What are your morning habits? Do you just roll out of bed after hitting snooze five times and feel grumpy until you reach the coffee machine, or you already have an established morning routine?
How we start our mornings affects our entire day. You might think there is nothing wrong with spending half an hour on your phone before gaining strength to start getting ready for the day. But, your morning habits can make or break your energy level and productivity for the rest of the day.
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This is especially true now that many of us work from home without a supervisor watching over our shoulders.
The good thing about habits is that after a few weeks, they become automatic.
Follow these 9 habits to build a productive morning routine:
1. Start With Hydration
You may have heard that you're over 70% water. When you wake up, you're dehydrated from not having drunk anything for hours. Water is essential for your brain and body to function properly.
When your brain is dehydrated, it can't perform at its best, so you lose focus, your memory gets worse and you attention span gets shorter. You simply can't be productive if your brain has no fuel.
Water also helps boost your metabolism, lubricate your joints, increase blood flow, deliver oxygen all over your body (to your brain too!), and flush out body waste - among many other benefits.
Start with at least one cup of water before drinking or eating anything else. You'll most likely feel the difference right away, and you might even decide to cut out caffeine!
Develop the morning habit
Fill up a water bottle before you go to sleep and put it on your bedside table. This serves a reminder as soon as you open your eyes, and reduces effort: you can drink it while still under the duvet!
You might not feel thirsty as soon as you wake up, but drink some water anyway. You can be dehydrated before you feel thirsty.
For extra health benefits and to switch it up a little, add lemon, cucumber or Himalayan salt to your water!
2. Get Some Sunshine!
This may be a tough one - who doesn't prefer to spend just a few more minutes in the dark before having to start yet another day? Even a little light can feel blinding.
But exposing yourself to sunlight after waking up helps regulate your body's natural circadian rhythm. It'll help you wake up and fall asleep easier at night!
Sunlight increases your serotonin production, which is also known as the happy hormone. I don't know abou you, but I'm definitely more productive when I'm in a good mood!
Studies have shown that exposure to light can also slow down weight gain which is a possible explanation to why we tend to gain those extra pounds during winter.
Develop the morning habit
Open your curtains as soon as you wake up! You might hate it at first (your eyes are not adapted to the light after hours in the dark), so do it gradually and don't look directly into the light right away.
If you have time, go for a morning jog, a little walk (even if it's cloudy!), or sit on your patio. This way you also get some fresh air and exercise! I love doing yoga on the balcony when the weather allows it.
No balcony? No problem! Simply open your window to let some air in, or, if it's way too cold, just open your curtains and enjoy the light. Your pupils will adapt after a few seconds.
On days when it's just too dark out there, turn on the lights. While natural is always better, it's still a great way to let your body know it's time to be active.
Once you get used to it, this simple morning habit is guaranteed to give you a boost!
3. Don't Rush To The Coffee Machine
Is 'coffee' the very first thought that pops into your head as you wake up? I've been there, and the more I gave into it, the more I couldn't start my day without a hot cup. I simply felt groggy before that first sip - and then same thing a few hours later when the caffeine started leaving my system.
The problem is that coffee interferes with your natural sleep-wake cycle. As you wake up, the cortisol level is highest in your body (it's a good thing). But when you regularly drink caffeine which elevates your cortisol level, your body will get used to the supply and produce less of it on its own. Result: you're teaching your body to rely on caffeine to wake up. This is why you're groggy.
There's also Pavlovian conditioning. You know, when you keep repeating an action until it becomes automatic.
When you keep telling yourself you can't start your day without a cup of coffee, your mind will start expecting it and react accordingly. So, you think about coffee as soon as you open your eyes, and you're not happy until you get your daily dose. It becomes an addiction.
While I completely cut caffeine out of your life (and now I actually enjoy waking up!), I'm not suggesting that you need to do that. You simply need to train yourself to not "need" it to be a functioning human being. Get your first coffee at least 2-3 hours after you've woken up, so you don't rely on it to be productive any longer.
Develop the morning habit
Addictions are tough. If you want to stop drinking coffee right away (or at all), you have to be strict with yourself, and put up with a few bad days. In my case, it usually take 3-4 days to "come off of it" and wake up with energy again.
Start your morning with a glass of water (see above), which will already give your organs a boost.
Then, if you don't want to go cold turkey, replace your first cup with decaf coffee (some of them taste exactly the same!), matcha latte, green tea or a wholesome smoothie!
Resist the temptation of drinking caffeinated drinks in the first few hours of the day. Make a deal with yourself to only drink caffeine after 10:30 AM.
4. Make Your Bed
Having a tidy space can help you to keep a clear mind. By starting with this task every morning, it will give you a sensation of being productive, being organized, being in control. You will notice how this simple habit can improve your mood.
But there is more. Ever heard of small wins or keystone habits? Keystone habits are “small changes or habits that people introduce into their routines that unintentionally carry over into other aspects of their lives” according to Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit.
Making your bed is a simple, 20-second activity that doesn't require any preparation, so it's easy to stick to it. When you do it, you can feel like you already accomplished something for that day. This can put you in a productive mindset and inspire you to do more.
Develop the morning habit
If a messy bed doesn't disturb you, it's easy to feel like this task is pointless. However, a tidy room can still effect your mood subconsciously, plus, it removed the anxiety of someone visiting you unexpectedly and finding a mess.
No need to put your bedding away if it feels like a burden. Organize them a bit, maybe throw a big blanket and a few cushions on top of it et voilà! You'll love crawling into a welcoming bed at the end of an exhausting day.
5. Meditation for a Clear Mind
I like to meditate after I've drunk some water, gone to the bathroom, and made my bed, so I'm a bit more awake and less tempted to turn meditation into a quick nap. However, some people find it best to do it before anything else. There is no one-size-fits-all, do what works best for you!
Meditation is one of the most popular morning habits these days, and not without a reason. Studies have shown that meditation prevents anxiety and stress, and help you be focused and present. With regular meditation, you learn to block out (or rather, live with) distractions and lengthen your attention span. It can help you regulate your blood pressure and improve the quality of your sleep.
Meditation teaches you discipline while you learn about your own mind and behaviors, so it's easier to overcome procrastination. Whenever I meditate regularly, I always procrastinate less and get more "quality" hours of work done.
There has been many research on meditation in recent years to back up these benefits, and while some still needs further investigation, you'll most likely feel them anyway.
Develop the morning habit
Meditation can be hard if you've never tried them before. Most likely, you'll get bored or frustrated after a few seconds and start thinking about something else. Often it takes minutes until you realize that your mind drifted off, and then you get even more frustrated, annoyed, or just decide that meditation is not for you.
Well, everyone goes through this at the beginning. This is how you train your mind.
It's like doing some kind of sport the first time in your life. You suffer there (no beginner thinks that yoga is relaxing!), you suffer after, and you don't get the benefits unless you stick to if for some time.
Make it easy for yourself. First of all, understand that it's normal that you can't hold your attention for more than 10 seconds at a time. Second, download a mediation app on your phone, like Headspace, Mindfulness or Calm.
You can set an an alarm so that your phone reminds you to meditate in the morning, and then the app will guide you through the entire session. Guided meditation is much easier to stick to at the beginning than unguided/silent mediation.
Or why not start tomorrow morning with one episode of Netflix's Headspace Guide to Meditation?
6. Journal!
Journaling is fantastic right after meditation. I've tried meditation after, and my journal entries were so different! But, we're all different: a different order might work better for you.
When I'm in a rush, I only fill out my Morning Mindset journal. It takes 3 minutes, and every day you're prompted to answer questions about how you're currently feeling, what you're grateful for, what your goals are, and what have you been doing for yourself. It's an excellent way to be in touch with your thoughts, feelings and mind.
The answers are never the same - when they are, that's also a message to pay attention to! (A little self-promo, but well, I created this journal for a reason. It really works!)
When I have more time, I also like freewriting or 'brain dumping'. Sometimes on paper, sometimes on the computer. Whichever feels better that day.
The good thing about morning pages is that there's no need to filter. This isn't an assignment, nobody will see it. You can get your thoughts on paper, unorganized, messy - the way they are.
Journaling helps you gain focus and clarity while putting you in a happier, more productive mindset. Give it a go!
Develop the morning habit
Prepare a journal and a pen on your bedside table, so you'll get reminded as soon as you wake up. If you've never done it before, get a prompted journal.
If you're in a rush and want the habit to become automatic and effortless, get a copy of Morning Mindset journal by Grit Journals.
It's best to do it before getting started with the "active" part of your day, but you'll see what feels best for you.
7. Move Your Body
Now that we've given our minds some boost, it's time to leave the bedroom and get moving.
Exercise has been proven to improve productivity and concentration. Stretching after the many hours of sleeping wakes your muscles up, and getting your heart rate up promotes better blood circulation, helping every one of your organs function better. Yes, including your brain.
Start your day with a good stretch (like this one) and at least 10 minutes of exercise. It’s going fill you with energy and boost your mood, so you'll be less stressed, more focused and excited about life. Increased energy and mental clarity will lead you to a productive day.
It doesn't have to be anything intense: you can follow a 10-minute YouTube video or take a brisk walk around the block. If you're used to exercising, you can try a 30-minute HIIT session, hitting the gym or running in the park too.
Another reason why I like to squeeze in some exercise into my morning routine is general health and fitness. I sit 10-12 hours a day due to my job which tends to make me anxious about all the ways it harms my body. When I exercise before work, I'm calmer, knowing that I already did something to counter-balance the terrible effects of sitting.
Apart from the physiological benefits, exercise is another keystone habit. Doing just a few minutes of exercise instead of another round of game on your phone will make you feel proud of yourself and you'll be less likely to neglect other goof habits, like healthy eating
Develop the morning habit
If exercise has never been part of your life, you probably won't start running half-marathons every morning from tomorrow. Start with something simple and short, so your brain will be less likely to resist (and trust me, staying in your cosy bed is ALWAYS more compelling than exercise).
I like to start with a short yoga session or a 10-minute follow-along stretch video designed to reactivate all my muscles after sleep, but you can think more outside of the box.
For example, why not put on some uplifting music and clean the house or tend to your garden for a few minutes? If it's vigorous enough to get your heart rate up, it counts.
If you still struggle to get started, here is my favorite hack: make it easy. Prepare whatever you need, the night before: sneakers, yoga mat, earbuds, jumping rope, you name it. Chug that water and get moving!
8. Take a 60-Second Cold Shower
Brrrrr cold water..and right after waking up?!
Hear me out. Cold showers can wake you up by increasing your circulation and oxygen intake. After the quick exposure to cold, your body will regulate itself by warming up, which regulates your circadian rhythm - it helps you wake up! It increases alertness and fights with depression.
With regular cold showers, you boost your immune system, so you'll fight illnesses easier.
You might resist at the beginning, but you'll end the shower in a much better mood, ready to take on whatever the day brings!
Regularly battling your aversion towards cold water greatly improves your discipline and willpower. Try to stay for at least 60 seconds. No matter how hard it gets, just stay with it, slow down and deepen your breathing, and watch how your mood changes. The longer you endure it, the more you will feel the benefits mentally and physically.
Develop the morning habit
The bed is so warm and cosy - why would you ruin your comfort with cold?
If the idea of opening ice cold water sounds repelling, start with warm.
Enjoy it for a few seconds. This is the time to use shower gels too.
Once you're used to it, lower the temperature. Don't go all in - decrease it just as much as you're comfortable with.
Good? Then decrease the temperature again. And again...
Soon you will be at the coldest setting.
The way we experience temperature is relative. Even though the water is just as cold on your skin as it would've been if you had started with it, you'll be more likely to get over your resistance.
You might still hate it, but stick with it for at least a few seconds. Trust me, you'll feel proud of yourself if you do so.
It's normal to breathe faster or even hold your breathe when it's uncomfortable, but stay conscious and slow down your breathing. This will make the experience more bearable, even pleasurable after a few rounds of breath.
9. Have a Protein-Rich Breakfast
If you get hungry before lunch, kick-start your day with a nutritious, filling breakfast.
Having a sugary, low-quality breakfast, or starting the day just after a large cup of vanilla latte is worse than not eating at all.
These sugary foods and drinks bring up your blood sugar level and suddenly drop it a few hours later. The result is feeling lightheaded, "hangry" and definitely not productive and focused! You also risk obesity, diabetes and other diseases.
So, if you choose to eat something in the morning, make sure it's nutritious, rich in fiber, antioxidants, protein, and slow carbs. It helps with fat loss, gives your body the vitamins and minerals it requires, and fills you with stable energy for many hours. You won't be distracted by brain fog and hunger, and you'll feel full of energy rather than sluggish. Add some brain foods to your breakfast for better cognitive abilities.
We collected some of our favorite high-protein breakfasts (vegan option included!), read it here.
Respect your body and mind with a healthy breakfast!
Please note: This doesn't apply to you if you deliberately choose to skip breakfast (you do Intermittent Fasting for example) and it's working for you.
Develop the morning habit
You probably don't have an hour every morning to prepare breakfast, especially if your whole family relies on you for food making.
Prepare the food the night before!
It takes minutes to prepare overnight oats, a delicious chia pudding, or boil some eggs.
If the healthy choice is already available, you're less likely to reach for something quick and processed that only leaves you lightheaded and malnourished (and most probably contains way more calories than the healthy, high-protein alternatives!)
How do you usually start your mornings? Do you notice a difference depending on what you do in the first 30-60 minutes after opening your eyes?
Let us know in the comments!