Top 5 Daily Starters
Often, leaders wake up and push through the morning without some sort of routine to guide them. Not good. The best leadership practices include a purposeful morning regimen to set the tone for the day. I have had a basic routine that I have followed for many years. Of course, mine has evolved over time. It doesn't have to be lengthy or arduous. The important thing is that you create a routine that works for you. Here are my top 5 daily starters for leaders.
1. Spend a few moments in spiritual reflection.
I work from my home. So, most days I get up very early, get dressed, head down to the kitchen, get some coffee, and go straight into the Word of God and prayerful reflection. I have a special spot in my home for this. I try to resist the urge to rush into my work and tackle the day with a false sense of being alone.
I need God’s wisdom and perspective. What happens first leads the way. I meditate on the goodness of God and His promises. When I let God speak to me first, it saturates my mind and soul with His thoughts towards me. I want His Word to be the filter for whatever comes to me throughout the day. At some point in my schedule, people will tell me what they think, what I should do, or what I should believe. I’d rather hear from God first, so I know what HE thinks.
I cast my concerns on Him and invite His Spirit to guide me (1 Peter 5:7). It’s not wise to start chasing the day without first getting some sense of direction, or you'll find yourself running fretfully and aimlessly from one thing to another.
2. Journal your prayers and dreams.
Leaders have to make time for dreaming. You are the curator of your own imagination. Don’t get trapped in the dreary doldrum of systems and structures. Cultivate your creativity. Early morning is an ideal time for this. It stimulates and strengthens your faith. At the start of each day, as you read the scriptures, journal a few prayers and dreams you want to see come to pass.
A few years ago, I began journaling during my morning devotions. I still journal to this day. Back then, as I do know, I wrote insights to the scriptures and whatever I felt God was saying to me about my life and future. In many cases, I gave no regard to limits. I simply set my imagination free as I wrote. As time has progressed, I have seen many dreams fulfilled. I am still writing out my dreams and prayers for a time yet to come.
There’s just something about putting pen to paper. I call it praying the w-r-i-t-e way. It’s not a magic formula; it’s a leadership principle. When you draft your dreams early each day, you plant seeds in the fresh soil of your soul where dreams spring forth. Write out a dream each day and see what happens. You’ll be amazed at what this will do for you. (Habakkuk 2:2)
3. Review your daily agenda and weekly goals.
After spending time in needful reflection, I take a few moments to review my day. Whenever I have failed to adequately forecast my schedule, important tasks weren’t completed, meetings were missed, and important projects were delayed. We can’t afford to be aimless. We need a clear target to shoot toward.
Plan your day lest someone else plan it for you and yank you around on the chain of their choosing. Don’t be a slave to the unmanaged and unscheduled. Diligently attend to your tasks and complete them. Be mindful of your meetings and be prepared for them. Rehearse what you want to say ahead of time. Vigilantly protect your time or the time thieves will steal it from you (Ephesians 5:16 AMP).
Don’t waist the critical moments God gives you or you may lose valuable opportunities. Each new day is like a racehorse: if you fail to firmly grasp the reins, it will hurl you off and charge away without you. Wasted moments accumulate into wasted weeks, months, years, even decades. You'll look back and wonder why you’re still nowhere in life.
4. Follow a plan for health and fitness.
According to many fitness experts, morning is the optimal time for exercise. However, squeezing in a morning workout is a legitimate challenge for some. You’re not required to exercise first thing in the A.M. It’s just important to prioritize a fitness plan and stick to it. You cannot afford to let your body go to pot. You have a responsibility to your own health and fitness.
Unfortunately, leaders lose a level of respect when they don’t take care of themselves. Healthy, vibrant, energetic, physically fit people get the lion’s share of leadership. Leaders who are in good shape tend to be the pace setters. It’s living proof of their discipline and also challenges others to be better. The flip side is, if you don’t take care of yourself, it is quite possible that your quality of life will plummet, seriously even.
Many leaders experience critical health issues later in life simply because they didn’t pursue good, overall fitness. Don’t think of exercise and disciplined eating habits as punishment. Think of them as being good to yourself. You’re increasing your longevity and adding many years of effective service for others.
5. Genuinely connect with your family.
Your family needs to be reminded each day that God loves them, that He is with them, and that He has a plan for them. Starting the first part of the day is as critical for your family as it is for you. They need the same sense of daily grace and assurance that you need.
Most mornings, I brew my wife’s coffee and kiss her off to work. I’ll often mention that I’m praying for her just as she slips out the door. During the fall and winter, I start her car, set the temperature, and turn on the seat warmers before she gets in. When my kids were younger, I drove them to school every day and reminded them of my love for them. I took advantage of the brief days I had with them to share wisdom and speak God’s blessings over them.
Some don’t have the luxury of enjoying morning-time with their family as I have had. However, you can send texts, leave voice mails, stick post-it notes on their backpacks, etc. Be creative. Just don’t make excuses. Lead your family well. It’s your most important role as a leader.
