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A morning routine is a set of habits or activities that one does at the beginning of the day after they wake up. It sounds very simple but it is also crucial because what you do and how you start your day can greatly affect your focus and productivity throughout the rest of the day. This routine can also set the tone or mood of the day. As drastic as that may sound, you can always jumpstart your day if you find yourself waking up on the wrong side of the bed or losing energy and focus in the middle of the day so do not fret.
You might have been around the realms of YouTube and seen a bunch of Morning routine videos by vloggers and influencers. Let's be real. Not everyone's morning routine has to look like that. It is important to realize that, just like any routine, a person should create a routine around habits that are personal and beneficial to themselves. One perfect morning routine you see on a video is never a one size fits all.
Advantages of a Great Morning Routine
Let me tell you the great reasons you should start a morning routine. With a great routine, you are organized and you save more time and energy in the morning which leads to a boost in mood and focus, as well as productivity throughout the day. You might be wondering if there are any disadvantages or cons to a morning routine. For some, it may not be compatible with the lifestyle they have, it becomes too predictable or boring, or they simply cannot keep up with it consistently.
TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR MORNING ROUTINE
In creating your morning routine, keep these tips in mind.
Tailor it to your needs and goals
Depending on your career or lifestyle, you will have different needs from other people. It will be easier to determine what these needs and goals are before you actually start creating your routine. If you want to get your daily cardio out of the way, it's best to do that during the mornings.
Pick activities you like
Begin your mornings with things that make you happy and fulfilled. If you see a lot of Morning Routine videos featuring journaling and meditation in their routine, you don't have to include it in yours if it is not something you enjoy. However, I do encourage meditation for its great benefits; if not done in the morning, perhaps during some other time in the day.
Pick activities that will ensure productivity
The whole point of a morning routine is to make life easier and more enjoyable. It needs to be fun and business mixed into one. Do these types of activities so that you will not forget or become distracted. These can be activities like checking e-mails, creating a to-do list, and making your bed.
Get important things done early
This is a good tip to remember if you are trying to form good habits in your life. If a goal of yours is to walk 10,000 steps a day, for example, but you're going to be glued to a desk all day, take the opportunity in the mornings to go for a 10-20 minute walk and get some exercise in. One goal for me is to keep my streak on Duolingo going so in the mornings, I do one lesson before my big lesson in the middle of the day in order to keep up with my Spanish.
Stay off your phone
Stay away from the screen for the first hour of waking up. If the first thing that you do in the morning is to get on your phone and check social media, this can become a dangerous habit of countless scrolling for an hour and the beginning of an unproductive day. Keep your phone on your bedside table and use it only to check the time or if you received any urgent calls or messages. Those are the only exceptions.
Start the day early
There is something truly amazing and worthwhile about seeing the first ray of light and starting your day bright and early. By starting your day out of bed early, you give yourself a few minutes of bliss and relaxation while you wait for the rest of the world to wake up. You can get more done and feel great throughout the day.
Here's a great little exercise that will create the habit of waking up early: beat your morning alarm. No! Put the hammer down. No alarm clocks will be harmed. This little exercise will be you setting an alarm at a certain hour, let's say at 6AM, and you have to sleep at a certain hour in order to get the right amount of hours of sleep and wake up before your alarm rings. By doing this, you are conditioning your mind and body to be wide and awake early and also creating the healthy habit of sleeping and waking up early, giving your body enough rest every night.
Be consistent
The beauty of starting a morning routine is that you are creating a habit that is good for you. Always remember that creating habits requires repetition. Just like any good thing in life, be consistent with it and it will stick. You will definitely reap the benefits in the end.
Keep it simple
A morning routine should be simple and enjoyable. In order to achieve this, choose 2-4 activities that will become the center of your routine and that you know will be the best for you. Do not overwhelm yourself with too many activities because you think you have to do it all.
ACTIVITIES FOR YOUR MORNING ROUTINE
If you are still at a standstill on what to include in your routine, here is a list of activities you can incorporate into your great morning routine:
- Journaling
- Gratitude Journaling
- Exercise/Walking
- Coffee Ritual
- Meditation/Breathing Exercises
- Sitting in Silence
- Cuddle time with partner/pet
- Making your bed
- Checking e-mails
- Planning
- Making breakfast
- Creating To-Do Lists
At the end of the day, taking steps towards creating the life you truly desire requires consistency, patience, and sacrifice. Upon waking up, choose to do great things for your happiness and health, no matter how small or simple that thing may be.
x Bella
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