5 Simple Hacks to establishing an Iron-Clad routine!

Do you find when you are out of your routine, the wheels just fall off in other areas of your life too?

Man, if the Summer isn't a reminder of how much I appreciate the "school-year routine", I don't know what is.

Seriously, I thrive on routines personally, as do my kids!! So I won't lie when I say, I'm pretty happy to be back into our school routine, as I think we all just get along better! You know what I mean?

I thought I'd share how I recalibrate myself, and our family, in getting things back settled, so we can kick things off successful, without finding one-wheel at a time!

Here's 5 simple hacks to establishing an IRON-CLAD morning routine:

1. Set an Alarm. Sounds super basic and almost "Duh, Taryn", right? But here's the TWIST - set it 15-20 mins EARLIER than you need to be up. I'll tell you why in a few. Not only this, I encourage you to get an old school alarm clock that is NOT your smartphone or smart watch!!! Like the annoying one that scares the crap out of you when it goes off!! Do you know having your phone or watch near your head at night has proven to disrupt sleep habits?? Oh, and your new alarm clock, place it on the opposite side of the room.
2. 5 Second Rule - Feet on the ground. Ok, you set the alarm, now TURN IT OFF and as my girl Mel Robbins says, "5, 4, 3, 3, 2, 1". Do NOT hit the snooze. Grab her 5 Second Rule book, it will CHANGE YOUR LIFE!
3. Take 5 mins.  Give yourself 5-10 minutes BEFORE you touch your phone, to manifest your day, collect yourself, journal or just be peaceful with your thoughts. Studies show that when you grab your phone and flip through emails or socials before you even get out of bed, your brain is filled with the stress of work or other peoples non-sense, before you've given yourself a chance to set the tone for the day YOU want.
4. Make your Bed. Seriously, sounds silly, but it's one step AWAY from wanting to crawl back into bed. Plus, who doesn't like getting into a neatly made bed, at nighttime?
5. Brush your Teeth/Wash your face. Once your feet are on the floor, there's NO going back. So I've found by splashing water on my face & brushing my teeth, I'm a little more "with it", before I toss on my workout clothes and venture out to grab my pre-workout.

I know these aren't earth shattering, but seriously the very hacks I use with my clients when I start working with them. The success rate of their weight loss results,  are SO much higher, than those that DO NOT have a morning routine, similar to this.

In fact, this is one of the exercises that I've placed in my DIY Momstrong Makeover journal and mindset guidance tools! I put them together after I started to see these tools and strategies work for myself and my clients.

I'm curious to know, what has been working for you? What would you add to this list?? Share with me in the comments, would you? Or drop me a tag or comment on Instagram!