It’s been said that the way you start your day sets the tone for the rest of the day. A good way to take consistent action in commanding your morning is through a morning routine. Besides, when you awake is the perfect time to focus on yourself before the busyness of life gets in the way and a morning routine can ensure that your day starts off on a positive note.
So what does the ideal morning routine look like?
It should be customized to reflect your needs and goals. Here are a few ideas to get you started…
Gratitude
Sometimes in our quest to ”succeed”, we forget to pause and take inventory of what we’ve already achieved or the blessings we have.
First thing in the morning, write down three things you’re grateful for. It doesn’t matter how big or small. When you consider those things that you’re grateful, you’re able to feel more satisfied and your work will be more productive. It’s a way to take a pause and see that you may not be where you want to be, but you’re not where you used to be.
Meditation | Prayer
Meditation is an excellent way to combat stress and helps to better cope with the daily challenges of life. Prayer can also improve self-control, makes you nicer, makes you more forgiving, increases trust and offsets the negative health effects of stress*. Also, meditation can help boost your concentration and aid in improving your memory and reasoning skills.
Exercise
Making exercise one of your first activities in your morning routine helps get your blood circulating and releases hormones that energizes you. The benefits associated with morning exercising are numerous: You boost your metabolism, you’ll sleep better at night, greater productivity, lower blood pressure and a better mood.** Another plus: If you train before breakfast, you’ll burn more calories by training in a ‘fasted state’.
To Do List
Creating a To-Do list as part of your morning routine is a great way to boost your productivity, avoid feelings of overwhelm, set priorities and keep your focused. Make a list of things that to get done. Of those things that are priority, circle the five that are most important. Split your day into segment and then work through each task one at a time.
An element of success is consistency. When you begin your day with a productive morning routine, you are setting yourself up for a positive day. You may not be able to control the outcomes of life, but you can control your response by doing what you can to improve your outlook on life, perception of yourself and an attitude of gratitude. A morning routine can help with that.
Do It Now:
The benefits of a morning routine are extensive. What goals have you set to achieve this year? How can you integrate a task into your morning routine to help you achieve your goal? Alternatively, integrate one of the mentioned ideas into your morning routine for the next 7 days. Let me know how you did.
Image Credit:
David Mao
