How you feel at the start of your days is a good indicator of how the rest of the day is going to turn out.
If you wake up feeling groggy and struggle to get out of bed, it’s likely you’d remain in this state of mind throughout the day. But if you get out of bed on the right foot, you’re sure to be setting yourself up for a productive day.
That being said, here are 7 habits to have in your morning routine for a great start.
1. Wake up early
Oftentimes, the early bird really does catch the worm. Waking up early has been shown by several studies to be a popular habit among CEOs, with many jumping out of bed as early as 4 am. Waking up early gives you time to get things done in the morning and to prepare for a worthwhile day.
However, this also means you’ll have to practice going to sleep earlier than usual. It may seem hard to do if you’ve been a night owl all your life, but you body clock will learn to adapt soon enough.
2. Don’t hit the snooze button
Studies have shown that most adults spend 25 minutes in the morning continuously hitting the snooze button on their alarms. This means wasting almost half an hour every morning! An extra 5 minutes of snoozing might seem necessary when you’re tired and groggy in the mornings, but that’s often not the case.
In fact, snoozing an extra few minutes before actually waking up might make you even more tired than you were before. This is because your body spends some time preparing you to wake up in the mornings. So when you go back to sleep, you disrupt this cycle and don’t leave enough time for your body to properly fire up again.
So as groggy as you feel in the mornings, convince yourself that waking up there and then will be a lot better for you than spending a few extra minutes in bed.
3. Make your bed
As insignificant as it seems, making your bed in the mornings is an easy way to make yourself happier. It’s the first and simplest task of your day and will give you the kick start to complete other tasks that await you.
Always remember: if you can’t muster up the effort to get the little things done, how will you ever get the big and important stuff done?
4. Drink a big glass of water
Imagine the effects of not drinking anything for 8 hours straight. It doesn’t seem like a very good idea. But that is exactly what happens when you’re asleep every night. Even if you don’t feel thirsty in the mornings, it’s likely you’re dehydrated.
Drinking a large glass of water every morning will help boost your metabolism and flush out any harmful toxins. This will result in you feeling energized and less fatigued.
5. Get your heart rate up
There have long been debates as to when the best time of the day to workout is. While exercise is good for you no matter what time of day you do it, it is not doubt that morning exercises can give you the energy you need to start your day. Working out in the mornings have been proven to help properly ‘wake your mind up’ and improve focus and mental coordination all day long.
If you don’t have time to do a full routine every morning in the gym, a short 10-15 minute jog might give you just what you need.
6. Do the thing you dread most
If you have a long list of tasks you need to get done that day, start off with the one you want to do least. You’ll have the most energy in the morning to so it’s a good idea to get the toughest job out of the way first. Getting the most difficult task done first will also encourage you to get the easier things done as the day goes on.
7. Figure out one thing you want to accomplish that day
With many of us leading such busy lives, it’s oftentimes hard to keep track of what we really feel is important. You can help yourself figure this out by deciding on one thing you definitely want to get done each day. Set some time for yourself in the morning to determine one task you’d like to accomplish.
It could even be as simple as choosing to spend a little extra time with your kids in the evening. It all depends on you. Ending each day knowing you’ve succeeded will give you the motivation you need to begin the next day right.
