Starting your day off on a positive note can have an incredible impact on your daily outlook. Even your long-term health will benefit from a few small things you can easily incorporate into your daily routine. Just one point of caution, do not overwhelm yourself by trying to completely change your morning routine all at once! Be patient and try to add positivity to your morning routine slowly by adding one thing at a time. I am sure you have heard before that you can create a healthy habit in as little as 21 days as long as you stay consistent. Yes, consistency is the main ingredient here.
Also, you do not have to incorporate each one on the list below to start your day off on a positive note. The last thing you want is to wake up to yet another to-do list before you even start your day. But, I do recommend you give each of the methods below a try. Overtime you will see which ones work for you and become second nature and which ones feel more like a task.
Meditate Regularly
Did you know that morning meditation is more fruitful than at any other time of the day? Contrary to popular belief, all you really need is between 10 and 15 minutes of meditation a day and the morning time is the best time of day to squeeze this in. While you are still in bed take 10-15 minutes to meditate, you can close your eyes as you lay in bed or you can sit up on your bed. Whichever way you find it easier to focus on your breathing is the way to go.
Exercise
I know this is a tough one - but exercise is one of the best ways to feel energized and get ready to conquer you day. Morning exercise is one thing I struggle with. I get into these health kicks where I will be on a roll and workout 3-4 times a week and then there are times when I cannot get myself to work out even if I was paid to do so. Nonetheless, I know how important it is to get your body moving first thing in the morning. For example, it does wonders to your metabolism, you will feel energized right away and overtime as your body gets used to the routine you may not even need an alarm to wake up in the morning!
Alarm Choice
Believe it or not the sounds you wake up to will have an impact on your mood. If you live in the city (like me) you may be used to waking up to trucks driving by, people talking loudly, cars honking and the list goes on - truth be told - growing up in the city has conditioned me to sleep through pretty much any sound. One way I have tried to combat waking up to busy and obnoxious sounds is by picking a soothing musical tone as opposed to the traditional (and annoying) alarm beep. Believe it or not, this has made a huge difference for me in the past several months.
Hydrate
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! I cannot stress this one enough. When you sleep for 7-8 hours at a time your body becomes dehydrated, just imagine how thirsty you would be if you did not drink anything throughout the day. Not only does your body need the hydration, water first thing in the morning will flush toxins out and it will boost your metabolism. Drink a full glass of water first thing in the morning before you have your coffee and/or breakfast. You will instantly feel a positive difference.
Make Your Bed
Making your bed in the morning matters much more than you may think. Aside from that fact that it only takes two minutes, you will feel a sense of accomplishment right away. This is a very easy way to begin your day on a positive note and it is something you will thank yourself for doing once you come home at night to a freshly made bed.
There you have it! Those are five quite simple actions you can choose from to incorporate to your morning routine. My mornings consist of a soothing alarm sound, a glass of water and making my bed. It took me a while to nail down the actions I can take that are quick and effective for me because I do not give myself much time in the morning. If I have not mentioned it before, I am not much of a morning person!
Do you have any morning routines that instantly make you feel better? Is there anything you have been meaning to incorporate to your morning routine but have not gotten around to doing so yet?