The way we spend our morning can set the tone for the rest of the day. Some habits can leave us feeling tired and unmotivated, while others give us a boost of energy and allow us the chance to start the day with the right foot.
So, let’s start with these five habits to make the most out of each morning. Later, you will find some habits which you should totally avoid.
1. Wake up at same time every day
If you wake up at the same time every day, your body will get accustomed to it. You will wake up feeling energized and ready for the day. Even on the weekends, it’s a good idea to wake up close to your usual time rather than sleeping in.
2. Spend some alone time
We live in a very loud world, and the morning offers great opportunities for sitting quietly and spending some time doing self-reflection. Alone time gives you the chance to prepare for the day and an opportunity to feel mindful and aware.
3. Do a morning ritual
Routines and rituals have a lot of power. Find the ritual that works for you: maybe it’s drinking a cup of tea or reading a book or meditating. Discover the activity that helps your morning feel pleasant and allows you the chance to start the day with a good mood and a lot of energy.
4. Stretch or do light exercise in sunlight
Sunlight helps your body wake up fully and start the day. If you combine sunlight with some light exercise, you can start the day with a lot of energy and feeling totally ready to begin. Light exposure is great for the morning, as it sets your body’s internal clock right and exercise helps you feel motivated and prepared.
5. Plan your Day
The morning is a good time to plan your day and decide how you will spend it. You might take advantage of your energy and motivation to start with the hardest task, as it will free the rest of your day for other, more pleasant pursuits. You will also get in the right mindset and know exactly what tasks await.
Now, let’s look at five habits we should give up on.
1. Snoozing
It can feel good to hit the snooze button and doze off for another five or ten minutes. Maybe you even hit snooze several times. But this is a bad habit for several reasons. First, it reduces your sleep quality, as sleeping in chunks is not as effective.
Secondly, it can leave you feeling frustrated and tired. It’s a better idea to set your alarm as late as you can and sleep continuously, not with breaks. This will help you rise feeling more rested.
2. Looking at the phone first thing in the morning
A common habit is to start your day with your smartphone. You might check your social media of choice or scroll through a website or use your favorite apps.
However, this is a bad way to start your day. It does not motivate you to wake up and can leave you feeling drowsy. It’s better to keep the phone away and start the day with something more exciting.
3. Skipping breakfast
Often, there is no time for breakfast, so you skip it or just have coffee. While it’s OK for some people, for many the lack of food in the morning reduces their energy all through the day. Plan to eat something and give it time so that you don’t have to chew your food as you are putting on your clothes.
4. Checking your mail
Checking your email can feel like a productive habit, but when you do so first thing in the morning, it might not actually be one. An urgent mail can leave you feeling stressed and worrying about work, so your whole morning becomes focused on this issue that you often can’t start working on. It’s better to leave your email for later and give yourself a stress-free morning to boost your productivity for later.
5. Always running late
Being late can leave you feeling stressed and anxious. It saps your energy, so before you start your day, you are already feeling emotionally fatigued. Try to give yourself a bit more time to get things done and do as much prep as you can the night before.
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