Morning is the most important time of the day. Getting off to a good start each day makes you happier, more productive, and less stressed. You’ll own the day, rather than the day owning you.
Don’t leave it to chance. Establishing and maintaining an effective morning routine may seem like a chore just now, but when you have your routine in place, believe me, it’s quite the opposite. You will have more time, energy and enthusiasm than you did before. A great morning routine is a cornerstone of health and wellbeing.
Everyone’s morning routine will be different. But some of the elements you might want to consider include: exercise, meditation, goal setting, journaling, breakfast food and drink, reading, and taking a walk in nature.
Here is how to get started:
Have a regular waking time
The first thing to consider when establishing an effective morning routine is that you should try to wake up at the same time every day. Lie-ins are lovely but can cause a perfectly good routine to go completely out of the window. Getting up at a suitable time every day ensures that you’re able to eat, get dressed and get ready in a calm manner, rather than rushing and feeling stressed whilst dashing around trying to get everything done before you start work for the day, whether you’re working from home or in the office.
Prepare the night before
Let’s face it, if you don’t get a good night’s sleep, your morning routine is already ruined. A good morning routine starts the night before! To have a regular wake up time, you need a regular sleep time. If you’re having trouble sleeping, try to deal with the causes. These days that might include a phone or other electronics in your bedroom; you know what you need to do!
Willpower is over-rated. There’s a lot of evidence that, in fact, we only have a maximum amount of willpower each day. So, to save this precious resource you should try and make as much of your morning routine something you can do without thinking. If you want to exercise in the morning, then lay out your exercise gear the night before. Then, when you wake up you won’t need to let any willpower leak away while you consider finding your gear, you will have made it automatic.
The same goes for work clothes. Have everything you need laid out the night before, then you don’t need to waste time and energy on indecision. If anything needs ironing or washing, you’ll be able to prepare accordingly. While this is great to help save time on your work mornings, it may also be good practice for the days that you’re not working too.
Breakfast or not
The jury is out on whether breakfast is still the most important meal of the day. What’s most important is the gap between when you last ate. Try to leave at least 12 hours, to let your body restore itself. Ideally that will coincide with a reasonably early breakfast, to help fuel the body and enable you to concentrate for longer periods of time. Oatmeal, bananas, and nuts, are just some great foods to eat to help boost your energy for the day ahead.
That morning coffee can also be a great wake-up boost. Some of the health benefits of coffee include improving your physical performance, boosting your mood, and it can also help improve your memory, reaction times, and mental function. One or two can be great to have during the day, but try not to have caffeine much after lunchtime as it can still be in your system up to 8 hours later and stop you from getting to sleep.
Give yourself time
Make sure that you have plenty time for your morning routine. If you are rushed and stressed then the benefits will be undermined. If you never have a minute to yourself during the day, then it might be worth getting up even earlier to include some quiet time for yourself in your morning routine.
Set your intentions
Start your day by setting out three things you want to achieve. That can include anything that is important to you, whether that is a work task, connecting with a friend or something you to do in the home. Have these goals top of mind. Then write or update your to-do list for the day. If you write it down it is much more likely to happen.
It may take time and some adjustments to find your perfect wake up time and routine, but it’ll be well worth it as you prepare to tackle every day with strength and concentration. You’ll also benefit from a healthier mind and body which is an incredible positive. Best still, a morning routine is free and available to everyone. Are there any more reasons not to get started, planning your morning routine, right now?