7 Morning Habits to Start your Day Off Right
Ever notice when your morning gets off to a hectic start the rest of the day seems to reflect that restless mood as well? I know that when I've snoozed my alarm for the 8th time and barely gave myself time to make a cup of coffee, I'm far from the best version of myself.
Fact is, the tone of your morning often determines the mood of your entire day, so developing a healthy morning routine is vital. So set your intentions and let’s jump right in!
1. Wake Up Early
This one might be obvious, but you'd be surprised how often it gets overlooked. If you want any chance that your new morning routine will be effective, you have to give yourself time to execute it. Set your alarm 30 minutes before you think you have to so you can perform your routine in a calm and leisurely manner.
2. Snooze Your Smartphone
We are all guilty of grabbing our phones the minute we wake up. It's almost like second nature to compulsively check for notifications. Time to Break. The. Cycle. For starters, when you immediately look at your phone, you may be met with stress from work, unfortunate news, etc. meaning you can literally get news that will ruin your day. We can also get so engrossed in our phone that we don't even have enough time to do anything else productive! Instead, try remaining detached from technology for the first hour of your day so you can focus on setting your intentions and giving yourself time for a healthy start.
3. Warm Lemon Water FTW
Drinking a glass of warm or room-temperature water with lemon first thing in the morning does wonders for your body. Adding this step to your routine has been found to stimulate your metabolism, aid in digestion, hydrate the skin, and remove toxins from your digestive tract. Bottoms up! Pro tip: Prep a glass of hot lemon water by your bed the night before so you can have it ready as soon as you wake up!
4. Make your bed
Guess Mom was right! Making your bed IS important! It may seem like a waste of time (I mean, aren't we just going to use it again at night?), but making your bed is a simple action that can make you feel accomplished—and when you start your day with a sense of pride, it carries over into all of your other tasks! And let me tell you, it is a beautiful thing to come home to a clean room and a made bed.
5. Meditate
Meditation is a great way to set your intention for the day. When you clear your mind, you can make better decisions for how you will accomplish those intensions. If you don't currently meditate, start small and slowly build your way up. Begin by setting a timer for 5 minutes and find a comfortable place to sit. Close your eyes and focus on your breath. Counting helps and when you notice your mind wandering, try to gently guide your thoughts back to your breath. Be patient, it takes time to really get the hang of it!
6. Stretch, Yoga, or Just Get Active
Ever notice how incredible that first morning stretch feels? That's because our bodies are craving it. It doesn't have to be long or complicated, heck, even walking your dog is something. But make sure you incorporate some type of movement so you can energize your body and mind. I love setting a 5 minute timer and doing a quick yoga flow.
7. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
For the love of all things beautiful, please DO NOT start your day with sugary cereals, Poptarts, Cinnamon Rolls, you get the idea...Now there is nothing wrong with indulging every now and then, but be mindful of your morning sugar intake! On that note, you also shouldn't start your day with nothing! The experts aren't lying when they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Think lean proteins, healthy fats, and whole grains, and you’ll curb your hunger, kickstart your metabolism, and have great energy and focus to tackle the day!
Morning routines are not created equal and these are just a few out of the many healthy habits you can start forming today. Feel free to mention any other good ideas in the comments, who knows, maybe we'll even write a blog post about it!
Sending love and light, always!