Habits break or make us, so we have to make sure we pick them wisely. Having positive routines and rituals can really change our life for the better.
And the best way to start is with our morning routine.
No matter how much time you have in the morning, here are seven simple, quick and practical things you can start doing to improve your days and life.
And the best bit? You don’t have to wake up earlier to do them!
Now, let’s jump in…
1. GET OUT OF BED AS SOON AS YOU WAKE UP
As simple as this one sounds, we all know it’s much easier said than done. So what can we do to make it stick?
If you’re one of those people, who is setting up many alarms, so you can hit the snooze button multiple times before actually waking up, stop doing that!
This little habit is actually making your sleep shorter, so it’s not the best thing to do. Instead, pick the last hour that you want to wake up at and stick to it.
And if this seems too much, then give yourself one snooze button for an extra 5 minutes and that’s it!
But if you’re already setting up your alarm for the latest time possible and you still have trouble getting out of bed right away, then you can do a couple of things:
- Put your alarm out of reach, so you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Simple but effective.
- Immediately turn on the lights in your bedroom and open your curtains. This will signal your body that it’s time to wake up and will help you feel awake quicker.
2. MAKE YOUR BED
When you wake up in the morning, take the time to make your bed.
It won’t take long to do it, but it will give you a sense of accomplishment and help you feel like a more organised person.
And obviously, your home will look cleaner, your brain will be calmer and there is also that joyful feeling of climbing into a nicely made bed at the end of the night that just makes falling asleep that much sweeter.
Just remember, that it doesn’t have to be done perfectly, so as long as it’s not super messy, it’s more than good enough. Better done than perfect.
And honestly, once you get into the habit of doing it daily, not making your bed will seem impossible.
I even do it in hotel rooms because I like how it feels – I can think clearer and I’m much more productive.
3. DRINK A GLASS OF WATER
When we sleep for 7-8 hours, our bodies get dehydrated, so one of the best ways to wake up and give our body what it needs is to drink a glass of water.
It’s refreshing, it recharges you and it also boosts your metabolism.
So, get in the habit of drinking some water as soon as you brush your teeth after waking up.
But how to make sure that this habit sticks? You can do two things:
- You can place an empty glass on the bathroom cabinet or somewhere where you’ll get a quick reminder to drink the water.
- Or you can set up an alarm on your phone that will remind you to have your morning glass of water.
And if you have some extra time, you can also add some lemon juice for that extra vitamin C.
4. PLAY YOUR FAVOURITE SONG
When we wake up, we usually start thinking about the day, all that we have to do, sometimes we even think about what happened the day before and we quickly lose the present moment.
This can often make us feel drained or apathetic before we even start our day!
So to avoid that, pick a song that makes you want to dance and play it in the morning. You can simply listen to it, or you can move your body and dance if you feel like it.
If you pick the right song, dancing is inevitable anyway 😉
But most importantly, this will break the pattern of your old thinking and it will help you be a little bit happier.
The great thing about this little trick is that you don’t have to stop getting ready like you would with meditation or journaling.
So there is no real excuse not to do it.
I’m listening to my song when I’m brushing my teeth and I’m getting ready. And my latest jams have been Jonas Brothers – Sucker, Amy Winehouse – Valerie and a classic Pharell Williams – Happy.
As simple as this is, it works, so try it for yourself and choose the songs that make you jump for joy!
5. WEAR SOMETHING YOU LOVE
We all know the difference in how we feel when we wear something we love versus something that we don’t.
So why not wear something that sparks joy every single day?
That can be anything from a pair of earrings, your favourite lipstick or your favourite dress. It really doesn’t matter – as long as you love it, it will do the trick.
In the past, I remember saving my favourite things in my closet for special occasions. I thought I have to have a good reason to wear something nice.
And I know I’m not the only one who did this – actually, this is something most people do!
But we should feel amazing every single day. We should wear things that bring us joy and that make us feel like the best version of ourselves.
I would argue, this is a form of self-care because clothes influence our emotions in so many different ways. And if you want to read more about this topic, click here.
And if you want to feel even better in your skin, I made a video about how I built my body and style confidence – it’s pretty awesome (if I say so myself), and you can watch it here:
6. DON’T DO THINGS THAT PUT IN YOU IN THE BAD MOOD
Things we do are as important as things we don’t do.
So we have to look at the habits that might do the opposite of what we want to achieve.
One of the biggest mistakes in our morning routine is not seeing it as the time for ourselves.
Instead, we rush through it, we pick up the phone right after we open our eyes and before we know it we’re taking care of everyone and everything else but ourselves.
So if you have a habit of picking up your phone first thing in the morning, only to feel overwhelmed when you read all the emails and messages, don’t pick it up until you do these little things for yourself first.
And if you always seem to rush your mornings, then wake up 5-10 minutes earlier. This won’t drastically shorten your sleep, but it will allow you to be a little bit calmer when getting ready. Rushing shouldn’t be the way we start our day anyway.
7. HAVE A MANTRA
When you’re about to leave the house, you can create a little ritual of saying a mantra that will help you be more positive throughout the day.
A mantra can be anything that you want and that will create a difference in how you feel or perceive the world.
You can choose any affirmation, quote, belief or advice that you want, as long as it’s personal and you believe in it.
Some examples:
- “No one is responsible for my happiness but me.”
- “Positive thoughts create positive things.”
- “You only fail if you quit.”
- “What would I do, if I weren’t afraid?”
- “Never compromise with your peace of mind and grace of heart, you are born to live, not to survive.”
- “Let every situation be what it is, not what you think it should be.”
- “If you want to achieve greatness, stop asking for permission.”
- “Find joy in the ordinary.”
When you say it out loud, it’s essential to feel it too. That way, your brain will respond to it and with time, it will become the way you think.
It may sound simple, but this can be a very powerful exercise.
You can also include your family members and you can all say something before you leave the house.
*TIP: In the beginning, I recommend you write your mantra on a piece of paper and stick it on your door, so you don’t forget to do it.
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