We have all been there. Slept through an alarm clock, waking up to hungry children, feeling completely frazzled. You already feel behind and the day has barely begun!
Mornings are our most productive time of the day.
In the morning, our cortisol is the highest so ideally, this is when you have the most energy and motivation. Mastering your morning and starting your day on the right foot can change the whole trajectory of your day, which in the long term can better our lives, little by little, day by day. While learning how to master your mornings does take a little work, there are some easy things you can implement into your routine to make mornings better. Ask yourself, what is your personal ideal start to your day? Perhaps it is getting ready at a leisurely rate whilst listening to a podcast. Perhaps it is jumping straight in to some form of exercise, or reading a few chapters of a book whilst enjoying a coffee. Whatever your ideal morning routine looks like, now is the time to think how you can create that.
Your morning routine starts the night before.
A day unplanned often leads us fumbling from one activity to the next and wondering where the day went. By spending 10-20 minutes prepping the night before, you are setting yourself up for success by looking after future you.
This may include having your outfit chosen and laid out, prepping lunches, having your to do list ready for the next day, or your water bottle filled ready for your exercise class. Whatever it is you need to do to make your morning routine a success, do it!
Get up early.
Rather than playing catch up all day, you start off ahead of the game. Personally, I love to get up before the rest of my household. This allows me to have some quiet time, where no one else needs anything from me, and I can just be. I will always start my day off a big bottle of water, and some form of exercise, such as a 30 minute walk, or a home workout. This clears my mind and puts me in a positive headspace for the day. I then will sit down with a coffee and run through my to do list for the day. As I work from home, I am able to check my emails and tasks, and prioritise my work day ahead. I can then focus on my family when they wake up, without feeling frustrated, rushed and frazzled.
Make your morning work for you.
We are all unique and lead different lives, so why would our morning routines look the same? Devise a routine that is practical for you! Ideally, you will create a morning routine that gets you excited to jump out of bed and start your day. Some ideas include:
- Some form of movement such as an exercise class, a walk, yoga or a full body stretch
- Journaling, meditation or a gratitude practice
- Goal setting or visualisation
- Listening to a podcast or an audio book
- Enjoying a cup of coffee or breakfast in silence
If you are struggling on being consistent with your morning routine, you may need to look at a few little tweaks. There is no harm in modifying and implementing a new routine!
A bad start to your day can bring the rest of your day down with it. By starting your day on purpose, will dramatically improve your productivity and performance throughout the day.
Change your 24 hours, and you will change your life – Eric Thomas
By Michelle Sayer