If you’re like many people, your morning routine may seem like a bit of a drag. It may consist of repeatedly hitting the snooze button on your alarm clock only to roll out of bed and shuffle in a zombie-like manner only to rush to get to work on time. How you start the morning sets the tone for the entire day, including productivity levels and attitude.
Morning routine activities to feel your best
One of the best ways to increase productivity, daily success and personal optimism: establish a morning routine that sets an excellent tone for the rest of the day. Incorporating the four simple activities below into your morning routine will help set a great tone for your day.
Choose a Time and Wake up with Motive
If you hit your snooze button several times until you “have to” get out of bed, you’re setting the wrong tone for your entire day. It sets you up with the idea you are only doing things you have to do. Set the time you’re going to get up according to when you’ll have an allotted amount of time to complete all morning tasks. Then, force yourself to wake up.
Perhaps you want to wake up a half an hour early to journal, or check the news headlines, over coffee. Although “morning people” have been shown as more productive in a typical nine-to-five job, the most important thing you can do in your morning routine: wake up at a time that syncs with your body’s natural alarm clock.
Start Each Day with a Positive Podcast
Whether you listen on your drive into work or as you’re getting dressed for the day, starting mornings with positive podcasts can set an inspirational tone that’ll kick off your morning with a splash! There’s always time to learn, yet many of us don’t have the time in the morning to read several chapters of a book like Benjamin Franklin swore by as part of his morning routine. Podcasts are an exceptional way to gain knowledge whilst starting our morning with an influx of positivity and inspiration.
Sit down at the Table
One of the simplest things you can do in the morning to establish a positive day is to make time to sit down at a table, ideally to eat some type of healthy breakfast. Even if it is just for a cup of coffee or tea, physically sitting down at a table to do something productive like make a task list or check the news establishes that you will live the day with focus, not simply drift through it.
Get Moving!
When you feel great, it will make it easier to kick off your day with positivity. Starting your morning with exercise and some light stretching gets your energy flowing. Good energy sparks creative juices so you can tackle the day. This doesn’t mean you have to go out on a 10-mile run every morning at daybreak.
Simply get your blood flowing with a little movement in the morning. You can:
- walk your dog around the block
- do some light yoga
- simply make sure to stretch your muscles out
This will also help people who sit at a desk all day to get their circulation moving prior to arriving at their desks.
These are only four simple ways to start your morning with a productive drive. The most important over-arching priority is to establish a morning routine and stick to it. Starting your day with focus and purpose will help you gain those things back as a result of your day’s work and activities.
Author bio: Emma is a freelance writer based out of Boston, MA. She writes most often on health and education. When not writing, she enjoys reading and watching film noir. Say hi on Twitter @EmmaSturgis2
