Mornings don’t have to be messy or feared! It is totally possible to do more than just grab a rushed cup of coffee in the morning and feel stressed before your day has even begun with some simple adjustments. It is also well known that if the morning doesn’t go well, then the rest of the day may not either, so the morning routine is truly underappreciated!
The following 5 tips will help you upgrade your mornings, which will then help set you up for an even better overall day:
- Try a power pose to set the day – Something like the Wonder Woman or Superman power pose apparently work well according to the Ted Talk by Amy Cuddy on this topic. Amy says, standing in a posture of confidence, even when we don’t feel confident, can boost feelings of confidence, and might have an impact on our chances for success.
- Plan and prepare – Setting your day up with intention can increase your chances of feeling productive and healthy. Plan as much as you can in the morning or the night before even; think about appointments – who are you booked to see?, food – what will you eat? and even chill time for your day – can you fit in a walk in nature at lunch? You might find it best to do this in the shower as this is where a lot of people claim to be able to think clearer in the morning.
- Get up earlier – Always feel short of time and rushed in the morning? Try something simple such as getting up earlier. Even an extra 15 minutes early can give you enough time to plan and prepare as is mentioned above. This may be something you have to train your body to do and an alarm clock may help you do it consistently.
- Drink and eat – Starting with a glass of water and nourishing breakfast that contains healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates, this is a great way to set your mood up for the day and to give you some good solid energy and clarity to handle whatever the day throws at you. Foods high in refined carbohydrates (think sugar laden processed cereal) without any protein and/or fats is just going to spike your blood sugar and cause a massive crash, causing energy (and mood) to go with it.
- Speak to someone you care about – Life cannot just be all work and very little time for the people who bring you great joy. Send someone you care about a thoughtful message and see how much joy and happiness it brings them and you. Human contact is needed more than ever in today’s fragmented society.
TIP: If you struggle to stick to a well planned morning routine, consider writing or printing out a routine chart that you can see first thing when you wake to help set your intentions for the day immediately and to keep achieving your morning routine goals.