Do any of these sound familiar? You hit the snooze button one too many times. You never allow yourself enough time to get ready in the morning. You’re always late for work. You’re bored with your morning routine. You tell yourself you’re going to get up early and workout … but you go back to sleep.
Sometimes we get in a rut, and we need to practice deliberate self-motivation to “trick” ourselves into looking forward to our morning routines. Even if you work from home or have a flexible schedule, what you do once your eyes flutter open in the morning can impact your entire day.
Optimize your morning routine with these tips that will help motivate you for the rest of your day.
Don’t Look at Your Phone
Don’t look at your devices for at least one hour after waking.
As difficult as it may be, looking at social media, text messages, chats, emails and news feeds can kick your day off to a somber start. Make a commitment not to check your phone, tablet or computer until after you’ve showered, had a cup of coffee (or your preferred beverage), and breakfast.
If you use your phone for an alarm, consider going old school. Yes, even Amazon still sells old school alarm clocks, and many smart devices have built-in alarm clock features.
Meditate
Before you say, “I can’t clear my mind of thoughts,” consider that meditation comes in many forms. It’s not always sitting cross-legged, palms up, eyes closed and humming …
For some people, meditation can happen while running or doing some sort of exercise. For others, it can happen while journaling. Try writing one or two pages of stream-of-consciousness thoughts, allowing your pen to flow over the paper. Then toss it away! Yet others do a daily devotional reading or they read a daily reader that contains a special thought for the day. You might also simply enjoy a cup of coffee or tea outside, if the weather permits, or near a window and simply taking in the colors, smells, sights and sounds of nature.
Whatever works for you, do it for 30 minutes every morning.
Improve Your Oral Care Routine
Treat yourself to luxury oral care products that make you feel like you’ve got a spa in your own bathroom. You’ll look forward to getting out of bed in the morning when you’ve got a line of toothpaste, mouth rinse, and whiteners that not only work great, but they also protect your teeth from decay.
Not only will you look forward to getting up in the morning, but you’ll be improving your overall health by taking better care of your smile.
Practice Gratitude
Here’s something you can do while you meditate or instead of looking at your phone: Make a mental list of 5 to 10 people who you wish well. Try to include someone who drove you bonkers the day before.
Research strongly suggests that people who practice gratitude and counting blessings are happier and less depressed. Researchers from Indiana University found that writing gratitude letters every day relieved students from negative emotions. You don’t have to mail the letters for them to work on your attitude, either. Only a small number of the participants actually sent the letters.
Hydrate and Don’t Skip Breakfast
Your body hasn’t had any food or liquid for at least 8 hours, if you got a full night’s sleep. It needs water. If you’re a coffee drinker, drink a glass of water while your coffee brews.
Water in the morning is good for your skin, for your digestive system, and for your brain, according to a compilation of studies by Medical News Today.
Follow your glass of water with a healthy breakfast — skip sugary cereals and pastries and replace those with oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, or scrambled egg whites. The key to a healthy breakfast is planning ahead, and when you plan ahead that gives you yet another thing to look forward to when you wake in the morning.
Make Your Bed
As we’re talking about optimizing your morning and getting yourself out the door on time, why would we advise you to take time to make your bed? Seems like yet one more thing to do that gets in the way of waking up and getting out the door, right?
Making the bed is the first thing you can cross off your to-do list for the day. If you let it, making your bed can give you a sense of accomplishment, and think about how lovely it will be to return home at the end of the day to your freshly made bed.
In “The Power of Habit,” the author says that daily bed-making starts off a chain of decision-making that will follow throughout the day. How long does it take to make the bed? 2 minutes? Worth it.
The Key is in Planning
The key to successfully jumpstarting your morning routine is to plan it ahead of time. Rather than falling asleep with the TV timer set to auto-off in 59 minutes, plan your morning. What will you wear? What will you eat? What will you read or do while you enjoy your morning coffee or breakfast?
Set your alarm clock and turn your phone to airplane mode, if possible (some people simply cannot do this for work and family-related reasons). Allow yourself an extra 20 to 30 minutes for your “me time,” which is when you can practice your meditation and gratitude. Lay out your clothes the night before, and get your toiletries ready for your morning ritual. Plan your breakfast.
And don’t forget: Make your bed.
Sources:
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain
https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/649915/novel-bookwallets-etsy?utm_content=infinitescroll1
https://www.verywellmind.com/morning-routine-4174576
https://www.thespruce.com/reasons-to-make-your-bed-every-day-350511
What are your key tips for optimizing your morning routine?
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