Remote workers tend to fall into two categories: people who wake up minutes before their first meeting, and people who wake up hours before to work out, shower, and maybe even cook a healthy breakfast.
What's behind these differences? For many, it's a morning routine. But can simply waking up early really impact the rest of your day?
Paula Davis, author of "Beating Burnout At Work," says the foundation of morning routines are starting off your day with small wins that create a sense of accomplishment that carries over into the rest of the day. Even making your bed can be a small win.
"When we see a sense of progress in really small ways, in goals that really matter to us, it's enormously motivational," Davis says. "And seeing that sense of progress refuels us to keep doing more of the same."
Nicole Calloway, a marketing intern and TikTok influencer, says her morning routine sets off a "domino effect" when it comes to the rest of her day.
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"Having this routine leads me into taking better care of my body in general," she says. "It makes me feel so much better about the way that I'm taking care of myself and my life."
Calloway is one of many social media influencers who flaunt their morning routines online on platforms like TikTok, where vloggers share their daily habits with millions of viewers. From practicing meditation to sharing the perfect recipe for their green smoothies, these videos promote a certain type of put-together lifestyle many employees can only fantasize about.
But it doesn't need to be that complex, Davis says. Remembering that a morning routine will look different for everyone can help you find one that sticks.
"This provides much needed structure and boundaries to our day, and it's something that we're in control of, which is also really important especially during these times when there's so much going on in the world that feels outside of our control," Davis says. "It's something that we have some influence over and that becomes enormously empowering."
Calloway adds that while morning routines can depend upon the person's life status, she emphasizes the importance of showing up for yourself.
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"I think that no matter what age you are, you can find what is important to you and what your small wins are that would make you mentally ready and more excited for the day," she says.
Davis says prompting yourself with an action will help you stick to a morning routine more easily. For example, putting your clothes out the night before could help you exercise more consistently.
"If you're aiming to create a routine of some sort, you need to have that cue," says Davis. "Use a sticky note reminder, or maybe you set the ingredients out for your smoothie on the kitchen table the night before. You need to have something in your environment that's going to activate your brain to say, 'This is the thing I want to do.'"
Starting small and maintaining consistency are more effective than trying to do everything all at once.
"My biggest tip is to incorporate one habit for one week," Calloway says. "You're going to make your bed and then the next week you're going to make your bed and you're going to do your skincare. Bring it in slowly instead of trying to do it all or nothing."
