Have you ever heard the saying, 'win the morning, win the day'? As it turns out, whoever said that was right! When you wake up feeling sluggish and unmotivated, it can impact your whole schedule. That’s why adopting an energising morning routine will set you up for productivity and success.
Not sure where to start? We’ve got a few tips and tricks to get you ready for whatever the day throws at you, and it starts the night before →
Get to bed
Before you can start creating your morning routine, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Experts suggest adults need seven to nine hours of solid sleep for optimal brain function, and no, laying in bed for two hours scrolling on Instagram doesn't count! It’s also recommended to limit your exposure to blue light (like TVs and smartphone screens) around two hours before you plan to go to bed so your brain knows it’s time to switch off.
Step away from the snooze...
Research has shown that repeatedly hitting the snooze button, forcing our brains in and out of REM sleep (guilty), can actually increase blood pressure. As nice as it is to constantly say to yourself, 'just five more minutes' – it never really is just five minutes.
Hydrate
Upon waking, as tempting as it is to go straight for your morning Beforeyouspeak Coffee, experts recommend drinking a glass or two of water first to rehydrate. During sleep we can become dehydrated, and dehydration will exaggerate feelings of exhaustion, light-headedness and even cause headaches.
Get Moving
Studies show that at least 10 minutes of exercise in the morning can promote wakefulness and help you to sleep better again that night. If you can make it to the gym, great! If not, don’t worry – some energising yoga stretches or a brisk walk in the morning sun will have the same effect. In fact, there's evidence to suggest that being exposed to sunlight in the morning can kickstart our circadian rhythm. So doing your exercise outside will get your body and mind energised, ready to start the day!
Mindfulness
Even if a lengthy meditation session isn't quite your vibe, taking just a few minutes to be ‘mindful’ before tackling the day head-on can help to reduce stress, boost performance at work, and reduce risk of burnout. Research proves that to reap the full benefits of mindfulness, it needs to be practised daily, so allocating a few minutes of your morning routine to being mindful is perfect!
Eating your breakfast, or drinking your morning cuppa screen free and without any distractions is an easy way to implement a little mindfulness into your morning.
You time
Is there a new skill you’d like to master, but don’t allow the time for it on top of daily commitments? Consider taking an extra 30 minutes each morning to work on something just for you. It could be trying a new hobby, reading a book, learning a new language or simply listening to a podcast you enjoy. Not only will you have accomplished something before going about your day, but allocating time to focus on nothing but yourself is a great energy management tool. Remember that extra 30 minutes you used to waste snoozing? That’s your new ‘me time’! The more efficiently you can recharge your batteries, the more effective and present you will be to a task or deadline that needs your full attention.
Now is the perfect time to implement a morning routine so you can smash your goals! What will you achieve?