A couple months ago, my brother came across the “Wake Up Like A Billionaire” routine on Instagram. The conversation I had with him popped into my brain while I was trying to figure out ways to get rid of my 2 p.m. slump. You know that feeling after you finish all the “need to do’s” and you’re about to start the “should be doing’s” but a nap is calling your name?
That’s what I call the 2 p.m. slump. And it needs to go.
There aren’t many people in the world who can be simply mentioned by their first name with no follow up questions. Oprah is one of them: successful, gracious, and inspiring. It’s only human to wonder how she does it all, so naturally, I ended up researching her morning routine. According to Insider, Oprah wakes up at 7 a.m to “brush her teeth before taking her five dogs for a walk. While she waits for her espresso to brew, she reads a card from her ‘365 Gathered Truths’ box. Then, she turns to an app on her phone to read her daily Bowl of Saki. Next, she meditates followed by an hour long workout in the hills of her backyard.” A huge part of her routine involves staying off of her phone and avoiding the morning scroll.
Basically, Oprah has it down to a system, and its obviously doing her some good. I thought to myself, why not give it a go? So, I tried Oprah’s morning routine for a week.
Monday was tough. 7 a.m came quickly. If I hadn’t charged my phone on the other side of the room and set an alarm on full volume I wouldn’t have gotten out of bed. I dragged myself downstairs. While I waited for my coffee to brew, I wrote down six affirmations on sticky-notes and put them on my mirror. I sat outside in my winter coat and drank coffee until I was simply too cold. Then I threw my workout stuff on, did a 15-minute yoga flow, said my affirmations, and headed to my F45 workout. I was showered and getting ready for my classes by 9:45 a.m. (which is when I normally get out of bed).
Tuesday looked and felt very similar. Dragged myself out of bed and checked off the Oprah To-Do list. On both Monday and Tuesday, the 2 p.m. slump didn’t come around but I was delusional and tired after dinner. On Tuesday night, I decided that tthe rest of the week needed to look a little different. I realized Oprah’s morning routine isn’t about ridding her life of something like the 2 p.m. slump. It’s about incorporating mindfulness and intention into her life in a way that sets her up for success each day.
Wednesday morning I woke up at 7:30 a.m. without an alarm, brushed my teeth, washed my face, and got back into bed to read my book for a little bit. Then I made coffee, journaled, planned my day, did a 15 minute yoga flow, said my affirmations, and got ready for my F45 class. Thursday and Friday I did the same thing. Once, I adjusted my mindset and woke up with the intention of incorporating mindfulness and listening to my body, waking up was easier and I had much more energy throughout the day.
I think everyone should look towards successful, positive people for inspiration and make some adaptations. Do I recommend following Oprah’s morning routine? Yes. Well, sort of. I recommend incorporating practices that elevate mindfulness and intention into your morning routine in a way that works for you. Am I going to do this every morning? Probably not, I’m no Oprah, but I’m grateful knowing there’s a way to set myself up for success with a few simple additions to my morning coffee.