The same few rules have been hammered into you for as long as you can remember. Get up at the same time every day. Don’t use electronics before going to bed. Set the thermostat at an optimal temperature. While these tips may help you sleep better, there are plenty of morning rituals that promise to make your entire day better. Here are a few changes you’ll want to make and just watch how they transform your entire routine by setting the tone for a better day, each and every day.
Eat Breakfast
Skipping breakfast is pretty common. It’s the one part of the whole morning routine that really gets the shaft — and why not, especially if you’ll be eating lunch in a few hours? But there’s a reason it’s known as the most important meal of the day. Fuel yourself with something nourishing, like oatmeal or scrambled eggs. Skip the quick-fix, sugary breakfast bars and give yourself a few extra minutes to build your strength for the day. If time is a concern, whip up your breakfast the night before. It’s worth the end result.
Exercise
An exercise regimen is a vital part of anyone’s day, but it’s especially important to get in some movement in the morning. Don’t feel you need to commit to a marathon workout session, either. Even a few quick stretches and yoga poses will get your blood flowing. That’s the key, after all since a workout boosts your energy and sets the tone for the rest of your day.
Enjoy the Silence
Morning is the perfect time (and possibly the only time) to soak up the silence. Take the opportunity to sip your favorite tea or coffee, gaze out the window and gather your thoughts. Before you know it, the day will begin, the emails will pour in, the phone won’t stop ringing and you’ll wish you had a moment to breathe. Let that moment happen first thing every day.
Avoid Technology
Poll your friends and chances are that a good majority of them will spend the first few minutes of their day scrolling through Twitter and Facebook feeds before they even get out of bed. If you can, avoid grabbing your phone first thing. You’ll have plenty of time to connect and satisfy your tech needs during the day, but you definitely won’t have those few lazy a.m. moments to yourself later on.
Prep Your To-Do List
Don’t start your day with a jumbled mess of things that need to be accomplished. The night before, jot down an itemized list that will carry you through the day. As you complete each task, cross each item off one by one. This is both motivating and energizing — you’ll find that even the most daunting tasks don’t seem like such a big deal when you wake up each morning ready to tackle each one.
Create a Morning Ritual
Whether it’s starting your day off with a cup of tea as you browse your favorite websites or reading the newspaper on the porch, it’s helpful to have something to look forward to. It’s these little routines that become rituals, giving your mornings some balance, something that goes well beyond the chaos that typically defines a hectic, harried morning.
Change Your Mindset
If you’ve ever uttered the words, “I’m not a morning person,” you’re setting yourself up for failure. Fake it until you make it! Be open to the concept of enjoying the morning hours. Set your alarm a few minutes earlier every day, until you find it easier to wake up. Even if you truly are more of a night person, remind yourself that you can make the change and become a morning person.
