Great Morning Habits
Fact of life: some people are morning people, and some are not. I don’t know about you, but if I don’t get enough sleep, it completely throws off my whole entire day! I didn’t always enjoy the power of a good morning routine, but after some practice, I really got the flow down to a science.
Here are my top tips for starting the day out right, physically and mentally:
Wake Up Time
Isn’t it so nice to slowly get up, rather than pop out of bed like a bat out of hell? Find out the perfect wake up time for your body and mind, and use it to ease into the day. A lot of people set their alarm for the time they think they need to get up, and as soon as they hear the buzz buzz buzz, they delay the inevitable 4 (or 5) times before they finally pull themselves out of bed. I know that hitting the snooze button may be momentarily satisfying, but if it ends up annoying you, don’t use it and trust your body instead.
Hydrate
Drink water immediately! While you are sleeping, your body has been without water for 8 hours, so grab a cup from the kitchen and fill it up. Believe me, your brain will thank you for the quench by easing you into a more peaceful state of mind. Plus, drinking water is a pretty healthy habit to get into, so might as well use that habit it to start your day off right!
Stay Unplugged
Resist the urge to reach for your phone. If your alarm is on your device, then that’s fine, but find the willpower to leave messages or social media unopened until after you have been up for at least 30 minutes. Spend time with yourself, not the rest of the world.
Get Moving
You may have been having very active dreams, but your body has been relatively motionless for quite some time. Do some stretches, take a walk, work out or do an exercise video. I get my fitness on when I watch the news every morning – multi-tasking at its best!
Eat Food
Don’t skip breakfast! Eat something. Even if it is just a hardboiled egg or a smoothie. Follow your body’s cues. Healthy nourishment will keep you at your best throughout the day. You will notice that your mind is sharper, words flow easier, there is more spring in your step and you are able to complete more tasks than normal.
These are simple, easy habits that you can work into your morning routine. New habits are hard to implement so, I recommend adding one in at a time. But take it from me: better habits lead to a happier, better life. Simplify, be productive, and be happier!
