Welcome therapists and group practice owners! I’m Nicole McCance, a Psychologist turned Business Coach for therapists. It’s not too long ago that I grew my practice to 55 therapists and my morning routine really helped me along the way.
Since you’re here reading this, I’m thinking maybe you’re looking to level up your morning routine so that it actually helps you grow your practice! So you can finally get to the elusive therapist work-life balance we all dream of (it is possible!)
I can honestly tell you that my morning routine is my own personal happiness and success formula. So many good things started happening when I finally started my days with a routine that served me soooo well. But before we dive into all things my morning routine, I want to check in with you first!
My question for you is: How intentional are you about your mornings?
Now if you’re thinking “Oh no, Nicole I literally roll out of bed and into working with clients” – don’t panic! Right now you’re here reading this, which means you want to start making these changes so you can start living authentically and intentionally.
Do you have any little habits that you enjoy in your mornings?
- Are there pockets of peaceful time just for you? (this one was an important one for me trying to juggle motherhood, being a therapist, and entrepreneurship)
- What are things that you wish you had time for in the mornings?
- Do you wake up early enough to have quiet time for yourself?
- How do you feel when you don’t follow your morning routine?
Take time to think about this and don’t worry if nothing is coming up for you right now! As you go on about your day, some ideas will start to come your way! But before I give you my step-by-step morning routine that you can make your own, I want to touch upon how a morning routine can transform your whole day – and yes, that trickles into how you show up in your personal and professional life.
Why a Morning Routine Matters
If you’re new to my world or if you’ve been tapping into all my resources for a while now – you’ll hear me say this over and over again…..My morning routine is such a big part of my happiness formula. It’s how I finally started taking the steps I needed to scale my practice and work towards having therapist work-life balance for the first time! And I believe it’s a huge part of therapist time management!
It sets the tone for the rest of my day – which is super important when you are a busy therapist who’s also trying to grow your practice (and enjoy your life).
Before I set up my morning routine, I wasn’t filling my own cup first. And as therapists, we know how important it is to actually show ourselves the love and care we need! As you step into your role as a Clinic Owner, this becomes even more important – especially if you decide to continue seeing clients.
I won’t lie to you, it took me a while to find my perfect morning routine. But once I did, it that really made a HUGE difference in:
- My productivity levels
- How satisfied I felt with my day to day life (as both a toddler twin mom and private therapy practice owner)
- How inspired I felt to keep reaching towards my goals
- How I overcame time scarcity
- My intentionality with the little things throughout my days
For me personally, my BEST energy is in the mornings. There’s something so special to me when I’m up before the world gets busy – it keeps me grounded and excited to tackle my days (even the really hard days we all try to avoid).
And when I started my days in this amazing energetic state, it made it so much easier to feel less overwhelmed scaling my practice. Growing to a group practice will be demanding at times and require you to wear all the hats (therapist, entrepreneur, admin, marketer, partner…), so a routine that supports you is so critical for not only your well-being but your success too.
My Morning Routine Step-by-Step
1. Spiritual Grounding (6:00 am)
The first thing that I do when I wake up is sneak down the stairs (extra stealth style to not wake my boys up) and spend 10 minutes grounding and calibrating my energy.
Now for me, this looks like an Abraham Hicks spiritually guided YouTube meditation or video. I focus on high vibration guided meditations, calibrating my energy for the day and reminding myself how powerful I am 🙂
Do you want the exact mediations I used? Send me a DM on IG at https://www.instagram.com/nicole.mccancemethod/ just drop the word CEO and I”ll send them to you!
2. Hot Power Yoga (6:30 am)
The second part of my morning routine is always Hot Power Yoga! This is literally my secret weapon for staying present and centered throughout the day.
As a practice owner and mom, I found my mind going all over the place all the time. By engaging in a high intensity activity in the morning it helps me feel more connected to my body and my mind at ease.
For you, this doesn’t have to be Hot Power Yoga (but it can be)! Think about high intensity movement that you will enjoy and fit into your morning routine like: boxing, a group workout class, hot pilates, strength training and so much more.
3. Nourishing my Body (7:30 am)
Can I share a secret with you? You might not believe me but….
I’ve been enjoying the same smoothie for 15 years—yes, it’s that good!
But I don’t only have it because it’s tasty and healthy, it’s because eating the same enjoyable thing every day helps with decision fatigue!
No seriously! Here’s what I noticed when I started nourishing my body with the same breakfast every day:
- It actually lowered my decision fatigue because it was one less decision I had to make every day
- Freed up mental space for more urgent practice matters in the morning
- Made me feel less overwhelmed by little things that came up in both mom life and practice growth
Oooh and it kept my energy levels up all morning! I put in all the good stuff into my smoothie like: vitamin C powder, fish oil, spirulina, fruits, protein powder, and so much more!
4. Supplements and Hydration (8:00 am)
If you couldn’t tell already, so much of my morning routine is about keeping my energy levels up and stable (this is so important as a busy business owner)!So, I always take lots of vitamins like C,B,D, and fish oil.
Oooh and hydration is KEY! I always sip on peppermint or ginger tea throughout the day to keep my energy levels maintained.
This is an area that is easy to miss but also so important. How are you supporting your energy levels?
5. Setting the Mood in My Home Office (9:00 am)
Before I dive into work, I take a moment to reset my energy in my office. It helps me stay tapped into this highly calibrated energy from the rest of my morning routine.
I also believe that your environment and little practices make a big difference! I always make sure I’m as comfy as possible and always turn on my salt lamp, use a crystal bowl, use essential oils, and burn sage or Palo Santo. These small rituals help me stay connected to my higher self, inspired, and ready to tackle all the challenges that come my way.
The Importance of your Evening Routine
Winding down after work (4:00 pm)
My Early Bedtime (9:00 pm)
Now I know this might be early for others, but I’m in bed by 9:00 pm every night. This ensures I get a full 8 hours of sleep, which I really need to feel ready and excited for whatever my next day brings! I always remind myself how much I deserve the rest and set myself up for a goodnight’s rest with supplements (like magnesium) and a comfortable sleep environment.
How will you create an intentional morning routine?
I truly believe that living intentionally starts with how you begin your day. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the things you want to start changing, I encourage you to pick one thing at a time to start tweaking or adding into your routine!
Save this blog for when you are READY to level up your morning routine and be the badass practice owner I know you can be!
And if you know other therapists looking to: scale their practice sustainably, achieve therapist work-life balance, and learn all about therapist time management – then send this blog their way, so we can help them too!
You’ve got this! I’m cheering you on every step of the way.
Your business bestie,
Nicole
