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I’m pleased to welcome Terri from soldaisy.com who is going to tell us how to create a healthy morning routine along with the importance of having one. Over to you Terri.
Have you ever noticed how your morning can set the tone for your entire day?
We’ve all had those mornings. The alarm clock goes off and you press snooze a million times. Then, because you are running late, you skip breakfast and rush around like crazy making sure you are ready in time for work. You finally make it out of the house, just to have your whole day feel hectic and kind of “off”.
Now imagine a morning where you wake up fully rested and on time. You smile and stretch as you make your way into the kitchen to enjoy a nice cup of tea or coffee. You’ve plenty of time to read or journal and get ready for your day at a slower pace. You leave for work feeling recharged, happy, and ready for your day.
Sounds too good to be true?
I hear ya, I was the same way!
I thought these happy “morning people” were simply crazy. And then I became one.
“Morning is wonderful. Its only drawback is that it comes at such an inconvenient time of day.”
–Glen Cook
It wasn’t easy but I noticed on the mornings I stuck to a healthy routine, my whole mood was peaceful and calm. And that totally transferred into my day. My mind was so much more organized and at ease all day long.
If you’re wanting to be one of these “morning people” and have calmer, more productive mornings, but you aren’t sure how, let me tell you a secret; it all starts with a healthy morning routine.
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Why Is A Healthy Morning Routine Important?
- Humans are creatures of habit, plain and simple. We thrive when we know what to expect and what’s expected of us. We like structure and security, and routines provide that.
- A morning routine gives us a sense of accomplishment. Routines keep us moving forward and focused. Focusing on, and completing, the tasks make us feel productive and accomplished. I mean, how good does it feel to check something off a to-do list?!
- A morning routine helps you develop healthy habits. When you have a routine each day, the things in your routine become habits. Part of your morning routine may be exercising, meditating, or journaling. These healthy habits may also move into your day. You may notice you start eating healthier at lunch or start taking an after-dinner walk. Forming a healthy morning routine can truly impact your whole day.
- Healthy morning routines take out the guesswork. You wake up, follow your routine, and get things done. Simple.
“My routine is there to serve as the building blocks for a successful day” – Carly Stein
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How To Create A Healthy Morning Routine
Step 1. Decide your why
This is an important step.
What is your “why”? Why do you want to implement a healthy morning routine? Are you wanting to feel more organized throughout your day? Maybe you have new goals you want to accomplish like a new exercise plan. Perhaps you want to eat better so you want to make sure you have a healthy breakfast each day.
Whatever your “why” is, get out a piece of paper, and write it down!
Next, on that same piece of paper, write down how you will feel each day when you complete your new routine.
Will you feel proud? More productive? Happier? What good feelings will come with accomplishing the routine? How will your life improve?
Now, take that piece of paper and hang it someplace you can see it easily and often. It will serve as great motivation whenever you are feeling a little less excited about waking up with (or before) the sun.
Step 2. Decide how early you are going to wake up (and keep it realistic)
If you are not a morning person at all, I suggest you start small. Sure, you could start off waking up super early, and while you are motivated, it may work. But sooner than later, the motivation fades and it’s easy to get burned out and slip back into old ways. I would suggest starting with waking just thirty minutes early.
Starting small like this will allow the change to stick; it will become just part of what you do. Each week or so you can wake up a little earlier. Continue this process until you are waking up at the time you need to accomplish your entire routine.
It’s great to have a healthy morning routine but it needs to be realistic and something you can stick with.
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Step 3. Prioritize your tasks
Now that you know what time you are going to wake up each morning, it’s time to decide what you are going to do with that extra time.
This step follows the same advice as above; start small.
Pick just one or two of the most important tasks you want to start adding to your morning. You can always add more tasks as you add more time.
“Waking up early, connecting with nature, and having my quiet time are priorities to me, and they are non-negotiable.” – Danette May
Step 4. Make sure your routine is balanced
It’s great if you want to get up early to add a morning run to your day, but make sure to also set a little time aside to stretch.
If you are working on a side hustle and want the extra morning time to answer emails, reply to new clients, etc. that’s great, but make sure to add some time to journal or meditate.
The thing is, even if you have a morning routine, if it’s not balanced, you can still have a day of feeling hectic or “off”. Make sure to include things in your routine that help your mind, body, and your soul.
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Photo by Gustavo Torres on Unsplash
Step 5. Change it as needed
Your morning routine does not have to be set in stone. Don’t get so married to it that you can’t modify it when necessary. We all have different ebbs and flows in life and your routine will reflect that.
Situations change. Life changes.
Listen to what your body and soul need and make sure your morning routine aligns with that.
So you have created your healthy morning routine and are ready to get started! Awesome! Take it up a notch with these tips.
Pro Tips:
- Don’t hit the snooze. If you need to, move your alarm clock or phone across the room so you have to get up out of bed to turn it off. Once you are up, just stay up!
- Smile when you first wake up. It may seem silly to smile for no reason, but it has proven benefits to improve your mood. What can you smile about? How about the fact you woke up and you have a new day to live…that’s pretty smile-worthy.
- Stretch your body. This could be just a few stretches when you first wake up or a more structured stretching session later in the morning. Either way, your body will thank you!
- Make your bed. This is something so simple and quick and can really jumpstart feelings of productivity and accomplishment. Make this one of the first (if not the first) things you do.
- Hydrate. Replenish your body and give it some H2O love in the morning. This helps set the tone to remember to drink more water throughout the day and starts your day off right by giving your body something it needs.
- Stay off your phone. Don’t reach for your phone right away. This may not be easy but try and do at least a few things before you reach for your phone. It’s easier to get your mind in a good, happy place when you are away from technology and instead focusing on real life and the present moment.
- Prep the night before. You can add more time to your morning by prepping a little more the night before. Make your lunch, lay out your clothes, write down your to-do list, etc. Prepping this way allows you more time (and focus) in the morning.
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In Summary
Having a healthy morning routine can give you feelings of confidence, accomplishment, and security. The healthy habits you form in the morning can transfer to your entire day.
A morning routine helps you feel in control and allows you to focus on what is most important. It also takes the guesswork out of your mornings; just follow the routine and you are good to go.
When creating your routine, make sure you know your why! Also, make sure it’s realistic and something you can stick with.
Remember to start off small if you are not a morning person; you can always add more time later.
Lastly, to get the most from a healthy morning routine, make sure it is balanced.
Include things that nourish your body, mind, and soul. Also, don’t be afraid to change it as your priorities change. It is a fluid thing; not something set in stone.
Follow these simple steps and you will be one of those “crazy morning people” in no time. Who knows, you might find that you actually like it!
Author Bio
Terri DeVore is the blogger behind Sol Daisy, a blog dedicated to motivating and inspiring women to be their best sunshine-spreading, joyful-living self. Because life is too short to live any other way.
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