Did you know that a morning routine can make or break how well your day pans out? How we start our day can have a positive impact or a negative one. We can choose!
The world around us can be overstimulating at times and therefore have a severe effect on our mental and physical health, without us realising it.
How can we improve how our day goes? We can start by making small changes to our morning. A morning routine will help set us up for the day ahead. Some of these tasks will be easier than others but it is important to find what works for you and to find solutions, rather than giving in to excuses when things become difficult.
Here are 6 things we can all begin doing every morning to prepare ourselves for the day ahead!
AVOID YOUR PHONE!
This is a big one! Our phones have become our lifelines since they’ve become so much more than just a phone. They’re our cameras, alarm clocks, music devices, calendars and everything in between. They’re amazing pieces of technology but they can have a negative impact if not controlled correctly by the user. We have become addicted to scrolling our social media feeds, but often feeding ourselves with comparisons to be the perfect human, beautiful, successful, living life to the full and never ever having problems. Social media is a highlight reel and although it is often demonised, it does have positive qualities too.
Do not allow social media to control you, instead, you control it.
As we awake from sleep our brain is producing Theta brain waves which often occur when we are drifting off to sleep, waking up and in a relaxed state. If we wake up and the first thing we do is check our phone, it not only exposes our sleepy eyes to artificial blue light, but our brain quickly goes from 0-100mph, in a matter of seconds.
Imagine waking up and 100 people storming into your room to tell you about their day and what they had for breakfast. Pretty sure the reaction would be pretty overwhelming!
This is what is happening to our brain when we open our phone first thing in the morning. We then carry that anxiety and stress with us throughout the day.
BE STILL!
Now we have woken up and not looked at our phones, it is time to be with ourselves. Our brain and body are still waking up so this is a great time to be still, close our eyes and breathe.
We like to include meditation. There are many guided ones on Spotify and Youtube you can choose from if you wish.
If you are new to meditation, we recommend sitting comfortably with your back straight, closing your eyes and listening to your breath. Take a few deep breaths, and let your breath flow naturally. Feel the temperature of the breath as it flows in and out. When your thoughts distract you, that’s ok, try to find your way back to the breath. Do this for a couple of minutes. This will help to tune into yourself and become present and grounded for the day ahead.
Being present isn’t easy with all the distractions. Introducing breathing techniques and meditation is a great way to become present. When we are present we can listen to ourselves, deal with stressful situations easier and become less irritated.
BE GRATEFUL!
Gratitude is a powerful tool. If you would like to read about gratitude in more detail then check out our blog.
After we have finished meditating, grab a notebook and write 5 things you’re grateful for. Try making them different every day, so you are not writing the same things and make sure it means something to you.
READ, READ, READ!
Reading 10 pages each morning has been proven to be a powerful tool. Reading a self-development book before we take in social media and the outside world has a positive effect on our mental health. Learning is what keeps the brain alive.
Sometimes we can read a book and find something that helps us, inspires us or opens our minds to something new. If you are looking for recommendations follow our social media accounts as we reveal one of our favourite books each week.
MOVE YOUR BODY!
This doesn’t always have to be a hardcore workout but it may be 10 minutes of stretching, yoga or HIIT. Going for a 10-minute walk or doing star jumps to your favourite song. Whatever it may be, waking up the body gets our digestive tract moving and boosts those endorphins, allowing us to walk into our day feeling good.
TAKE A COLD SHOWER!
I know, I know, this doesn’t get easier but it is effective! Not only do cold showers have physical health benefits but they have mental health benefits too. Taking a cold shower in the morning, even if it is just 30 seconds, gets us out of our comfort zone and creates a great sense of achievement because we’ve started the day doing something challenging!
You step out of that shower feeling so ALIVE!
If you would like to read more on cold showers, check out our blog!
Now you are ready to smash the day! This may sound like a lot to do in the morning but simply start with a couple of things, they don’t have to take long. Trust us, you will never regret setting your alarm a little earlier to squeeze in a high-quality, consistent morning routine.
This is just a short guide but feel free to change things as you go. If you would like to read more on morning routines then we highly recommend Hal Elrod’s book, Miracle Morning.
Transform your morning, transform your life!
Seek and Discover
