Good morning!
Mornings set the tone for the day ahead. They can have a lot of effect on how the rest of the day goes. Yet, a lot of the times, we rush right through them. Some days we’ll snooze our alarm clocks until we’re rushing to get to work – without having time to start the day with ease – and feel like our best selves going into the day.
If you don’t feel like you have a good morning routine down (or you’re just looking to make it a little better), here are ten easy ways to improve your morning routine.
Do a power post for 2-5 minutes
I watched this Ted Talk about power posing awhile back about how our body language defines who we are. By posing in a power pose (think: Wonder Woman) for five minutes a day, you can become more confident and assertive throughout the rest of the day. I felt like it sounded ridiculous until I tried it, probably a year after seeing the video. I had a phone interview later that day and I was nervous.
So, I decided to try power posing to see how I felt afterward. I noticed a slight change in my confidence almost immediately. Try adding this to your morning routine and see if it gives you that little confidence boost.
Plan & prepare
Go into the day with intention. Prep your meals, plan your appointments out, and block out important family and personal time. Get yourself organized, either the night before or in the mornings. Planning your day can be fun and also helps set the tone for the day ahead. When I don’t plan my day out (and some days I don’t), they tend to be far less productive. I just bought a new planner for the New Year to get me excited about planning. I find that creating a way to get excited about planning (especially if you’re not a planner type of person), is essential in getting started.
Wake up 15 minutes earlier
I used to struggle with mornings, and the only way I’m able to wake up before 6 am now is because I gradually increased my wakeup time – and make sure I’m able to get 8 hours of sleep.
Stop pressing the snooze button. Spend a few minutes standing and stretching – and put your phone at the other side of the room, so you have to get up.
Look forward to breakfast
I find it difficult to get out of a warm and comfy bed in the morning. But one thing that makes it easier is knowing that I have coffee and avocado toast to look forward to.
Pick a healthy breakfast that makes you excited to get out of bed. Don’t even think beyond breakfast. Don’t think about all the things you have to do or something that you’re dreading that day. Just get your sleepy ass to your coffee maker and pour yourself a cup – after you chug some water first, of course.
Check something off your to-do list
The best way to feel pumped up on a Monday morning? Check a little something on that pesky to-do list. If you’re waking up fifteen minutes earlier, finding the time to do this should be easy! It doesn’t have to be a big item, but if it can take you less than ten minutes to do and you’ve been putting it off, do it. You’ll be happy later that day, knowing that you accomplished something you’d been meaning to do.
Exercise
Move your body – in whatever way that works best for you. It could be a walk, or a yoga or HIIT session. It’s good for the mind, body and soul. And you see it on every list for a reason – because it’s essential.
Drink a glass of water
I try to drink a glass of water before drinking my morning coffee. I often feel dehydrated in the mornings and I feel like I’m slightly more refreshed after drinking water first thing. It’s also recommended that you add a little lemon and that your water is warm. But for me right now, it’s an accomplishment enough to get some water in before my morning coffee.
Think about what you’re grateful for
You don’t necessarily need to write it down. But while you’re in the shower or driving to work, start thinking about everything you’re grateful for. Start with something big like Nature and get down small. For example: I am thankful for all of nature. I am thankful for the birds that are chirping. I am thankful for the sunsets and sunrises. I am thankful for rainbows and waterfalls. You get the picture. Pick a new category to dive into each day. Doing this will truly put things into perspective.
Write down three big goals for the day
Aiming for three big to-dos is enough – and the rest you get done is a bonus. Write down the big three – and stay committed to checking them off by the end of the day.
Write a message to someone you miss or care about
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of making someone else’s day. Take the time to remember what’s going on in your friends’ and family’s lives. Tell people you miss them. Tell people how much you appreciate having them in your life. One thing the San Bernardino shooting (local to us at LGM) and all the other horrific tragedies lately have taught us is that life can be taken away from us and the ones we love at a moment’s notice. Tell people you love them and miss them. It’s important.
Let us know if you decide to implement one or two of these into your morning routine. We’d love to know how it goes.
What do you do in your daily morning routine?
