A 5-9 Routine Before Your 9-5 Job: Transform Your Mornings

While TikTok helped shed light on this lifestyle, the 5-9 routine is more than just a trend - it's a way to reclaim your mornings and set the stage for a productive day. 

We all know, balancing work, personal aspirations, and self-care can be overwhelming. Although everyone talks about having a “work-life balance”, it is difficult to carve out the time in everyday life to do so. Enter the “5-9 before your 9-5” routine: utilizing early morning hours from 5 am to 9 am to enhance your productivity and well-being. This pre-work ritual is all about making the most of your mornings. 

Viral videos on TikTok, featuring this routine, show content creators engaging in exercise, meditation, journaling, cleaning, and cooking before the sun even rises. This routine boosts energy, sparks inspiration, and frees up late afternoons to relax. But how can you incorporate this into your life?

Crafting Your 5-9 Routine: Practical Tips

Creating a personalized 5-9 routine requires planning and flexibility. Here are some tips: 

1) Set a Consistent Wake-Up Time: Regulate your circadian rhythm by waking up at the same time each day. While it may be initially difficult and require you to drink an extra coffee or so, aim for consistency. It will become easier and more natural over time.

2) Identify Key Activities: Focus on activities most important to you. While 4 hours in the morning is a lot of time, there is not enough to do everything. Whether it's exercising, reading for 30 minutes, walking your dog, or meal prepping, prioritize what aligns with your goals. 

3) Prepare the Night Before: Reduce morning friction and decision fatigue by preparing the night before. By laying out your workout clothes or planning your breakfast meal, you can make your mornings run more smoothly. 

4) Start Gradually: It is not recommended to begin with 5 am wake-ups right away. Start by waking up 15-30 minutes earlier than usual and gradually adjust this time.

5) Stay Flexible: Something will inevitably come up or you will be unable to complete this routine some days, which is ok. It is important to remember that this routine is to help you, not hurt you or sacrifice your sleep. Prioritize consistency over perfection.

Viral Lifestyle Examples: Maddi Todd & Veronique Davidson

Every weekday, Maddi Todd wakes up at 4:30 am and starts her day by 5 am. She's on the treadmill and lifting weights in the gym before the sun rises, makes a healthy post-workout breakfast, cleans up her apartment, and feeds her pets before she's off to work. 

Toronto TikToker Veronique Davidson notes that these hours are the “only time during my day that I have for myself.” With a personal variation, Davidson spends her early mornings exercising, meditating, and reading before heading off to work - improving her “mental clarity and overall joy.”

Images: source CNN

Scientific Benefits of Morning Productivity

Starting your day with productive activities have several scientifically-backed benefits:

- Enhanced Cognitive Function: Stimulating the brain from exercise, reading, and problem-solving improves concentration and creativity for the rest of the day. Additionally, the feelings of accomplishment after completing this 5-9 routine will give you a productive mindset going into your work day. 

- Improved Mood: Morning exercise releases endorphins, the body’s natural mood elevators, promoting a positive mindset for the rest of the day.  

- Better Decision Making: Researches show that decision fatigue builds up throughout the day and motivation typically decreases. Tackling important tasks in the morning utilizes your brain’s peak performance period and clears up your mind for the rest of the day. 

Try It Yourself

Will you give it a try? Set your alarm a little earlier tonight, plan your morning routine, and see how this simple shift can transform your life. 

Ready to make the next move on your path to more productive days? Join OneCoWork today!

Source: CNN article, PopSugar 

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