Applying 'The Miracle Morning' by Hal Elrod

So I read  'The Miracle Morning' by Hal Elrod, and things haven't been the same since - they've been better.

For so long I have been trying to get more into my day by staying up late. I have tried to get some 'me time' into my day after the kids had gone to be. I tried to read, write, complete work, pursue hobbies, exercise etc all after 8.30pm. But it hasn't worked. The more I have read about willpower and scheduling, the more I've realised that my brain is cooked at the end of the day. My willpower is shot, and I am too tired to do anything creative.

Enter 'The Miracle Morning'. It's true about what they say - "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." The timing was right, I was ready to make a change.

Although I have never been a morning person, I am now. 

I have discovered the best part of the day is first thing in the morning. That's when my brain is at it's best. It seems that when you start the morning right, you set yourself up for a good day.

So what do I do now? I followed the advice from Hal Elrod and now take these steps (this is a brief rundown of how I start my day. I recommend reading the book to get more):

The day starts at 5am - I wake up to my alarm which is set in the bathroom, so I have to get out of bed to turn it off. I wash my face, rinse and put on a jumper (it's Winter here in Australia). I put on socks and thongs and head out to the living room with my 'morning bag'. It contains my journals, exercise books, iPad and laptop. I prepare it the night before. I also take a water bottle and drink it all to rehydrate.

Next comes about 10 - 15 minutes of silent meditation. Stillness and calm. Thoughts come and go but I don't pursue any of them. Just be.

Following this I read through positive affirmations I have written for myself. Sentences that say what I am doing with my life and why. Positive reinforcement that I am on the right track. I am doing good and I will continue to lead a fulfilling life.

Next I look at my visualisation board. I haven't used pictures, but rather key words and phrases that reinforce what I have and what I am chasing in this life. Some of these are related to health, family, professional goals and a lifestyle I see in my future.

Next up is about 15 minutes of stretching and exercise. At times I get back pain and so I am going about relieving this with yoga poses and stretches. I am gradually improving my core strength with push ups, sit ups, planks etc.

Next comes 20 minutes of reading (currently I am reading 'Grit' by Angela Duckworth). I find I am able to read quicker than at other times of the day, and absorb the ideas better too.

Finally I write. I mix it up each day. Some days I write a journal, sometimes a post for my school PE website, sometimes a blog post such as this. I write reflections , ideas, memories and anything else that is on my mind.

I have been following this routine now for four weeks. I haven't missed a day. I don't miss sleep ins, and I don't miss being in a rush every morning like I used to. I actually look forward to 5am. It is 'me time'. I take time for myself, to be calm, think positive, and look after my body, mind and soul.

I recommend you give it a try. The best way to add quality time to your day is to get up at 5am. Start your day right and the rest will follow.

Let Them Play - An Update

My last post was some time ago. I went through a phase of consistent blogging and tweeting and updating Facebook pages (Primary PE, Physed Ideas), but it wasn't sustainable. I am not a writer - I am a teacher, a busy one.

But aren't we all?

 I had to pull back from the 'posting' and get back to my number one priority which is teaching, which of course involves planning and delivering a PE program, and keeping up with the side role of sports coordinator which usually falls to the PE teacher.

In this time I have made some adjustments to my teaching. I last posted about the 'PE Journal' which was an exercise book each student in years 4-6 had to write in each lesson. Reflections, questions, diagrams and suggestions were scribed in the last 5 - 10 minutes of a lesson. While the benefits of developing the journaling habit are well documented, something seemed off to me.

These kids are sitting down.

Think like a child for a moment - they just wanna play!

I could tell from their faces and body language that their one PE session for the week had been diminished by an exercise that was becoming less effective by the week. After a while they lost the interest in writing their thoughts. While some students were fast writers, some were unfocussed, disinterested and wishing they were doing something else - like playing! After all, asking kids to sit on a basketball court, next to a bag of balls and asking them to write? This amounts to torture!

So I eased up on the writing, and instead have returned to the art of discussion time to get the insights, reflections, questions and feedback I wanted to generate. My lessons still have clear learning intentions that are communicated to the students, but I am being sure to maximise 'doing' time to keep them moving and learning.

I am in the process of developing some end of unit questionnaires which will be filled in by students in class time (with the cooperation of my supportive staff - I am lucky to have them!). These will serve to capture the thoughts and insights of those who slip through the discussion cracks.


What have you found when it comes to sit down tasks with your PE classes? What have you found to be sustainable and effective? Share your thoughts below and let's grow as teachers.