Morning Rituals: A Path to Reducing Stress and Enhancing Focus

Mornings set the mood for your day. They are the initial step in a journey, the first note of a melody. And yet, most of us rush through that precious time, repeating a harried drill we vow to change tomorrow or the day after … or sometime soon.

What if you could do just that, with a few tweaks to your early hours?

What if you could trade chaos for calm, speed for intention, disorganization for structure?

Experts say you should. Establishing a morning ritual — a series of small, predictable actions you repeat every day — goes a long way toward claiming the peace and presence we all need before we plunge into a connected world where our inboxes are always flooded with emails demanding urgent attention and news alerts that constantly ping on our phones.

“Rituals are important because they give you a sense of control in a world that you have little control over,” says Daniel E. Jimenez, Ph.D., a psychologist with the University of Miami Health System. “They’re something you do over and over until it becomes muscle memory, and it’s in that familiarity that you find comfort.”

Greeting the day with repetition gives you purpose.

It also allows you to ease into what is, for most people, a schedule chockablock with commitments. In a society obsessed with productivity, rituals at first light allow you to start gently and slowly.

“They reduce decision fatigue,” Dr. Jimenez adds. “You know what you’re going to do first, then second and so on. Your mind goes on autopilot.”

Research shows morning rituals are good for both our physical and mental well-being. Structured morning routines help regulate cortisol levels, the body’s stress hormone, which naturally spikes in the morning. They also improve mood and motivation.

Some of the most successful people in the world — from celebrities to CEOs — swear by their morning rituals.

Oprah Winfrey, for example, is said to begin her day with 20 minutes of meditation, followed by an hour of exercise that includes cardio, strength training, or yoga. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins does a breathing exercise called “priming,” followed by listing three things he’s grateful for and three goals he wants to accomplish. He then takes a cold plunge to energize himself for the day. And actor Jennifer Anniston reportedly wakes up at 4:30 a.m., sips a glass of warm lemon water, and meditates for 20 minutes before working out.  She tops off that routine with a healthy smoothie of fruits, veggies and protein.

But you don’t have to wake up before the rooster crows or drink kale and celery juice to enjoy the soothing pleasures of a ritual.

You can do whatever works best for you. Want to stand barefoot in the dewy grass? Write a haiku? Pray? Light a candle? Work out in the garage? Sip tea? Go for it. It’s about carving out a bit of sanity before the onslaught.

“It doesn’t really matter what you prefer to do as long as it is meaningful to you,” Dr. Jimenez says.

He offers several ideas to launch a morning practice:

• Start small. Morning rituals don’t have to be complicated or elaborate. It’s fine to do just one thing, as long “as it’s something you want to do, not something you feel you have to do.” Maybe your ritual is as simple as getting up 10 minutes before everyone else does so you can enjoy coffee in the backyard without interruptions or conversation.
• Do this for yourself. Time alone is precious in our noisy, always-connected world.
• Aim for enjoyment. If you don’t particularly like watching the sunrise, don’t do it just because your best friend does. “It’s not so much what you do. It’s not that one thing is better than another thing. It’s about what brings you joy and peace,” Dr. Jimenez says.
• Forget perfection. This isn’t about optimizing a habit or routine. Don’t wait for the perfect setting, say, or the perfect time or even the ideal activity. The important factor is to do it every morning, or as often as possible.
• Be flexible about time. Some people may be able to devote an hour to their morning practice, others five minutes. Whatever suits your lifestyle is enough. “If you can get a good 20 to 30 minutes, that’s great,” Dr. Jimenez adds, “but even a couple of minutes is fine.”
• Give yourself grace. There may be days – while on vacation, for instance — when your mornings look very different from the usual. Don’t beat yourself up about it, but make sure to get back into the flow once the interruption has passed.

Sometimes incorporating another person to your morning ritual — think of the gym buddy or the meditation friend — will help you stick to the routine.

In the end, whatever morning ritual you adopt is best when you know what you like and what will truly work for you.  Also, ask why you want to begin a morning practice in the first place. Clarity? Serenity? Self-care?

“Choose the activity that matches you, one that you know you will keep doing,” Dr. Jimenez says. “Don’t put pressure on yourself with a lot of ‘shoulds’.”

Written by Ana Veciana-Suárez, a regular contributor to the University of Miami Health System. She is an acclaimed author and journalist who has worked for The Miami Herald, The Miami News, and The Palm Beach Post.