Written by Alice Dartnell, Life and Success Coach
Alice Dartnell is a time management and energy management coach, trainer, speaker, and author, who is passionate about empowering people to create a life by design, not by default! Known as an expert in time management and energy management, Alice doesn’t teach time management in the traditional sense.
If you're a busy business owner looking to kick off your day with a morning routine but find that lengthy rituals don’t fit into your hectic schedule, this article is for you. You understand the value of starting each morning with a positive intention, but fitting another task into your already packed day can seem impossible.
So, what if you could achieve the same sense of clarity and focus that a ‘morning ritual’ gives you, with a much simpler approach? In fact, just ten seconds is all it will take. This is the ultimate way to power up your morning and manage your time and energy throughout your day.
Bold statement I know, but this is a technique I created for myself to start my day strong years ago and it has been a game changer for me and my clients, and I know it will be for you too.
Set the tone for your day
The morning sets the tone for your entire day. How you begin your morning can significantly impact your productivity, mood, and overall approach to the day. We’ve all experienced days that start off on the wrong foot, and that initial tone often sets the stage for a day filled with frustration and chaos.
Before you plunge into the day, inundated with emails, demands, and your ever-growing to-do list, take a moment to pause and reflect with the “Three Morning Questions.”
By asking yourself these three key questions each morning, you can quickly assess your current situation, identify your goals, and determine the steps required to reach them. This approach will empower you to take control of both yourself and your day.
The three questions are:
How do I feel?
How do I want to feel?
What do I need today?
How each question works
1. "How do I feel?"
Starting with a check-in on your current emotional and mental state is crucial. This question helps you acknowledge and understand your present feelings. Are you feeling overwhelmed with the workload, lacking in energy, nervous about the meeting with your boss or excited about a business opportunity? Awareness is essential for managing yourself, your time, and your energy more effectively.
2. “How do I want to feel?"
Once you identify your current feelings, it's crucial to visualize how you want to feel throughout the day. This is going to help you create the right mindset and guide your actions and decisions for the next 24 hours. For example, if you wake up feeling overwhelmed by work and responsibilities, asking yourself, "How do I want to feel?" can help you shift towards a feeling of greater control.
3. "What do I need today?"
The final question is about identifying the practical solutions you need for the next 24 hours to support your needs, goals, tasks and energy.
This might include specific tasks that need to be completed, resources or support you require, or personal needs like regular breaks throughout the day. For example, if you're feeling overwhelmed but want to feel more in control, start by brain dump everything on your plate. This will allow you to prioritize tasks and help you feel more in control of your day and your workload.
Making it work for you: Practical tips for implementation
Incorporating these three questions into your morning routine doesn’t require a major overhaul or more than ten seconds. It seriously is the simplest yet most powerful technique to getting the most from your day! Let me share some practical tips to make it even more effortless:
Don’t overthink it: your subconscious is powerful and often knows more about what you need than your conscious.
Set a reminder: like all new habits, you might simply forget to do this at first, so set a reminder on your phone or leave a sticky note on your bedside table to remind you.
Flip the question: if you're uncertain about how you want to feel, identify the opposite of your current negative emotion. For example, if you’re currently feeling anxious then you might want to feel empowered about a certain situation.
Use a journal: if you’re finding this particularly then feel free to take this one further as a tool, tracking your answers to see any patterns.
So tomorrow morning, before you grab your first cup of coffee and dive headfirst into your phone, take a breath, ask yourself these questions to step into your day with intention and power! With this simple routine, you’ll be more in control of your mornings and your business.
Need more time management support?
My “Transform your Time" Online Time Management Course is perfect for busy people like you to transform their time management habits! This course, which is easily broken into 30 bite-sized modules, will give you the tools and practical strategies to take control of your time and energy so you can create a life by design, not be default. Access the course instantly today, and with 50% off!
Alice Dartnell, Life and Success Coach
Alice Dartnell is a time management and energy management coach, trainer, speaker, and author, who is passionate about empowering people to create a life by design, not by default! Known as an expert in time management and energy management, Alice doesn’t teach time management in the traditional sense. Instead, she focuses on importance of energy management and mindset as the way to improve time management. Alice believes that time management actually isn’t about managing time! Instead, it is about managing you, other people, your tasks and most importantly, your energy! She works with individuals on a 121 basis, as well as through programmes, workshops, and courses. Additionally, she delivers training to org
