Rise and shine! How do you start off your
morning? Whatever the case, what you do in the morning sets your mood for the
rest of the day. It makes sense, then, to make sure you’re having the
healthiest, most productive morning possible. Read on for ways to have the best
mornings ever.
Do you have your own awesome tips for a
productive morning? Let us know about them in the comments!
1. Prepare as Much as Possible the Night Before.
If you can do it the night before, do it the
night before! Make your to-do list ahead of time. Set out your clothes and
whatever you need to make breakfast. Make your lunch. Put anything that needs
to leave with you by the door or in your car. Pack your purse. Spending 5
minutes getting ready for the next day the night before can shave minutes, and
plenty of stress, off of your morning routine.
2. Get Up The First Time Your Alarm Rings.
Resist the urge to hit the snooze button.
Research shows that, the more you delay your wakeup time, the more likely you
are to fall back into deep sleep — thus making it harder to wake up after that
extra snooze time. Find the best time to wake up and stick to it.
3. Don’t Drink Coffee First Thing.
Reaching for that pick-me-up first thing in the
morning? Research says it’s actually not the best time to get the full effects
of coffee. Your body produces cortisol, a hormone that, among other things,
regulates how energized and alert you feel, at different amounts at different
times of the day. Drinking a cup of coffee when you’re at your peak cortisol
levels will greatly diminish the caffeine’s effectiveness. No matter when you
wake up, hold off on indulging in coffee for about 1- 1 1/2 hours.
4. Eat Breakfast.
This is obvious, of course; eating a healthy
breakfast has been linked to a whole slew of benefits. But when you eat
breakfast matters, too. If you plan on working out in the morning, eat
something 1-2 hours beforehand. If you aren’t working out in the morning, make
sure to eat something within an hour of getting up. This will assure that you’ll
make healthier choices in the morning and throughout the day, help regulate
your weight, and so much more.
5. Have a Little “Me Time” in the Morning.
Whether it’s yoga, stretching, writing
affirmations, or enjoying a cup of tea and reading the paper, make sure to set
aside a little pleasurable time in the morning.
6. Find a Ritual and Stick to It.
For two weeks, take notes about how you use your
time every morning, and note whether you felt it was particularly productive or
unproductive. Build your best routine off of the most productive mornings you
have. Always forget to eat breakfast or floss? Take a close look at the days
that you did accomplish those things and think about why you did. Sticking to
routines creates healthy habits and turns daunting tasks into painless
automations.
7. Exercise.
Though it’s better to exercise at the time that
works best for you, there are some major benefits of breaking a sweat in the
AM. For busy people, people that struggle with sticking to an exercise routine
and getting motivated, morning is the prime to hit the gym. Why? Well, because
getting exercise out of the way first thing in the morning has been shown to
help you stick with it before the trappings of daily life get in the way.
8. Start With the Big Stuff First.
Whether you’re at work or at home, start with
the hardest stuff first. As the day goes on, you become more fatigued both
mentally and physically. Since you have more self-control in the morning,
start off your day with the things that are the most mentally and physically
demanding.
Author Bio: Linda is a freelance writer and college
English teacher. She writes on saving money and healthy, fashion and more. For
more of her helpful blog posts, please go to coupon4share.com or G+
to see useful tips on various topics
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