Kickstart Your Day with a Healthy Morning Routine

The holidays are over, and we’re all back at our desks, and whether that’s studying or work, it can be hard to maintain the momentum from those lofty New Year’s resolutions. Starting your day in the right frame of mind can help, but how do you do that when staying in bed seems so much easier? Here are some tips to get your mornings off the ground in the best possible way:

Start the night before

If you struggle to get going in the morning, it can help to start the night before. Keep a notebook next to your bed, and write down three things that you need to do the following day. According to the Business Insider, “Kenneth Chenault, CEO of American Express, writes down three things he wants to accomplish the next day.” Having that down on paper will help calm your mind and make it ready for sleep, but it will also get your day off to a head start as you already know the three most important things you need to do.

Get enough sleep

Trying to be productive on minimal sleep can be a big ask. Aim to get to bed early enough to ensure that you have between seven and eight hours sleep every night. Tip: the iOS Alarm app has a bedtime feature that reminds you to go to bed, and wakes you up gently in the morning. There are so many benefits to getting enough sleep 2, but at the very least it will make getting up in the morning much easier.

Wake up early

When asked, many successful people say that the secret behind their success is waking up early 3. Getting up before anyone else needs you, gives you time to yourself and a headstart to the day. Think you’re not a morning person? Get up at 5am for a few days, and you’ll find you fall asleep much more easily at night, making getting up that early much easier.

Make your bed

It might seem like a small thing, but making your bed as soon as you get up can make a psychological difference to your day. It’s a simple task that takes just a few minutes to do, giving you a small sense of accomplishment first thing in the morning. According to Navy SEAL Commander, Admiral McRaven, it “sets the tone for the rest of the day.”

Move your caffeine to later in the morning

The way your body works hormonally is to send a shot of cortisol — the stress hormone — through your body to wake you up. Moving your morning coffee to 1-2 hours after you wake up gives you the caffeine jolt you need when you need it: after the cortisol has dispersed from your system 5. Of course, if you can do away with caffeine, it has great benefits for your quality of sleep, but if you do feel more alert after your cuppa joe, changing the timing may make it more effective.

So if you’re looking for ways to get a headstart on the day, try adding a few of these tricks to your morning routine. A healthy morning routine could be just the change you need to keep your momentum going all year.

Source:

  1. 4 Ways To Plan For A Super-Productive Day The Night Before: https://www.fastcompany.com/3056383/4-ways-to-plan-for-a-super-productive-day-the-night-before
  2. How Sleep Can Help You Be More Productive at Work: https://sleep.org/articles/sleep-and-productivity-at-work/
  3. The Power of Mornings: Why Successful Entrepreneurs Get up Early: https://www.entrepreneurmag.co.za/advice/personal-improvement/self-development/the-power-of-mornings-why-successful-entrepreneurs-get-up-early/
  4. A Navy SEAL commander explains why you should make your bed every single day: http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-seal-commander-explains-why-you-should-make-your-bed-2017-4
  5. Your relationship between sleep and coffee, and how can you use coffee best?: http://thebedcompany.co.za/blog/your-relationship-between-sleep-and-coffee-how-can-you-use-coffee-best/

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