If your mornings currently resemble a chaotic whirlwind rather than a serene sunrise, fear not – we've got your back. Whether you're a seasoned morning person or hitting the snooze button is your daily cardio, we've got tips and tricks to help you boost productivity, sprinkle in some success, and start your day on the right foot. Not all of us can wake up at 5 am ready to tackle the day. A morning routine should be personal to you and your lifestyle. In fact, testing and creating your perfect morning routine is proven to boost productivity. Hal Elrod, author of "The Miracle Morning" said, “Focused, productive, successful mornings generate focused, productive, successful days–which inevitably create a successful life.”
Below are some ideas for creating your ideal morning.
This seems like a no-brainer but you'd be surprised by how many people just lay in bed and scroll. Having to brush your teeth immediately forces you to jump start your day.
Try a mediation app like Calm or Headspace if you need help getting started. If you don't like to meditate, sit with yourself for a few moments and be fully present.
If you have a four-legged friend then this comes easy. Getting some fresh air in the morning will help you naturally wake up. You can walk to a local coffee shop if you live in a city or simply take a quick walk outside.
Drinking lemon water has many benefits such as helping with digestion. If you don't like lemon water, try tea or bone broth! Extra points if you prepare the ingredients the prior night.
You wouldn't allow a ton of people to walk into your room the moment you wake up, would you? So why hop on to social media and allow all of those people into your mind? Give yourself time to fully wake up, grab a beverage, and relax before checking social media platforms or email.
No one likes to be rushed, especially in the morning. If work starts at 8 am, try to wake up by 6 or 6:30 am to allow enough time for your morning routine.
Figure out your schedule based on how you feel that day. Assess your energy levels to time block meetings, appointments, and deep work times. Some days you might have 1 time block for a large project that'll take 8 hours to complete while other days you'll have 4-5 shorter time blocks to work on various projects. You can also keep it simple and write down 5 tasks that you want to focus on. The goal here is not to be overwhelmed.
Set a goal to read for 10 minutes, 10 pages, or 1 chapter. You can read a book, articles, or whatever else you enjoy.
Spotify has a ton of playlists that you can start playing the moment you wake up. If you prefer the silence first thing, then you can play the music after some time. Some playlists that I love: The French Library, Rainy Days Music, Melantronic, Morning Acoustic, Morning Chill
Keeping a tidy space can have a huge effect on your mood and help your mental health. Make your bed, light a candle, open the curtains, and put the dishes away. If you're working from home, it is even more important to keep the space tidy.
Figure out what form of exercise you like to do — is it stretching, 50 jumping jacks, or yoga. Book a morning class at the gym to keep you consistent or start with an underdesk walking pad.
A journal can be for many things, expressing gratitude, visualizing, or simply writing how you feel. Check this one out with prompts: The Five Minute Journal
Rather than spending time throughout the day, set aside 30 minutes in the morning to consume content online — this can be for pleasure or business but it will train your mind to only spend 30 minutes.
Sometimes creativity sparks in the morning. Work on writing, painting, a home project, candle making or whatever creative activity that brings you joy. This may not be for everyone since most people prefer to jump right into work.
make this 1 task that's difficult or that you've been putting off. when you get it done, you'll feel better
set time aside to comment and like accounts in the morning; this can be key if you're a content creator
Focus on one task at a time to enhance concentration and productivity throughout the day.
Starting your day with protein is game changer. You won't be as productive throughout the day if you don't fuel yourself with the right ingredients. Women should be having about 50-100 grams of protein based on their body weight. You can start with a protein smoothie, toast, eggs, nuts, or anything that you enjoy eating.
Try to keep your body in rhythm by sleeping and waking up at about the same time everyday. When you continuously change the time, it throws off your sleep cycle and your mood.
Many of us will wake up and immediately have coffee. Although it is the quickest way to wake you up, coffee may also cause an upset stomach, dehydration, and increased cortisol levels (aka stress). Save the coffee for when you're done with your water and with breakfast.
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