You’ve probably noticed how much your morning can influence your mood throughout the whole day? Suffice to say that while some lucky individuals can easily wake up and go their merry way, others can only groan and groggily drag themselves from their cozy blankets.
Thankfully, taking control over your mornings is perfectly possible, even for night owls. Establishing a morning routine brings order into your life and helps you adjust to your schedule. We’ve gathered some tips and recommendations on making your mornings productive to help you set a foundation for a successful and bright day.
Let the light inside your room
Sunlight is the best way to wake up and become alert without even drinking a cup of coffee. If you have time, a short walk outside will be perfect – daylight coupled with fresh air will quickly energize you. However, even if you have to hurry, opening your curtains to greet the sunlight right after getting up helps you to get awake and ready. You might choose an overhead lamp with bright lighting similar to daylight for gloomy and rainy days.
Prepare a healthy and nutritious breakfast
Your morning meal provides you with nutrients and energy for the whole day, so disregarding it is wrong. Though skipping breakfast seems like an easy way to reduce your calorie count or avoid spending time preparing food, the cons outweigh the pros significantly. Protein-filled breakfast allows you to avoid feeling hungry for a good part of your day and energizes you for all your daily tasks, especially if you include some healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins. Also, start your day by being hydrated – for example, drink a glass of fresh water before enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.
Exercise a bit
Even some stretching in the morning helps you wake up completely and become alert and full of energy. Regular physical activity affects your health by improving blood flow and easing tension in your muscles. However, you don’t have to do a full workout if you don’t have enough time: just a walk or several yoga exercises will make you alert and attentive. Furthermore, you can simply walk or ride a bike to your workplace: this approach is more environment-friendly than driving all the way to the office and provides you with a great boost of energy.
Gather your thoughts
Before you get ready for your day, allow yourself a few minutes to communicate with yourself. Meditating is a good idea: it helps you prepare for all tasks on your list, eases the sense of anxiety, and soothes your worries. You can also try writing your thoughts down to take control of your feelings and prepare for the following day. These practices are especially helpful if you suffer from persistent anxiety or struggle with controlling your thoughts.
Create a plan for your day
The best way to ensure that your day will be successful is to know what you need to do: otherwise, something important might slip your mind. Write down the tasks you want to complete and choose your priorities: putting the most challenging and demanding chores first helps you work on them while you’re still energetic. Furthermore, don’t forget about deadlines to complete the most urgent duties ahead of time and have an opportunity to move other tasks further down the line if necessary. You can put your to-do list on your desk to check it regularly and cross down the completed tasks throughout the day.
Start your day with some chores
When you know you’re going to be busy during the day, why not relieve your workload by completing some chores in the morning? This approach will help you complete your daily schedule ahead of time and free some time for your other needs. You can make your bed, pack your lunch, clean up your room, and do the dishes – the list is endless. Such tasks don’t take much time and effort, but working on them in the morning while you are still full of energy is the best approach.
Rest and relax
Being productive is an excellent goal – but don’t forget about having fun and relaxing. If you have an opportunity, select time for less demanding activities, like reading a chapter of a good book, watching some videos, or simply drinking a cup of tea while listening to your favorite music.
Productively starting your morning is necessary to stay active and energized until the evening. This time provides you with an opportunity to prepare for all your daily tasks and start your day without a hitch. Choose the options that suit your schedule best and use your time in the morning efficiently: after all, a healthy morning routine is the best helper in reaching all your goals successfully.