My Morning Routine, My Worst Enemy

How over-optimizing my life led to total burnout.

I created a morning routine last summer meant to transform my life. And for a while, it did.

Like some motivating guru, I got up at five a.m., worked out, read, journaled, and even practiced meditation.

Oh, I was on fire.

I felt I had unlocked a hidden level in life over the first few weeks.

Then something nefarious occurred.

When a positive routine degenerates

My mornings initially functioned well. I got up, stretched, worked out, made a green horror smoothie with kale, read self-help rubbish, and made a strategy for the day.

Check for discipline. Concentrate? Check again.

But then I became aware of something strange.

By midday, I was exhausted rather than rejuvenated and productive. It felt like a cooked egg inside my head.

The regimen that had given me a lift began to sap my vitality.

What went wrong?

1. My daily routine turned into a prison

I was flexible at first. It wouldn’t be a huge problem if I skipped a journaling day.

My brain quickly became a tyrant, however. “Workouts cannot be skipped! Don’t sleep in! “Don’t break the rules!”

It had become into a complete obsession rather than a habit.

According to studies, 45% of our everyday behaviors are automatic. That sounds fantastic.

However, habits stifle creativity and freedom when they become inflexible. My habit was dominating me, not the other way around.

2. The “Perfect” routine became a productivity scam

Have you ever heard the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”?

I did the exact reverse.

I continued “optimizing” my regimen, including new routines, adjusting timings, and making it more “efficient.”

Before long, it took me two hours to begin my day.

The irony? My morning ritual took up so much time that I was too exhausted to work.

According to a Harvard Business Review research, over-engineering routines causes stress instead of productivity.

And you know what? Exhibit A was me.

---

The Lesson: Don’t Let Your Routine Own You

I developed my morning ritual to increase my success. Instead, it turned into a mental snare. I’m not alone, either.

According to a University of London research, 96% of individuals who attempt to establish rigorous habits eventually give up within a year.

According to neuroscientists, strict regimens eventually lead to psychological exhaustion.

Even the most successful people in the world, such as CEOs and sportsmen, have adaptable, flexible routines rather than rigid timetables.

What’s my solution, then? My routine is coming to an end.

I’m taking back my mornings. I will no longer get up at five unless I feel like it.

I’m done with rigorous exercises when my body sorely needs a rest. I will never read self-help books that advise me to meditate like a Tibetan monk and take cold baths.

I’m learning to focus on my creativity, thoughts, and body.

On certain days, I’ll start slowly and sleep in. On some days, I’ll get up early and start running.

Because actual productivity is about understanding when to push and when to rest, not about following a script.

Do You Have a Nightmare About Your Morning Routine?

Trust me when I say that your morning routine might be your worst enemy if You experience guilt or anxiety when you don’t adhere to it strictly.

You are worn out before work starts, which takes up so much time.

You continue to follow it even when it no longer serves your interests.

You didn’t test to see whether it worked for you before creating it based on recommendations from an influencer.

Here’s What to Do Instead

Ask questions about everything: “Is this actually helping me?” ask yourself. Kill it if you don’t.

Adjust. Things change in life. Your routine should, too.

Make it pliable rather than robotic. Do that if you want to sleep in one day. Don’t go to the gym if that’s your preference.

Your body is not an automated system. Follow your path. That is not what a rich YouTuber claims to believe.

More is not preferable. A 10-minute, effective morning ritual defeats a two-hour energy-sucking monster.

The Split: Breaking Free from My Routine

I’m not going to lie. Breaking up with my habit is difficult but necessary — it’s like leaving a toxic ex.

I began modestly. Watching how I felt, I sometimes skipped a habit.

And you know what? Nothing negative occurred.

I realized that I had been putting too much effort into the routine and not enough into the job I really wanted to perform.

Right now? When my body tells me to wake up, I do.

At 6 AM on certain days and 9 AM on others. I don’t always work out in the morning.

On other mornings, I take three minutes to meditate and call it a day.

And my productivity has never been higher.

Don’t Be a Slave to Your Routine

Perhaps it’s time to reconsider your morning routine if it leaves you feeling worn out.

Consider if this is improving my life or only creating the appearance of activity.

You should benefit from your morning routine, not the other way around.

Modify it. Shatter it. Rebuild it.

Because if you don’t, you’ll wake up one day and discover that what was meant to be your greatest strength has turned into your deadliest adversary.

And believe me, you don’t want to get into a fight before breakfast.

How about you? Have you ever gotten caught up in a more detrimental than beneficial pattern?

5 Incredible Techniques to Protect Your Mental Well-being (in a busy world)

Please share your terrifying experiences in the comments section; I need to know that I’m not the only one going crazy.