When you see successful people you can’t help but feel impressed with how they move through the day. It seems like they are never overwhelmed, stressed out, or lose their cool under pressure. Knowing that makes us ask the question “how do they do it?”
What helps their success is what they do in their morning routine. The habits they perform during their morning sets the pace for how their day will flow. Infusing the following 10 habits into your morning can help shape your day.
1. Wake Up Early to Gain Time
Normally in the morning, rushing around causes mental stress. Getting ready as quickly as you can in a short amount of time seems like a good idea, but you end up skipping on the necessary action that helps get you through the day.
By getting up early you are adding time to prepare your mind and body for your day.
Take baby steps towards waking early. Gradually getting up earlier each day will help your body adjust to the new routine and will reduce the stress in your mornings.
2. Declutter Your Mind
If your mind is scattered throughout the day you are not going to get much done. Taking time out of your mornings to practice mindfulness helps keep your body stay energized during the day.
This habit helps focus your mind so you are mentally prepared for intellectual tasks during the day. In the morning there is less distraction so this creates the environment for mindfulness. It takes only a few minutes and benefits last all through the day.
3. Exercise
Working out gives a boost to your mind and body. Exercising early in the morning has an increased impact for your day. If your daily schedule is chaotic, working out in the morning can really benefit you. Sticking to a consistent morning workout schedule is also easier – working out after work can be difficult if you’re often exhausted by the end of the day.
Ironically, morning exercise can help combat your exhaustion. Moreover, the cardiovascular benefit of working out in the morning is even higher than evening session would be. Exercise helps ensure steady mental focus up to ten hours after working out.
4. Remove The Snooze Alarm
Masquerading as a friend, the snooze alarm is the biggest obstacle in your day. The cliche of “5 more minutes” has the ability to throw your whole day off balance.
A person sleeps in 90 minute blocks – any less is disruptive.
In the morning when we hit the snooze button we start another sleep cycle. Each time we press snooze alarm it interrupts our sleep cycle, causing us to feel fatigued throughout the day, and affects our ability to function efficiently. Keep it simple, get up after the first and only alarm – it will make the world of difference to your day.
5. Power of The Quiet Morning
In the early morning, the day’s usual background noises are not yet fully developed, things are still stirring and not as distracting. Use this quiet time to help you go right into your morning rituals.
This quiet time can help carry a sense of calm through the day’s more stressful moments. The daunting tasks of your day will seem so much easier to accomplish.
6. Finding The Frog You Have to Eat
“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”
-Mark Twain
The idea behind this is to select a task you are avoiding and work on it first. Completing a difficult task can give you a real sense of accomplishment and help propel you forward with confidence through the rest of your day.
7. Breakfast
Quite simply, the most important meal of the day is breakfast. Successful people understand this and have a quick nutrient-packed meal to start the day.
A good, balanced breakfast helps keep you stay light on your feet and focused during your day. Pressed for time? A homemade healthy smoothie or juice is a tasty, healthy meal choice and provides the nutritional value needed for your day.
8. Sleep impacts tomorrow
Sleep is needed for the body to repair, recharge and relieve stress. By sleeping less you are decreasing your body’s ability to perform for the next day. Successful people understand how a healthy sleeping schedule impacts their day.
Establish a consistent sleep schedule and you will give your body the time it needs to prepare for the morning. And following a consistent night routine can get you ready for your mornings.
9. Motivational Mantra
Success mantras can provide you with a personal and professional motivation for the day. Simply speaking or thinking a mantra promotes a persistent drive through your day. This serves to strengthen your personal belief in what you can accomplish. Mantras can also help in situations that are less than desirable.
Success mantras detoxify negative impressions we have about ourselves so we have no doubt what we can do. To accomplish anything great you need motivation, and success mantras can be the fuel for that motivation.
10. Stay Hydrated
Successful people recharge their minds with a glass of water in the early morning. If you’re a fan of coffee in the morning, have it with a glass of water to counter the dehydrating effects of coffee. A glass of water in the morning helps the body jump-start its metabolism and flush harmful toxins out of the body.
Conclusion
Make these adjustments and you’ll find your mornings will supercharge a successful lifestyle. Just remember to:
- stay hydrated
- plan your morning and night routines
- enjoy the quiet time the morning brings; and
- remind yourself of the great things you can accomplish