This morning routine will improve your day | Source: Thinkstock
Most of us go to bed with every intention of waking up with enough time to properly start our day, but after a late night Game of Thrones binge our good friend the snooze button becomes more and more appealing. As a result, you frantically wake up at the last possible minute and rush out the door with barely enough time to brush your teeth, let alone accomplish any of the morning tasks you set for yourself the night before.
This frenzied start to your day, mixed with the guilt from not undertaking your morning goals bleeds into your entire day. Your work performance, mindset, and interaction with others will be negatively impacted. Starting your morning in a calm, peaceful way ensures you will feel more accomplished and productive for the remainder of the day. Your morning sets the tone for each day and the value of each day constructs the quality of your life.
A morning ritual will also help you avoid mental fatigue. When the start of your day doesn’t vary, you have more energy to make decisions throughout the day. This is why Mark Zuckerberg infamously wears the same thing every day. There’s power in knowing exactly how the first few minutes of your day will look. Here are a few morning routine tips that will change your day.
1. Drink warm lemon water
Lemon water | Source: iStock
Lemon is a natural energizer that hydrates and oxygenates the body. They are packed with vitamin C, B-complex, iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and fiber (whew!). This step is key in hydrating your body first thing in the morning so it feels revitalized and refreshed the rest of the day. Drink lemon in lukewarm water 15 to 20 minutes before you eat breakfast to get the full impact of benefits including weight loss, digestion support, skin improvement, reduction of inflammation, and a great energy boost, among others.
2. Move your body
Spend 10 minutes (or less!) stretching your body to loosen stiff muscles. First, roll your shoulders forward and backward to open your chest and wake up your upper body. Then, reach your arms overhead and stretch from side to side. Bend forward and try to touch your toes, which will stretch your hamstrings and release your back muscles. Finally, come down onto your knees and sit back on your heels for child’s pose to open the hips and stretch the knee joints. These simple movements will make your body limber, increase blood flow, and send oxygen to the brain.
3. Meditate
Meditation | Source: Thinkstock
Meditation may sound scary, but it can be anything you want it to be. Find an uncluttered, quiet place and sit in a comfortable seated position (feel free to sit on a pillow or against a wall). You can breathe deeply and focus on your breath or enjoy a guided meditation using the app Headspace. Give yourself around 10 minutes to meditate. Take this time to connect with yourself and balance your physical, mental, and emotional states before your begin your day. Meditation helps release stress and anxiety allowing you to enjoy a peaceful, happy, and relaxed day.
4. Write down your intention
Take a moment to focus your energy on who you want to be today or what you want to accomplish. Is there something you’ve wanted to work on? A habit you’ve wanted to quit or a personality quality you’ve wanted to develop? This can be a single sentence and should give your day focus. Setting daily intentions can help you achieve happiness and fulfillment, while providing you with a better understanding of your values, goals, and purpose.
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