations to the morning power hour, all of which have the same goal, to pump you up to have a healthy, focused and productive day. I thought I would share what I do for mine, and maybe spark some conversation on the different ways everyone else approaches theirs to give ideas for anyone trying to develop their own morning routine.
My Morning Power Hour:
Wake up. I usually around 5:30am, which gives me the opportunity to enjoy quiet solitude in the house before everyone else gets up. I try to get up at the same time every day to keep my circadian rhythms consistent.
Meditation. I do 20 minutes or so of standing meditation. I usually alternate between using the 6-phase meditation offered on the Omvana app, or simply tuning into my body through good standing posture, belly breathing, and tracing my energy from my body centre up and down my body.
Breath hold practice. After I finish meditating, I lie down and practice my dry breath holds for free diving. It’s the perfect time to do It because I’m already relaxed from the meditation. I start with 3 minutes of relaxation breathing, then I take my last full inhalation then hold my breath as long as I feel like it that day. I try not to be to strict about how long I hold for as the stress of expectation actually affects how well I do, but I usually end up doing 1.5-2 minutes. If I have time for multiple great holds the times usually increase.
Hydration. After breath holds, I brew a cup of green or yerba mate tea with a slice of lemon and ginger. I also prepare a large glass of mineralized water, using Himalayan pink salt for sodium and cream of tartar for potassium. I also add raw cider vinegar to help with absorption and lemon juice for taste. While I wait for the water to boil, I make sure the kitchen is tidy and clean, ao the space is ready for when I start cooking later.
Journaling. I bring my tea and water over to my desk and then do my morning journaling. This is a combination of gratitude journaling, writing out things I am grateful for in my personal and work lives. I also write out the things I plan to do that day, followed by freeflow writing to let myself get any thoughts I’m having out on paper so to speak. I actually use a digital journal called Day One.
After I finish my morning power hour, I dive into the rest of my day, whether I’m heading out to work a stunt day, or if I’m not working, doing some physical training (i.e. martial arts, cardio, strength, yoga, or a combination thereof), followed by writing, shopping, cooking, shopping, or anything else I have slotted for my day.
Do you have a morning power hour? If so, what does it include? I invite you all to share in the comments so that we can all benefit from each others’ ideas. :)
