Having a morning routine these days is highly underrated. With everything we have going on in today’s world it would only make sense to sleep in as long as we can instead of waking up extra early to practice any kind of routine. But, there is proof that waking up well before you have to leave for work, school, etc. to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the day. I’ve listed a few things that I use in the morning to help ensure I can tackle all my daily tasks with the best of my abilities. Starting with the most obvious on
1. Hydration
Our entire bodies are mostly made up of water. The average Americans sleep at least 7–8 hours a night. That is a very long time to go without water, so when we wake up in the mornings we are already dehydrated. Start your morning off with at least one or two glasses of water (along with a nutrious breakfast) and you will feel more alert and awake. The coffee can wait.
2. Start your day the night before.
I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. Nothing is more frustrating or tiring in the mornings when you are trying to get your life together while rushing off to work first thing in the morning. Make your life easier by doing as much the night before as you can to relieve some of that stress. The most obvious one is to get plenty of sleep. Put the phone down and read a book 30 minutes before you go to bed to aid in going to bed on time.
Another thing you can do is pick out your clothes for the day. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought I had what I was wearing planned out only to find I forgot to do laundry or my outfit was wrinkled. Then, I’m running around trying to do all this extra stuff that I didn’t plan instead of simply avoiding it all by doing this the night before.
3. Exercise
Nothing wakes you up better in the morning than a little bit of exercise. You don’t have to get up and go to the gym every morning. This can be done by jogging around the block, taking a walk, or some push-ups and crunches. Anything to get your heart rate up! If you are short on time there are plenty of short but effective apps and YouTube videos you can use. I use the 7 Minute Workout app to work out my entire body in just 7 quick minutes no matter where I am.
4. Yoga/Stretching
If traditional exercising isn’t your thing, then I’d recommend doing some yoga or stretches when you wake up. Aside from the many health benefits like boosting immunity, builds muscles strength, improves flexibility, reduce blood pressure and promoting better sleep yoga is a great way to wake your body up to kickstart your day.
There are tons of videos and apps out there to help you start. I use Yoga Studio. With different categorized classes as short as only 15 minutes, it’s perfect for a quick yoga fix.
5. Meditation
Before I get into this I want to clarify what mediation is and what it is not.
What it is not: Meditation is not some form of summoning worship, prayer or anything of that nature. I once told someone that I meditated and they looked at me in disgust while saying, “Oooh I don’t believe in that.” I was dumbfounded
What it is: when an individual trains the mind or induces a mode of focus.
Health benefits include: boosting immunity, improving memory/attention span, reduces stress and depression, increases energy, and can even lower blood pressure.
(According to a Harvard Medical Study). Far more “disease fighting genes” were active compared to those who practiced no form of relaxation.
It changes our brain. Shuts out the rest of the external world. It does to your mind what going to the gym does for your body.
A great way to get started is by using the Headspace app Take10 free program.
6. Read
After you’ve relaxed and cleared your mind by meditating the next thing you should do is read. Reading is a good way to stimulate your mind and get those creative juices flowing which studies suggest can slow progress of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Like the others in this article reading also can reduce stress and improve your memory/concentration propelling you to the start of your day in top mental shape.
It doesn’t matter what you read as long as you read. It can be a fiction book, magazine, newspaper, or whatever.
If you’re looking for a new book I invite you to checkout Amazon’s used books section. Or if you’re not the reading type checkout Audible and download your first audiobook for free.
7. Smile
Smiling releases endorphins, which are chemicals that make you happier. So even forcing yourself to smile can happy, ultimately helping you manage stress and starting off your day in the most positive way.
I like to combine my morning smiling with the reading of my positive affirmations I wrote down. A few to be noted,
“My body is healthy, my mind is brilliant, and my soul is tranquil.”
“I am superior to negative thoughts and low actions.”
“My compassion washes away my anger and replaces it with love.”
“My fears of tomorrow are melting away.”
I hope this post has given you some good insight and ideas on how you can prepare yourself for all life throws at you daily. If you have your own routine feel free to comment below.
