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Your Morning Routine Doesn’t Matter That Much
There’s no set of steps that magically unlocks the key to success
There are few things in this world more depressing than reading about the morning routines of highly successful people, a uniquely terrible genre of lifestyle journalism. You too, they imply, can be high-powered, slender, and creative — if you just get up before the sun, run a few miles, catch up on email, do some journaling, meditate, and make yourself an elaborate juice concoction. All before heading in to work.
To us mere mortals, it can feel impossible to even squeeze in a quick workout, a healthy breakfast, and some time to get your mind geared up for the day ahead. But I’m going to say something radical: That’s fine. Morning routines are overrated.
That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be following a pattern at all; most of us have a specific order for showering, brushing our teeth, and getting dressed — and those are all worthy morning activities. But striving for A Morning Routine — the jam-packed, hyper-productive exercise we’ve come to discuss with so much reverence — is just one more way people set themselves up to fail. Forcing yourself through the motions of someone else’s idea of success, without stopping to consider your individual wants and needs, is a quick ticket to a lot of guilt and…
