Each new morning signals a new day. A new day for hope, a new day for love, a new day to accomplish something amazing, and a new day for a chance to do good for ourselves and others.
That all sound amazing until you stumble out of bed, quickly make coffee and run out the door only to feel drained and exhausted before even leaving the house.
It’s true. What you do in the morning will make a different. Getting up 15 minutes earlier doesn’t really give you much more sleep however, what you do with those 15 minutes when you are up can make you feel like you’ve slept 2 more hours.
How you start this new day will set the tone for the whole day! So it’s important you do it right. Which is why I have come up with 7 things to do every morning before 9A.M. so can make the most out of your day and bring new energy, opportunities and positivity with you.
“Smile in the mirror. Do that every morning and you’ll start to see a big difference in your life.” —Yoko Ono
1. Get Fresh Air/Open the Blinds
Soak up those early morning sun rays in the morning for a boost of energy and sunshine. Exposure to sunlight also triggers the brain to release a hormone called serotonin, which is associated with boosting your mood and feeling focused.
Letting sunlight into your room and home also tells your body it’s time to get up and start the day. There is no better way to start the day than to wake up to sunshine and fresh air.
2. Drink A Glass of Water
Water is an essential nutrient, meaning our body doesn’t naturally make enough of it on our own. Therefore, we must get water through external sources (i.e. hydrating foods and drinks). Additionally, our body loses water everyday, even when you are sleeping.
When you are sleeping, you are not drinking water, however, your body is still losing it. Therefore, when you drink water first thing in the morning, it provides a lot of healthy functions and perks.
That being said, hydration is measured over the course of a full day so as long as you are getting in the proper hydration, you aren’t causing any harm. However, drinking water first thing in the morning is a great habit to get into because it gives you a kick start to reaching those hydration requirements and replenishes the hydration your body lost during sleep as soon as possible.
If you want to want to give morning hydration a try but aren’t a fan of plain water, here are 10 Super-Hydrating Drinks That Are Way More Interesting Than A Glass of Water
3. Plan Out Your Day
I cannot stress this enough. Planning out your day is the best tool you can do to have a productive, satisfying day. This doesn’t take more like three minutes and can drastically effect how you go about your day and what you can get accomplished.
When you know what you have to do and what is coming next, it makes completing the task and transitioning to the next much swifter. Writing it down also allows you to get it out of your head and you are much less likely to forget something or feel overwhelmed.
The type of planner you have may be different for anyone. Some prefer physical planners such as diaries, notebooks, and schedulers. Others, like myself, may opt for a digital planner (i.e. an app).
I use the IOS app, Pocket Planner which allows me to plan my whole week. It is a simple digital planner in which I can write notes and create a schedule for each day.
4. Avoid Technology for the First Hour
These days its so normal to check your phone and notification before getting out of bed each day. I fully admit that I fall victim to this as well.
A study from IDC Research showed that 80% of smart device users check their mobile devices within 15 minutes of waking up each morning, which is an alarmingly high number.
Checking your phone first thing in the morning causes increased stress and anxiety from notifications, messages, emails, and calendar to-do’s. Additionally, your time and attention are consumed by your devices instead of focusing on your goals and productivity. A 5-minute scroll on social media or other platforms quickly leads to 30 minutes or an hour and by the time you know it, have wasted your whole morning staring into a device.
Want to limit your screen time but don’t know how to start? Let me tell you!
- Pick a time you are allowed to look at your phone. I recommend at least one hour after you wake up, although ultimately, it should be whatever is right for you and your morning.
- Come up with alternative tasks to do instead. Come up with a few things you can do instead of going on your phone that are more beneficial for your mind, success of the day, or health. (For example: walking, making breakfast, journaling, yoga, etc.) Basically, anything that will distract you from looking at your phone.
- Turn off display and sound notifications. Hearing or seeing a notification pop up on your phone is extremely tempting and distracting. It is best to turn off these notification so you can enjoy the first hour of the day distraction free and stress free.
5. Move Your Body
Moving your body increase blood flow and helps to prepare your body for the day. Moving your body can come in any form including walking, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, circuit training, etc. And at the very least, a good ole 5-10 minute stretch does the job as well.
Stretching and moving your body first thing in the morning will result in feeling much better through out the day and relieve any pain and tension from the night before. You are also improving your brain activity and energy levels when you get your body moving and blood flowing.
The following is a great full-body morning stretching routine that will wake up your body so you can feel refreshed and ready for the day.
- Head rolls
- Arm circles
- Forward pike/hamstring stretch
- Windmills
- Downward dog to cobra
- Sit and twist
- Cat, cows
Want to follow along to a guided stretch? Try this 5 minute morning stretch routine.
Related post: Deep Breathing Benefits: Stress Management and Relaxation
6. Do a Gratitude Reflection
Think about something you a grateful for or something that has created a lot of happiness in your life. Reflecting on those positive things first in the morning is a great way to start your day.
Studies have shown that people that take the time to reflect upon the things they are thankful for experience more positive emotions. And there is no better time to do this than before you start each day.
One way you can do this by keeping a gratitude journaling, which is one of the many different types of journaling techniques you can do. Another option is to write whatever you are grateful for down on a sticky note and create a gratitude board with all your stickie notes from each day. And of course, you can simple just think it to yourself as you are walking out the door or getting ready in the morning.
7. Get Ready
Staying in your pajamas all day is nice and all but very unpractical if you are trying to be productive and get things done.
Getting ready in the morning physically and mentally helps your self-esteem and helps you feel more empowered.
It might seem a little pointless if you work from home or aren’t planning on leaving the house but you will still feel much better and ready for the day after you change out of your pajamas and go through your morning routine. Do whatever makes you feel beautiful and take on the world.
Don’t forget about skincare: Check out the best morning skincare routine.
For me personally, I like to shower and put on a little bit of “natural” makeup. Nothing crazy but it makes me feel like a person.
And there you have it! You are ready to conquer the day!
If you liked this post, be sure to check out How to Completely Customize your Own Morning Routine to make your morning even better and suited toward you and your lifestyle. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to morning routines.
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