Mornings can be unproductive or even a little stressful when you don’t give them some structure. Putting some thought into your morning routine can help you make the most of your mornings and set a good tone for the rest of your day. Here are five ways that you can wake up and take on the day with confidence and ease.
1. Stop Hitting Snooze Repeatedly
Hitting the snooze button again and again can be all too tempting. However, you should really try to get up right away or limit yourself to a maximum of one snooze. The longer you stay in bed, the harder it may feel to get out. Also, you may feel a little extra sluggish when you finally do. The best way to use your time in the morning efficiently is to force yourself up without any despair or dread. When you’re getting into the habit of getting out of bed quickly, it will become gradually easier and eventually become like a reflex.
2. Hydrate
Everyone’s a little dehydrated when they get out of bed just because they’re not drinking while they’re asleep. You’ll rehydrate within a few hours that you’ve been awake and drinking, but you should make it a point to rehydrate right away to feel your best. Remember that about 70% of your body is water, and you need to drink a lot of water to support all of its cellular activity. When you get up in the morning, drink eight to sixteen ounces of water right within the first half hour. You can have some OJ or coffee as well, but be sure to drink at least a glass or two of pure H2O.
3. Fuel Your Body Right
In addition to being a little dehydrated, you’re probably also a little hungry when you get up. The word “breakfast” refers to breaking fast; you were fasting while you were asleep. Even if you’re not particularly hungry in the morning, you should get in the habit of eating in the morning. Eating less at night may help you feel a little hungrier in the morning and take advantage of the benefits of eating breakfast.
Choose some healthy breakfast foods such as fruits, lean protein sources, and grains. They’ll kickstart your metabolism into gear, and they’ll make you feel full and satisfied for the first part of your day. Also, breakfast gives you a vital source of energy that helps you focus and stay sharp mentally.
4. Meditate
Setting aside some time to clear your mind and shift your thinking to neutral can have a big impact on your attitude towards the day. Morning meditation can be very calming and also somewhat empowering. It helps you be more mindful about how you’re feeling and how you want your day to go. It can also help you dispel any lingering emotions from when you were dreaming that can negatively cloud your thought process.
5. Utilize Some Pre-Morning Prep Work
When you think about making your morning routine better, you should probably give some thought to what you want to exclude from it rather than just what you want to do in it. Anything that you can do to make your mornings a little smoother will make every aspect of your routine a little more manageable. Think about what you can do in the morning that you can do the night before. Preparing meals, choosing what you want to wear, and gathering up everything you need to bring with you will fast-track your mornings and make you feel better about getting up and getting out the door.
A good morning routine lets you get more done over the course of your morning and puts you on the right track for a good day. Many of the most successful people finish most of what they need to in the first half of a day, and changing your morning routine for the better can help you be one of them!