Some mornings, we start out great. We wake up before our alarm goes off. We jog for around 30 minutes. Then, we make breakfast and eat that breakfast before the whole day starts. Everything goes well. But it isn’t always like that. Some mornings are bad mornings. There are days when we wake up late and have no time to eat even a stale slice of bread. There are mornings when we end up in a traffic jam because of an accident, and we’re late for a meeting. For the rest of the day, we just try to survive until it eats us up alive.
There should be a deliberate intention for people to make their mornings great. That always starts with waking up early and having a few minutes just to yourself. There has never been a benefit to waking up late when everyone in the household is up and about. You will not catch up on your own needs to simply enjoy the coffee you brewed using your new Hario V60 coffee set or answer the emails that have been waiting for you since last night. You need that few minutes of the morning to yourself.
Plan Ahead
Your morning starts the night before. If you go to bed late, you won’t be feeling great to wake up at 6 am or even earlier than that. Your body needs at least six hours of uninterrupted sleep to fuel it for the day. So, be deliberate about your evenings. Make sure you’re in bed before midnight if you plan to wake up early. While it is nice to give yourself time to enjoy a few movies on Netflix, these are better watched during the weekend when you can choose to sleep in.
Resist the Snooze
It is hard not to hit that snooze button but remember that those 10 extra minutes of sleep will not do good anyway. They tend to be low-quality and light sleep. It is not long enough for your body to get through another sleep cycle because that needs at least 90 minutes more. When you hit the snooze button, the only thing you are doing is to get late for the day. So when your alarm goes off, make sure you’re ready to face the day.
Drink Water
The first drink you need in the morning is a glass of lemon or cucumber water. That will help hydrate your body which flushed out fluids overnight. This will also start your metabolism at the right footing because your body will need that water for your digestive system to run smoothly. Even though you feel hungry after a good night’s sleep, a slice of bread and jam shouldn’t be the first thing in your stomach. It should be a glass or two of cold water.
Exercise
It can be hard to force yourself out of bed in the morning. It’s even harder to exercise and sweat it out. But exercising in the morning has a ton of great rewards. One, it releases endorphins, the chemicals the brain produces to minimize pain and discomfort. It is the same hormone that improves one’s well-being. A 30-minute jog around the block will give you an incredible feeling. It will also help reduce the stress brought about by work and personal relationships.
Feel the Sun
If you want to maximize working out in the morning, better do it outdoors. The time you spend outdoors will tell your body it’s time to gear up for the day ahead. Studies showed that light triggers the body to stop producing melatonin, the sleep hormone. The light from the sun will tell your body to be more alert, that it’s time to face more work.
Eat Breakfast
Most people don’t get about eating a large breakfast because it’s the meal that fuels your body for the duration of the day. It is where your body will draw energy for the most difficult tasks you will do early in the morning. Eating a large and hearty breakfast shouldn’t even be a worry for those following a strict diet. Your body can break down the calories you gain in the morning, so you don’t have to worry about how large your breakfast is as long as you maintain a balanced diet for lunch and dinner.
Turn your mornings into something productive by being deliberate about your activities. Make sure that you are doing things that will power you throughout the day. A good formula is to wake up early, eat a big breakfast, exercise, and spend time outdoors. You’ll see a huge difference in your day.
