What happens in the first few minutes after you wake up can set the tone for the rest of the day. A rough start in the morning can turn into smooth sailing, but by adding a few key elements to your morning routine, the chances of having a more productive day increase significantly! These 5 new habits can boost your back-to-school rhythm!
1. Ditch The Snooze
We've all done it. We snooze. Some of us roll over and scroll through social media before our feet hit the floor. Our brains don't stop working at night, but they do use this time to find calm and heal. Snoozing might send you back to sleep, but it's usually very light and not enough time to promote the healing intention of sleep. Try putting your alarm across the room so that you have to get out of bed to turn it off.
2. Fuel Up
You don't have to have a huge breakfast every morning. But, keep in mind that morning nourishment with food leads to better health overall, improves memory, and gives you the energy you need to focus on the day. It literally means a break from the fast that was while you were sleeping. Skipping breakfast can throw off your body's rhythm of fasting and eating. When you wake up, your body needs blood sugar to move muscles and stimulate the brain. Breakfast helps replenish it. Try a whole grain cereal, low-fat milk and fruit, or a yogurt smoothie. Think Carbs for immediate energy, protein for later and fiber to keep you feeling full.
3. Prioritize Your Action Items For The Day
You might be slightly foggy to create a list of action items right after you wake up, so think about making this list the night before, or after you have been awake for at least 30 minutes. Create easily achievable tasks with detailed descriptions, account for flexibility due to delays, and write how long you'd like each task should take. Apps like Google Keep or Trello are wonderful for cloud-based organizing across devices. You are more likely to lose a post-it reminder than your phone!
4. Drink Water and Move
Drinking water first thing in the morning helps rehydrate your body, lubricate joints and relieve headaches. Room temperature water in the morning kick-starts your metabolism so that it functions at optimal levels throughout the day. Place a water bottle by your bed so that it is the first thing you see when you wake up.
5. Get Flowing with Fresh Air
Morning air has less vehicle exhaust and other pollutants compared to the rest of the day. Taking this in as a part of your morning routine stimulates your entire body. It's even been suggested that fresh air helps improve common skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis. Our brains use 20% of the oxygen we breathe to function. By increasing the amount of fresh air we are exposed to, the brain has more clarity and focus.
Productivity in our workplace is directly affected by how we physically care for ourselves. Take the time to incorporate a few of these suggestions and journal the results. Acknowledging your successes is one of the best ways you can show yourself some more love!
