Do you want to connect with God, do what matters, and minimize chaos in the morning?
Then be sure to ask these three questions to build an intentional morning routine.
#1: THE GOD QUESTION
Walking with God begins with the way you start the day.
So, the first question to ask when building your morning routine is this:
How will I connect with God each morning given my time and mental capacity?
If you’ve got capacity for in-depth Bible study, prayer, and journaling, then girlfriend…go for it! That’s fantastic.
But if this hasn’t worked for you in the past, or doesn’t look like a fit for the fall, don’t feel guilty.
This practice that the American church calls a quiet time is simply one spiritual habit. It’s not a spiritual life.
Any time or way you make space to connect with God is valuable. So, offer what you have and make connecting with God a priority each morning.
If you need help deciding how you’ll meet with God, check out these posts:
- Help! I Can’t Stay Consistent with My Quiet Time
- How To Find Spiritual Habits that Grow You Closer to God
#2: THE OUTCOME QUESTION
Mornings can feel chaotic and unproductive when you try to cram in too many activities.
One way to avoid this is in the fall is to ask:
What is the most meaningful outcome I hope for each morning?
Here are some ways you might answer this question:
- make progress on a special project by completing one step each morning
- get the kids off to school with as little chaos as possible
- stop feeling rushed so that I can start the work day focused
- create some structure that gives me a sense of purpose now that I’m an empty nester
Naming your desired outcome will help you decide what tasks to complete in the morning, and which ones to shift to another time of day.
It will also prevent you from trying to routinize something because someone else said you should do it in the morning. If it isn’t a Biblical mandate, live in your freedom, sister!
#3: THE MAKE IT STICK QUESTION
Once you’ve identified how you’ll connect with God and your biggest priority, you can start mapping out a routine.
But I’m going to encourage you not to jump into a big routine yet.
You’re more likely to be successful if you ask this instead:
What part in this new routine am I most likely to stick with?
You see, a routine is a series of habits. Habits take time to become automatic. And they become automatic with consistent practice.
So, if you want to build a routine you’ll follow, you begin by practicing what will come easy.
Now sure where to start? Here are some ideas:
- What’s the smallest step? Start here if following a routine has been tough for you in the past.
- What’s most exciting? Start with this part of the routine if you know experiencing fun and small wins will help you build momentum.
- What creates a domino effect? Start here if you can commit to a critical step that makes adding other steps easier in the future.
READY TO MAP THIS OUT?
Then get a FREE copy of our DAILY ROUTINES worksheet here. It’s part of a larger tool that we’ve created to help Abide & Focus Weekly Planner users build more God-centered, intentional days. Get the routine worksheet and learn more about the planner by signing up below!
