4 Simple Tips to Building a Morning Routine
Over a year, life as we know has gone through a number of unprecedented changes. Workplaces have shifted most of their operations to remote working in the efforts to flatten the curve. This sudden change in environment and lifestyle could really do a number to your mood and daily routine.
To cope with the sudden changes, try to build a morning routine to get you through the day. Your morning routine not only plays a key role in your emotional and physical wellbeing, it also sets up your day for success. A good routine should be centered around your values, supports your goals and is best suited to your needs. We’ve outlined some basic tips for you to start including in your morning routine.
1. Incorporate Something That Is Most Important To You.
As we’ve outlined before, your morning routine should be about you. When you’re thinking of building a set of habits or activities to start your day, they should at least have roots in what your core values are.
For some people, spirituality is a key part of their day so they might choose to start it with rituals like prayer. For those more health-inclined, a small workout helps them feel energized for the day. Morning meditation helps too, as it helps you start your day relaxed and at ease. So think about what is most important to you. It doesn’t have to be the same habits or rituals for each day, but having a clear set of actions that correspond with your values will make starting your day a lot more fulfilling.
2. Drink Something.
While you sleep, there’s no water intake but your body is still losing water through sweating, breathing and the production of urine1. If you sleep with an air-conditioner, you’ll likely wake up with your throat and nasal passages feeling a bit dry too. Without any water, the effects of dehydration, like fatigue2 and irritability3, will immediately get in the way of your day.
Incorporate drinking some form of liquid in your morning routine. For many, the obvious option is a caffeinated drink like tea or coffee for that feeling of wakefulness. An emerging trend in several health conscious circuits is to have bone broth as the first drink of the day to reap the full benefits and nutrients of veggies, beef bones and of course, water. If this might be too much for you, something like a healthy, low sugar smoothie or juice is a reliable alternative. Or to keep it simple; drinking a tall glass of plain water is just as good to start your day.
3. Outline Your Daily Goals.
There’s only so much you could do within 24 hours. To stop you from losing track or feeling overwhelmed, an action or activity that could hold you accountable to your goals or needs is a great addition to your morning routine.
You don’t even need extra special tools for this. If you have a calendar, whether it's on your phone or a physical one, outlining your daily tasks and things to achieve at the start of your day, sets you off with a clear vision of your goals. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment with this step, even if it’s as simple as filling up a to-do list.
4. Give Yourself Some Me Time.
Before you take on your day of work, errands and tasks, it’s good to have something that you can do just for yourself. Allocating a short period of time to do something that is personal and feel-good for you can help boost your mood and realign yourself for your day.
Pick an action or activity that’s quick, yet deeply fulfilling to you. For some people, it’s putting on their favourite lipstick in front of a mirror before they step out. Others might choose to play their dedicated morning playlist while they’re commuting to work. These little things in a routine are easy to do but will feel very rewarding, ensuring your day begins on the right foot.
A good morning routine could lay the foundations of a productive day. It helps ground you to your goals and improve your energy level, making you more focused and prepared to take on anything that comes by.
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Sources:
1 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19724292/
2 https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165%2F00007256-200939010-00001
3 https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/73/suppl_2/83/1931019