By Eyza Koreshe @eyza.koreshe
How you start your day sets the tone for the rest of the day.
To ensure you have a successful morning and hence a successful day, a great morning routine is of paramount importance.
Here are seven tips for creating a great morning routine.
1. The best morning routine is the one that works best for you
Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl doesn’t matter; the time you wake up and your actions determine how your day goes.
The best routine is one that enhances, not limits, your day. If keeping up with it is causing you stress, it isn’t the right routine for you.
2. Set your intention for your morning routine
What is your intention for your morning?
Do you want more productivity? Better health? More joy?
Identify your goals and set a clear intention.
3. Your morning begins the night before
We only have a few hours in the morning before the world takes over. Life is unpredictable, and so much can happen in just a few hours, so it’s best to be prepared.
As Benjamin Franklin said, ““By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”.
According to research, stress is detrimental to our productivity. The more prepared you are, the less stressful your morning will be.
Prepare for the day the night before. Take out your clothes, prepare your lunch, make your bag, and write down your to-do list.
4. Set healthy boundaries to reduce and eliminate distractions
Before going to bed, place your phone in another room or the far corner of your room where it will be out of your reach. This will prevent you from using your phone before going to sleep and from using it as soon as you wake up.
Do not use your phone first thing in the morning. Not only will it waste your time, but it will also disrupt your morning routine.
DND (Do Not Disturb) is your friend. Schedule it to turn off AFTER you complete your morning routine.
5. Keep a consistent sleep schedule
While it takes a lot of discipline to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, it’s essential to stick to a consistent sleep schedule throughout the week to prevent health issues.
Also referred to as ‘social jet lag’ by sleep experts, waking up early on a school day and sleeping in till the afternoon on the weekend wreaks havoc on our internal body clock.
Research has found that irregular sleeping habits can significantly impact our mental and physical health leading to heart disease, obesity, high cholesterol, and poor academic performance.
6. Don’t hit the snooze button!
Snoozing your alarm to catch 10 minutes of extra sleep will do you more harm than good.
According to research, our brain enters a new sleep cycle every time we wake up, hit the snooze button, and go back to sleep.
With each sleep cycle lasting 90 minutes, when we wake up, we feel more tired and groggy instead of feeling refreshed.
7. Create healthy habits
Instead of checking your social media or emails first thing in the morning, use those sacred morning hours to practise habits that will boost your day.
These could include:
- Writing in a journal
- Reading a book chapter
- Doing stretches
- Exercising
- Brisk walking for 10-15 minutes
- Practising meditation and mindfulness
Morning is the most crucial time of the day; make the most of it.
“Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it.”
– Logician and philosopher Richard Whately
