Are you looking for some tips to carry your best self forward? Follow our ideas for a healthy morning routine to lay a strong foundation for the day ahead.
The morning can be the most crucial time of the day to set good intentions for the day ahead. If you start the day off wrong, it can impact how you carry yourself forward throughout the rest of the day.
So, put your best foot forward and dive straight in. You hold the key to your best version of self. Here is our morning routine checklist to start your day off right.
10. Drink water − boost your hydration levels first thing
We can get dehydrated overnight. Drinking water first thing in the morning to rehydrate after a night’s rest is essential.
Drinking a pint of water first thing in the morning can help wake us up, improve mental performance, and is excellent for our skin and bodily functions.
Since we lose approximately a litre of water during the night, adding this habit is essential to your morning routine checklist.
9. Practice gratitude − what are you grateful for today?
In this fast-paced world, we often forget to pause and consider what we are thankful for. Writing gratitude lists helps reframe our minds and trains us to seek out the good in situations rather than focusing on the bad.
Writing out at least five things you are grateful for in the morning sets an excellent outlook for the day ahead.
8. Meditate − set an intention for the day ahead
There is no wrong way to meditate. Sitting and closing your eyes for two minutes with an intention is enough to calm your mind and consider how you can move forward through the day. It is a practice, so it gets easier with time; hence why it’s called a practice.
7. Eat a good breakfast − the most crucial meal of the day
Swapping breakfast for a few extra minutes in bed can be easy, but this is generally always a recipe for disaster.
It can be hard to eat first-thing for some if it’s something they’re not in the habit of doing, but it gets easier with practice, we promise.
We recommend porridge; it slowly releases energy over a few hours. You soon won’t be able to function without your daily morning fuel.
6. Make your bed − start your day on a good foot
It may seem small, but making your bed as soon as you wake up is a great way to start your day on a productive footing. Accomplishing this small task as soon as you wake up is a great way to train yourself to aim for a more productive day.
Plus, your future self will thank you for it when it comes to going to bed again in the nighttime; it’s always nicer to get into a well-made bed at the end of a long day.
5. Prepare the night before − fail to prepare, prepare to fail
Make sure your day goes off without a flaw by preparing everything the night before. Plan what you’re going to wear and lay it out. Prepare the table for breakfast, so you have something to look forward to when you wake up.
Pack your bag for the following day, and ensure you have everything in order before going to sleep. You’ll be grateful for the pre-planning once morning has broken.
4. Get moving − wake up your whole body
Your body is sure to be stiff from lying in the same position all night. That’s why it’s essential to get moving. Whether it’s a short walk, a few yoga poses, or even star jumps, movement is vital to incorporate into your morning routine checklist to get the blood flowing around the body.
3. Take your meds − lay them out beside your breakfast
Many of us buy food supplements with all the good intentions of religiously taking them and becoming the dictionary definition of health.
Some of us have been prescribed medication that we may forget to take. Please make sure you take them by laying them out with your breakfast spread the night before. Your mind, body, and spirit will thank you for it.
2. Open your curtains as soon as possible − embrace that sweet Vitamin D
Embracing the daylight as soon as you wake up is a sure way to regulate your sleep pattern. Getting sunlight exposure as quickly as possible will signal your brain to stop producing melatonin, the sleep-inducing chemical.
1. Avoid the phone − delay those stressful emails
Our phone is the portal to stressful work emails, toxic social media posts, and just general overwhelming information to your brain as it’s waking up.
If you reach for your phone as soon as you wake up, there is a high chance it is increasing your stress levels. Try incorporating a digital detox routine into your first fifteen minutes.