Hey ONE Bar crew! Rob here, hoping to share a little bit of wisdom to help us get through self-quarantine in the best mental and physical condition possible. I’ve accumulated a lot of tips and tricks over my years as a professional athlete and lacrosse coach, and a lot of them relate back to one core idea: starting things off right.
In this case, getting through each day (and even thriving) during the work-from-home era can be a real challenge.
My own personal strategy is to start each day with a winning morning routine.
This sets me up to tackle everything my day throws at me and still stay on track with my training routine. Here are five tips to help you start your morning off right.
1. Meditate
I’ve always felt that we don’t meditate nearly as much as we should. The first thing we do is go to our phone and get caught up in emails, texts and social media. Not a great start to the day.
I find that just 5-10 minutes of breathing in the morning clears my mind, relaxes my body and prepares me whatever challenges await.
Sometimes I meditate in bed right when I wake up, or I’ll get up and sit upright in a chair. You can use the morning meditations provided by apps like Headspace and Calm, but a simple 7-second breathing technique (7 seconds in through the nose and 7 seconds out through the mouth) is very effective as well.
2. Game plan
Once you’ve meditated, outline a list of tasks that you want or need to accomplish that day. Putting everything down on paper or in your phone helps clear my mind, since I know that I won’t forget about anything as the day progresses. I suggest creating a checklist that lets you prioritize certain tasks over others. Crossing off completed tasks creates a real sense of accomplishment that builds throughout the day.
3. Move
In my opinion, there is no better way to start the day than getting your blood flowing. Prioritizing 5 to 10 minutes of movement in the morning will sharpen your senses and make you feel energized for the day. Your routine can be as simple as a few sets of pushups, burpees or jumping jacks. I frequently mix in jumping rope to keep things fresh. Follow it up with a cold shower if you are feeling really bold!
4. Meal
Going with a light meal in the morning (along with your coffee, of course) is always a good idea. You want something that provides nutrition and satisfaction without loading you up too much. Eggs are always a good choice, as is my go-to smoothie with a banana, a cup of blueberries, a tablespoon of peanut butter and a handful of granola, plus almond milk, protein powder and ice. Of course, grabbing a ONE Bar, with 20 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar, is never a bad idea either. I usually go with Blueberry Cobbler or Maple Glazed Doughnut in the morning.
5. Email
In the working world, we are always thinking about emails—who haven’t we answered, who we need to contact, and so on. Spending 30 minutes each morning solely on my email helps clear my mind in itself and keeps my inbox from getting cluttered. You’ve already made your game plan for the day, so you can quickly identify what requires your attention and what can wait.
Now you’re ready to take back your morning and get the most out of your days—at home or otherwise.
If you’re feeling super motivated, try waking up tomorrow with one of my Morning Movement Workouts.
You can go with a 5-minute AMRAP (as many reps as possible) version, or a 5- or 10-minute timed workout. Switch them up to see what works best for you, but make sure you get in some movement every morning!
Here’s a quick 90-second video showing the proper technique for each exercise in my Morning Movements Workout.
Morning Movement Workouts
5:00 AMRAP Version
- 10 Jumping Jacks
- 10 Rocking Pushups
- 10 Squat Jumps
- 10 Burpees
5:00 Timed Version (2 Rounds)
- :30 Jumping Jacks
- :30 High Knees
- :30 Squat Jumps
- :30 Burpees
- :30 Toe Taps
10:00 Timed Version (5 Rounds)
- :30 Jumping Jacks
- :30 High Knees
- :30 Squat Jumps
- :30 Burpees
