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Mornings… time for a refresh, new start, and beginning of new memories. Mornings are where your outlook for the day ahead begins. Make it positive, happy, inspiring, and productive. This becomes easier when you establish a super morning routine! Don’t expect all morning routines to look the same. We are all unique, creative individuals in our own way and that’s what makes life so amazing!
Having trouble where to start when developing a morning routine that fits you? Read on for advice and tips that will help start your mornings off right!
Ditch the phone
There’s nothing like waking up to immediate stress. Your phone allows access for easy distractions. Whether through texts, emails, calls, or app notifications distractions are a sure way to start off your day riding downhill. Rather than reaching for the phone, clear your mind and take in a deep breath. Less stimulation in the morning results in a more productive and creative start!
Extend this process to include the night before and you will be amazed at how much easier falling asleep becomes!
Wake up early
Whether you work day, evening, or night shift wake up at a time that would be considered ‘early’ for your schedule. With more time between wake up and work, you give yourself time to prepare mentally, physically, and emotionally for the day ahead. Feeling awake and energized will help you accomplish more… even those tasks that seems so daunting!
Waking up early can seem difficult to some, but it gets easier! I took a ride on this struggle bus through certain times of my life, but the feeling of waking up early can’t be beat! Personally, it helps my creative juices flow much easier and gets me excited for the day!
Drink a full glass of water
Imagine going through a full day of work without a sip of water. Feeling a little parched right? Although you’re not up and moving, your body needs to rehydrate after a good night’s sleep too. Before reaching for that cup of delightful, warm coffee or tea give your body a full glass of water.
Water has been proven to increase digestion and metabolism. This is key to a healthy lifestyle and a great start to your day! Water also increases oxygen within your cells, which in turn gets delivered to your brain. This sets you up for a morning of clarity and energy.
Continue drinking water throughout the day and it’s amazing how much better your body and mind will feel! My personal favorite water bottle to keep me drinking water all day is this one, which can be found on Amazon!
Little bit of self-care
I can’t stress this one enough! Self-care goes a long way and is a must for a successful morning routine! Whether it’s a steamy, hot shower or a nice soak in the tub with an essential-oil infused bath bomb, find yourself a good wake-me-up. I’m all about these natural bath bombs if you don’t have a personal favorite yet! If you prefer night-time hygiene, try treating yourself to a morning face mask… there are many out there from moisturizing to charcoal and even glitter or foil ones! Relax with your favorite cup of coffee or tea and you’re set!
Self-care isn’t just physical, but mental and emotional. Your creativity has its most potential in the morning. Spend some time creatively or giving a hobby some attention. Reading a good book or devoting some time to pray can help you prepare mentally for the day. Throw on your favorite podcast or listen to some music… whatever brings you joy!
Exercise your mind and body
Exercise comes in all forms and can prepare you for the day with a positive, optimistic outlook. I’m not saying hop on the treadmill and run until you’re exhausted, but a simple walk can do the trick. Weather permitting, outdoor walking can be very invigorating! The sight and smell of nature can heighten your mood and has been shown to help with depression and/or anxiety! Yoga and meditation are also excellent ways to not only exercise your muscles, but your mind as well. Throw in some floor workouts and stretching to really fuel those endorphins!
Not into traditional ‘exercises’? I get it! Do something enjoyable that can also stretch your muscles. For example, gardening can be a simple workout and is quite relishing in the early mornings!
Fuel your body
Just like a car you need to fuel your body to keep it going. Be sure to give your body a premium energy and make your breakfast healthy! There are so many delicious, healthy breakfast options. My personal favorite is an avocado and egg on a wheat thin or skinny bagel! Check out Pinterest for simple, nutritional ideas!
Be thankful!
You woke up! That’s something to be thankful for in itself. Every morning, try making a list of at least three things you’re thankful for. You can write them on a dry-erase board or even a piece of paper to bring with you throughout the day as a constant reminder. If you keep a daily journal, make them the first part of your entry! Remembering why you’re thankful will start your morning off feeling humble and improve your interactions with family, friends, and coworkers.
My personal favorite ‘thankful exercise’ is embracing my husband, kids, and pets every morning! Not only does this release endorphins and lower your stress, but it reminds those how much they are loved.
Prepare a list the night before
This is a sure way to make your mornings flow smoothly! As a task comes across your mind the day before be sure to write it down to prevent forgetting about it! I’m guilty of this one! It seems the more children I have, the more my mind seems to slip! Writing things down as you think of them is an easy way to make sure this doesn’t happen. When you have a list ready to go this will ease your mind and make self-care more enjoyable.
Keeping a planner, tear-away sheets, or a whiteboard makes planning and organizing a breeze! I personally love these daily planner sheets. They have just about every detail you would need to complete a day. The must-do section is great for making note of your most daunting task. I enjoy starting the day by marking this task off my list first as it makes the rest of the day less frazzled.
Pick up the night before
Clothes, toys, and blankets seem to gravitate towards the floor in my home. Whatever it is in your home, picking these things up prior to cuddling under your bed blankets is a great habit to start. Alongside picking up the floor, clearing the sinks is a great bed-time task. Decluttering the home declutters your mind setting you up for a great night’s sleep and amazing morning!
Upon waking up, make your bed, open the blinds, and put those clean dishes away. Accomplishing small tasks in the morning opens the path to accomplishing those bigger tasks later!
Evaluate your morning routine
The wonderful thing about morning routines is that they can CHANGE! When you are developing a morning routine for whatever part of life you are in, you need to be adaptable. What is working for you? What is not working for you? What distracts you? Deciding what to change can improve your morning routine the following days! Have fun and be flexible!
What does your current morning routine look like?
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