The morning is a start of a new day and many of us start it off in a chaotic way. I choose to make the most of my mornings as I find that time of the day most productive. Starting off positive helps my mind to remain that way and my day to be productive.
How many of you wake up to an annoying alarm? Rush? Panic? Stress? Skip breakfast? I used to but have made changes over the last couple of years and I’ll share some tips with you over the next few days.
What’s your current routine before work and how do you feel in the mornings?
Here are some my my tips:
1. Prepare as much as you can the night before – get clothes ready for work, lunch prepared, bag packed and even put your gym kit out if you plan to train first thing.
2. You might need to prioritise what you do in the evening. What’s more important Eastenders, Facebook or preparing for a productive day?
3. Eat healthy. If you feel bloated or guilty about what you’ve eaten in the evening, then it’s probably not what you should be eating. Keep your diet clean and free from processed foods.
4. I don’t recommend alcohol if you want to wake up feeling fresh. Kind of obvious but I wanted to list it anyway.
5. Get to bed early! As soon as everything is ready for the next day I head to bed now. Maybe I’ll read or watch tv but it’ll always be something calming as opposed to a violent movie. I like to take a herbal tea to bed with me too.
6. Select your alarm carefully! It’s possibly your first awareness of the day so you want it to be a positive one. Have a soft tone or your fav song wake you up. I only ever hit the snooze button once – make the same deal with yourself!
7. Wake up earlier than you need to. When I train before work I need to wake up 60 mins earlier than normal. I don’t do this every day but the more you do it, you start to enjoy it. If I feel the slightest bit demotivated I think about how great I’ll feel after my work out.
8. Plan to start the day with a positive mind. Think of the things you have to look forward to that day, even if it’s coming home to see your kids smiling after work. Whilst brushing my teeth I think of the things that I’m grateful for.
9. Whilst getting ready listen to your fav music or just use the time to think (that’s what i do). I choose not to listen to the news first thing anymore, it makes me upset or angry and that’s not how I want to start my day.
10. Learn from others. Everyone’s circumstances are different. Do you know someone with a similar job or family life to you that doesn’t have problems waking up in the morning? Ask them what their routine is and see what learnings you can take.