Your morning routine can set the tone for the rest of the day. If you wake up late, skip breakfast, rush out the door, and drink your coffee in a hurry at the desk, you cannot expect to feel happy, energized, and ready to tackle your daily challenges. Forming healthy morning habits can take a while, but it’s worth the effort because these habits can help you start each day with a positive, productive mindset.
Here are seven habits for your morning routine that will make your day better.
- Ignore Your Smartphone
The first thing many people do when they wake up is to check their smartphones for emails, messages, and notifications. But this is one of the worst ways to start your morning because it can put you in a state of worry and anxiety before you’ve even left your bed. Technology stresses us and makes us lose awareness of the present moment. So, a top morning habit you should adopt is ignoring your smartphone until you’ve reached your office. This simple thing will give your mind precious moments of calm and peace before it gets inundated with thoughts about tasks and deadlines.
- Make Your Bed
If you have a busy schedule, making your bed in the morning is probably very low on your priority list. But this simple habit can have a great impact on your mood. Although it may seem like something irrelevant or unnecessary, making your bed gives you the first taste of accomplishment for the day, right as you wake up. Although it can take less than five minutes, this simple action signals to your brain that it’s time to enter a productive mode. Moreover, it can be very satisfying to know that at the end of the day, you will return to an orderly bedroom.
- Get Active
Moving your body in the morning is very important for regaining your energy, but you don’t have to do a full workout to feel good. If you don’t enjoy working out in the morning, start your day with a yoga routine, a quick walk in the neighborhood, or a few simple exercise sets. Being active in the morning will give you a great boost of energy and put you in a good mood. Both your body and your brain react positively to movement. Although having physical activity in your morning routine is important, don’t push yourself with long or intense workouts that will make you dread mornings. Get to know your limits by testing various routines. Then push your limits gradually.
- Follow A Step-By-Step Self-Care Routine
A good morning habit that will make your day better is to take care of your appearance with a step-by-step self-care routine. Making sure you look good before heading out the door will have a positive impact on your day. When you know you look put together, you feel more confident. Conversely, if you don’t put effort into your appearance, you may feel scrutinized or judged when interacting with others in a professional or personal setting. What’s a good self-care routine? The answer depends entirely on your preferences. But at the most basic level, a self-care routine should include things such as showering, brushing your teeth, combing and styling your hair, moisturizing your skin, and dressing with intention. Naturally, everyone has different hygiene, beauty, and style preferences, so you should focus most of all on doing things that make you personally feel presentable and confident.
- Eat a Nutritious Breakfast
While some people wouldn’t even think about skipping breakfast, others don’t consider breakfast an essential part of their morning routine. Although people’s preferences vary, breakfast is undeniably an important meal with plenty of benefits for our health, well-being, and energy level. A healthy, nutritious breakfast can refuel your body and keep you focused and energized during the first hours of the day. The best part is that breakfast doesn’t have to be an elaborate meal, so you can find a quick breakfast option that easily fits into your schedule. Focus on whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins for an optimal nutritional intake.
- Make Time for Yourself
A crucial thing that might stop you from enjoying mornings is the feeling that you have to finish your morning routine as quickly as possible and rush out in traffic so you can get to the office in time. Thus, you get little or no personal time in the morning for things that bring you joy. However, having a few minutes of “me” time in the morning can have a positive impact on your happiness level. You can use this personal time to meditate, read your favorite magazine, write in a gratitude journal, or create a to-do list. Choose an activity that makes you feel joyful. This positive feeling will stay with you throughout the day.
- Enjoy Your Coffee
Although few people could imagine a morning without a cup of coffee, the reality is that not everyone takes the time to enjoy their coffee. Some people drink it in a hurry before leaving the house. Others make the time to stop by their favorite coffee shop but then drink the coffee cold at the desk. There are few things as disappointing as reaching for your coffee and realizing it’s cold. Learning to enjoy your coffee is one of the best things you can do for your well-being. It can boost your happiness and make you feel calmer and more centered. Consider purchasing a ceramic mug with double-wall insulation. It will keep your coffee hot and preserve its pure taste until you find the time to drink it at peace.
A healthy morning routine can have a major positive impact on your energy and productivity levels. And when you feel energized, everything seems easier. If you’ve ever struggled with lethargy, pessimism, and grogginess in the morning, use the list above as inspiration and change your morning habits. If you find that you cannot stick to new habits, adopt only one new habit at a time.
