Mike Patterson
March 15, 2024 • 8 min read
How I Finally Stuck to a Morning Routine (After 47 Failed Attempts)
I'm not gonna lie to you - I'm probably the worst person to give advice about morning routines. I've tried everything from 4 AM wake-ups to elaborate rituals involving meditation, journaling, and cold showers.
Here's the thing though: after years of spectacular failures, I finally cracked the code. And it wasn't what I expected at all.
Most productivity gurus will tell you to start big. Wake up at 5 AM! Do 50 push-ups! Meditate for 30 minutes! Write in your journal! Make a green smoothie!
That's exactly what I did. For about three days. Then I'd sleep through my alarm, skip the workout because I was "running late," and end up grabbing a coffee and donut on my way to work, feeling like a complete failure.
The Breakthrough Moment
The breakthrough came on a particularly rough Tuesday morning. I had stayed up late watching Netflix (again), slept through my alarm (again), and was rushing around like a maniac trying to get ready for work.
As I was brushing my teeth, I had this weird thought: "At least I'm doing ONE thing right in this morning routine."
That's when it hit me. I was trying to build a house before laying the foundation. I needed to start with ONE tiny habit that I literally couldn't fail at.
The Ridiculously Simple System That Actually Worked
I decided my new morning routine would be: Make my bed. That's it. No 5 AM wake-up. No workout. No meditation. Just make the damn bed.
For two weeks, I just focused on that. Even if I woke up at 10 AM on a Saturday, I'd make my bed. Even if I was running super late for work, I'd take 30 seconds to pull the covers up.
Something weird started happening. Making my bed made me feel like I had already accomplished something before my day even really started. It was this tiny win that seemed to set a positive tone.
After about three weeks of consistent bed-making, I found myself naturally wanting to do more. I started putting my clothes from the previous day in the hamper while I was already in the bedroom. Then I started opening the curtains to let some light in.
Building on Success (Very, Very Slowly)
The key was that I didn't add anything new until the previous habit felt completely automatic. And I mean COMPLETELY automatic - like brushing my teeth or putting on socks.
After about two months, my routine looked like this:
- Make my bed (30 seconds)
- Open curtains (10 seconds)
- Put dirty clothes in hamper (10 seconds)
- Drink a full glass of water (1 minute)
- Do 10 push-ups (1 minute)
That's it. The whole thing took maybe 3 minutes. But here's what's crazy - those 3 minutes changed everything.
Why This Actually Works (And Why I Failed Before)
Looking back, I think I failed so many times because I was trying to change my entire life overnight. I was setting myself up for failure by making the barrier to success way too high.
When your morning routine requires you to be perfect, you're gonna fail. When it requires you to spend 30 seconds making your bed, it's pretty hard to mess up.
The momentum from those small wins is real. I'm not saying it's magic, but there's something powerful about starting your day by immediately doing something you said you'd do.
What I Learned
If you're struggling with morning routines (or any habits, really), here's what worked for me:
- Start embarrassingly small. If your habit takes longer than 2 minutes, it's too big.
- Focus on consistency, not perfection. It's better to make your bed every day for a month than to do an hour-long routine twice.
- Don't add anything new until the current habit is automatic. This might take weeks. That's okay.
- Celebrate the small wins. I know it sounds cheesy, but acknowledging that you did what you said you'd do matters.
Six months later, my morning routine has naturally evolved into something pretty solid, but it all started with making my bed. Sometimes the simplest solutions are the ones that actually stick.
What's the smallest morning habit you could start with? I'd love to hear about it - feel free to reach out and let me know how it goes.
