So how does your morning usually start? Is it with a cup of coffee, a jog, a prayer, or a good read? Whatever it is we all have a morning routine that we don’t actually notice that we keep on doing every day. So what if I have a routine will it affect me or my life? Well, the answer is yes. It will ultimately affect your success. And now, you are thinking!
Morning sets our momentum throughout the day. And if you’ll take control of your morning, you’re sure to have a productive day ahead. Here are perfect morning routines that will guide and lead you to a successful day!
- Wake up at YOUR time.
Waking up early is one of the best ways to be more productive. A study even reported that early-risers feel happier and healthier compared to night owls or those who tend to stay up until late at night. It is true that people who wake up earlier are often more productive, but that doesn’t mean that night owls can’t actually do the same. They can also be produced through their morning starts a little later.
According to Sleep.org, our body knows what it should be doing and when. And getting enough sleep and waking up when your body is ready will often lead to a more productive day than forcing yourself out of bed before your brain is ready. Because being productive is not about what time you wake up. It is getting in tune with your body’s clock or the time when you feel that you are almost ready.
- Sweat, Breath and Hydrate.
Aside from allowing your body to burn more calories for the rest of the day, good morning exercise will also condition your body for a long day’s work. Research shows that exercise or sweating out in the morning is actually more effective in waking up the mind and body than a glass of coffee. And not only it will make you feel awake; it will also give you more energy to do tasks you have lined up for the day plus it can also regulate your breathing – another important thing to do in the morning. Our body runs low on oxygen in the morning so taking a few deep breaths can be like a semi-coffee for your soul, oxygenating your blood, will get you up and keep you more awake.
Another great way to continue with your morning momentum- both with metabolism, alertness, and productivity is by rehydration. Also drinking water first thing in the morning also helps in cleansing the colon and flushing out toxins from your body.
- Meditate.
You can actually meditate at any time of the day or night, but research suggests that the most ideal time to meditate is first thing in the morning. It is because the benefits of meditation are enhanced when your mind is free and clear.
Meditation or having a few minutes of silence and stillness in the morning sets your day with calmness, focus, and control. And the endorphins released by meditation is not only good for our emotional well-being, but it is also an energy booster to make you feel more awake and alert.
- Read and record.
Research confirms the brain is most active and creative immediately following sleep. Thus, reading first thing in the morning helps you to retain more information which is good to acquire more knowledge. Reading especially the newspapers gives you an idea of what is going on with the world so if by chance it will affect your business or work you have time to change or adjust whatever plans you have for the day.
While having a journal or taking down notes of the useful information you just acquired is a good way of keeping new ideas to make it work. A daily journal will also remind you of your goals and the things you should be thankful for that makes you happier and relaxed throughout the day.
5. Make your bed
Making the bed helps you get moving in the morning. The few minutes of straightening up the covers and sheets give you energy and a feeling of accomplishment first thing in the morning. And it is good to come home and climb to a bed that is made after a long tiring day. A made bed also gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.
While Pulitzer prize-winning reporter and best-selling author Charles Duhigg wrote that getting into the routine of making your bed every morning is correlated with increased productivity. Making your bed doesn’t necessarily cause you to get more done at work, Duhigg writes, but it’s a “keystone habit” that can spark “chain reactions that help other good habits take hold.”
6. First things first.
Mornings are the ideal time to focus on an important work project. Spending your morning working on your biggest project ensures that you can make it done on that same day without being interrupted. And building the habit to do your biggest task first can give you a huge boost of accomplishment. Because when you finish the most crucial tasks the other things you need to do may seem easy.
7. Start your AM routine in the PM
To make sure that you will have a productive morning you should start planning your day the night before. Not only it gives you more time to do your work but it also allows you to identify what to do and what to prioritize.
We have a limited amount of willpower and decision-making ability every day so the thought of making too many decisions in the morning will slow you down and drain your brain for the rest of the day. So it is better to plan the night before and reserve your energy to get an early start on important work in the morning for a more productive day.
8. Leave your phones alone.
It is a habit of all of us to check notifications on our phones when we wake up but the bad news is that research shows this greatly affects our productivity throughout the day by hijacking our morning routine.
According to Michael McQueen, the author of Momentum: How to Build it, Keep it, or Get it Back, the first ten minutes of a day are crucial to the success of our week. So instead of wasting it checking on social media accounts, we should be doing something proactive that makes us feel in control. Aside from wasting your precious time doing more important things, looking at your phone first thing in the morning also hurts your eyes. Because our eyes haven’t adjusted to the light and phone screens are too bright to stare upon waking up. And it is highly recommended to you wait 20 minutes before exposing your eyes to screen time.
9. Create a routine and maintain.
It is important to create a routine to balance work and fun. It also helps you to be organized and focused to reach your goals and intentions. We all have different routines but all it takes is a bit of discipline and dedication. And you just need to do things at your own pace, because nobody knows you better than yourself.
