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4 Steps Every Entrepreneur Can Take to Optimize Their Morning

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Entrepreneur. It’s a label for myself that I’m still getting used to. But now that I’m working on year 4 of the blog and year 3 of being a full-time copy editor and writer, I guess I should embrace that title, huh? To me, entrepreneurs have always been people with big ideas who take huge risks. And that’s not me.

I also am an educational consultant and an adjunct faculty member for a graduate school program… so my mornings are super important to me. If they get off on the wrong foot or if I waste time, it means a ton of extra work for me later down the road.

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

I never realized how important a schedule was… until I actually had one. For the first two years of our marriage, John has been on a frustratingly whacked-out watch schedule which means that every week is different and it’s nearly impossible for me to keep my own schedule on the weeks when he’s sleeping in from late schedules, or sleeping during the day during his night schedules. It also means that his days off were always at weird times, and of course, I took those days off too. (I mean, what’s the point of being your own boss if you’re not actually your own boss?)

But still, I didn’t realize how much working mojo I’d get back when John’s schedule solidified and he started working a steady one. It makes a huge different. A huge difference.

I’ve learned so much about how to structure a schedule that really works, and have seen first-hand how much more productive it makes me. Here are the first four, very easy (but really important) parts of my day that gives structure to every morning:

Prioritize

Every morning after John goes to work, I sit and write for at least an hour or try to hit 1,000 words, whatever comes first. Writing fiction, even if it never becomes anything other than files on my computer, is something that’s really important for me. It feeds my soul and makes me think creatively. While I was teaching and in the first year of our marriage, I didn’t make time for writing fiction. Now I do. And I’m a lot happier, which makes me a lot more productive throughout the rest of the day. When the day’s over, I can always feel accomplished because I’ve made sure to prioritize my writing. What’s the special project or thing that’s near and dear to your heart? It doesn’t matter if it makes you money or not. Do it first to feed your soul, otherwise you’ll never have time for it. I promise you that.

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

Work Out

I have to work out in the morning, or I probably won’t work out during the day. I walk or bike for an hour and either read, listen to podcasts (hello, Serial! I know, I know, totally late to the party), or answer emails, depending on what I’m doing. After working out, I take a shower and get dressed. In real clothing. Not PJs.  (That’s super important for me.)

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

Eat Breakfast

I love food and never skip meals, unless there’s something insane going on. I always make it a point to eat a healthy, low-calorie breakfast– usually fruit, oatmeal, cereal, English muffins or toast, or Greek yogurt (or a combination of those foods). I am a big fan of Chobani including their new Chobani Oats line which includes oats and raisins or peaches (two fruits that I can’t get enough of, honestly). Chobani Oats has 10 grams of proteins, 10 grams of whole grains, and fiber in each serving, so I’m rarely hungry until lunch time. (I hate being hungry in the morning!) If you’re not a fan of oats, Chobani has just launched 15 new flavors. Regardless of the flavor or type of Chobani, every cup is made from fresh milk from cows not treated with rBST and is made without artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or flavors. (Check out Chobani’s updated products for yourself.)

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

Take Care of Issues Immediately

I try my best to stop working in the afternoon when John comes home, so I often have a lot of emails that I need to sift through in the morning. I always begin the work day by going through those emails, answering, and taking action for any that need that. Because I have multiple streams of income, every day’s batch of emails look different. I go through each of my email addresses methodically and write lists for anything that needs to be taken care of when I can’t do it immediately.

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

Creating a morning schedule doesn't have to be hard, entrepreneur, milspouse, business

How do you structure your morning? Any words of advice?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.


2 Responses

  1. Love this post because I agree that mornings are super important. Also, have you tried Chobani’s Pumpkin yogurt for fall?! OMG girl. It’s amazing.

  2. Great advice, Jo. There’s a line in the novel “Wuthering Heights” where the housekeeper says that what doesn’t get done before ten in the morning runs the risk of not getting done all day. I think Nelly was onto something. ;-) I try to accomplish something important first thing, and that gives the rest of my day a boost!

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