Tone Instructional

---
entry_id: instructional
axis: tone
topic_slug: morning-routine
topic_label: How to start a morning routine
author_type: llm
llm_model: claude-sonnet-4-6
review_status: reviewed
---

This guide walks you through starting a morning routine in five steps. Read all five before beginning. Each step builds on the previous one.

**Step 1: Establish your baseline.**

For three mornings, write down what you currently do, in order, with timestamps. Include phone use. Do not change anything yet. The goal is data, not progress. A "baseline" is simply a record of your existing behavior; without it, you cannot see what is changing.

**Step 2: Identify your fixed points.**

A fixed point is a time you cannot move. Examples: work starts at 9am, kids need to leave by 8:15am, your partner showers at 7:00am. List your fixed points. Subtract preparation time (commute, getting dressed, breakfast) from the earliest fixed point. The result is the latest your routine can end. Working backward from that time, decide how long your routine can be. For most people, 20 to 45 minutes is realistic.

**Step 3: Choose one anchor action.**

An anchor action is the first deliberate thing you do after waking. It should require no decisions and minimal setup. Common anchors: drinking a full glass of water, opening a curtain, stepping outside for two minutes. Do not choose more than one anchor in week one. Adherence drops sharply when the routine has too many starting elements.

**Step 4: Define a phone rule.**

A phone rule is a clear, binary boundary: when you may first check your phone. Example rules: "after my anchor action," "after I am dressed," "at 7:30am." Pick one. Move the phone out of the bedroom if necessary. The rule is not about willpower; it is about removing the decision.

**Step 5: Run a two-week pilot.**

Do steps 3 and 4 only, for fourteen days. At the end of week two, review. If you held the routine on 10 or more days, you may add a second element (reading, exercise, journaling). If you held it on fewer than 10 days, do not add anything. Make the existing routine smaller until it holds, then build from there.