What’s the first thing that you do when you wake up? You might drink coffee, scroll through social media, maybe look at your emails. There’s a chance that you do these things without thinking. But what you do in the morning matters. As with all things that you do consistently, your morning habits impact your life.
If you’re taking actions in the morning that bring you happiness, health, and peace, then you will also be bringing those elements to the rest of your day and even your life overall.
Research has shown that a morning routine can do amazing things for you, like:
- Increase happiness
- Increase confidence
- Reduce procrastination
- Increase overall performance.
There are a thousand different morning routines out there, though. Rather than tell you what you should do, here are some tips on how you can create a morning routine that’s perfect for you.
1. Find your reason
Everybody has a different motivation for getting out of bed in the morning. To build and stick to a routine, you must find yours. This could be to become the best version of yourself, to show up for your loved ones, to see your friends, or to enjoy life.
Finding that reason will help you to feel in control, and studies show that feeling leads to an improved quality of life.
If you’re struggling to connect to any of these reasons or are having a hard time in general, be kind to yourself. Your reason for getting out of bed can also be just trying to do one thing at a time.
2. Sleep at the right time to wake up at the right time
If you’re struggling to get out of bed in the morning and keep hitting the snooze button, then you might not be sleeping right. Sufficient, high-quality sleep that’s time right will have you waking up at the right time. Experiment a little to see what time you need to sleep in order to wake up at the time you need to.
Once you’ve figured that out, you can upgrade your sleep routine to improve your sleep quality as well. This can include drinking herbal teas before bed, getting the right mattress and pillows, and even getting nicer bedding.
3. Avoid your phone
Waking up and then immediately beaming light into your eyes from a small screen that contains practically all the world’s information isn’t a gentle transition. You might be waiting for urgent information or making sure there haven’t been any emergencies, but even that is a recipe for immediate stress. Instead, consider delaying that, even if it’s by 15 minutes.
Additionally, avoid scrolling on social media. It’s a passive activity that will make it harder to focus on tasks later throughout the day.
Instead, use your phone for music, listening to podcasts or audiobooks, or even to follow an online class that gets you moving.
4. Plan your tasks
Take the time to plan your tasks. Research proves that planning behaviors leads to better efficacy. This can help you organize and focus your thoughts while also providing structure throughout the day. When you have your tasks laid out in front of you, you’re more aware of them.
It’s also fulfilling and rewarding to tick them off when they’re done.
5. Move – even if it’s just stretching
You’re either a morning workout type or not. Nothing is going to change that, and you shouldn’t force yourself to do something you don’t want to. It will just leave you miserable!
If you’re the morning workout type, squeeze in a morning workout. If you’re not, then go for a nice stretch instead. It will make you feel good and prepare your body for the day ahead.
6. Find a way to connect with yourself
It could be yoga, Pilates, meditation, journalling, or even dancing. You can do one, a combination of, or all of the above! It’s important to do an activity (or activities) that allow you to connect with yourself, your thoughts, and have some time to savor being alive.
7. Eat within an hour of waking up
Whether you usually just have a coffee or you have a full plate every morning, you have to eat the right breakfast for you within an hour of waking up. The right breakfast will have all the nutrients that you need, help your body and brain function well throughout the day, and keep you satiated.
In order to do that, you’ll need protein (e.g., eggs, sausages, baked beans), fiber (e.g., wholegrain bread, oats, vegetables), and healthy fats (e.g., butter, avocados, soy products, and fish). Make breakfast delicious and easy so that you can look forward to making and having it each morning.
8. Engage purposefully with the tasks that you need to do
Whatever activities you decide on doing, be present in the moment when you’re doing them. Enjoy the fact that you can do these things. Enjoy what they bring you whether that’s joy, satiety, peace, resolve, or something else entirely.
Being alive is a miracle. A great morning routine will help you to see that and make the rest of your day smooth sailing.
