We all want every day to be beautiful, to be the kind of day where we wake up and crush our goals, stay happy through it all, and end it feeling satisfied. However, we don’t always get this.
On many days, the opposite is our experience. We wake up feeling too tired and lazy to do anything, we face indecision and confusion as we go about our tasks, we feel hunger at times when we would rather not be distracted by food, and we end the day feeling unsatisfied and dreading the next day.
If we have a long streak of days like this, it will make us frustrated. And someone reading this post is probably already at that point. We need a break from this kind of living, and we want to know the secret to have better, happier, and more productive days.
One way to change the course of our day is by changing our morning habits. The things we do, especially in the morning, can chart a path for our whole day to follow. Chances are, the reason we don’t achieve all we want or feel like the day was great is because of how we start it.
I believe you deserve to have beautiful days that leave you proud and happy, and this is why I’m sharing some morning habits that, if cultivated and practiced in the morning, would transform your day from one you’re vexed at to one you wish you could relive.
Wake Up Early
Waking up only to find out that time is no longer on your side can frustrate your day. You’ll dive right into activities and won’t even do them relaxedly. You’ll speed through the shower, rush through breakfast, and probably forget a few things as you rush to the office.
Waking up early changes all of these. The first good thing about it is that it gives you extra time to take control of your morning. You can have a quiet moment all to yourself that you can use to get settled in before the rush of daily activity kicks in. This is also a great time to plan your day.
Also, you won’t have to rush through activities. You can have a comfortable bath, relax while you slowly savor your breakfast, and have enough time to pack and organize your things for work. You can carefully arrange all your stuff in your bag or car and avoid the risk of ruining them, either through breakage or crumpling.
Drink Water
Regular hydration is key to having a healthier, happier day, and there’s no better time to begin hydration than as early as possible. Keep a bottle or glass of water close to you so you will find it easy to stay hydrated.
Sometimes, you never know how your day will go, and occasionally, we get caught up in days when we don’t have time to look out for ourselves. On such days, you can remain productive for longer, as you’ll keep running on the sufficient water you took in the morning.
This is not to say you should forget about hydration after you’ve gotten a good dose in the morning. I’m just saying you’ll be less likely to run into the frustration that being thirsty brings when you already had enough water earlier.
Make Your Bed
Making your bed will change you without you even realizing it. It works differently for different people; for example, some claim that after making their bed, they feel like they’ve accomplished something already, and that motivates them to go on and handle more things.
There are also those who say the fear of roughening the bed again prevents them from resting “too much” on it as the day goes on. For me, when a place feels scattered, I feel disorganized, so dressing it up, along with tidying other things, helps me feel comfortable enough to do work.
You may not know how making your bed will affect you or if it may even affect you. However, there’s only one way to find out, which is to try it and see how it goes.
Stay Thankful
I’m sure there are a million things in your life to be thankful for. Maybe we’ll start with the fact that you have access to the internet to read this post. I understand you are far from having all that you need, but you have some, and I’m sure there is hope that you’ll get more.
Being thankful makes everything brighter. It takes your mind off what you lack and puts it on what you have. As you train yourself to focus on the more pleasant parts of your life, you’ll find yourself happier and more hopeful. You’ll be motivated to do more and be more.
In the morning, think about the good things that have happened to you. Negative thoughts may try to pop up but shut them down. One way to practice this is by writing down what you’re thankful for, either on a piece of paper or by typing on your phone.
When you stay thankful, you’ll realize that your life starts to feel less stressful. You’ll find yourself smiling more, and you’ll see that depression is far from you. Things that would normally ruin your day will become stepping stones to better things.
I’m a very thankful person, and I know that helps me live a happy and productive life. A few weeks ago, I lost my job, and everyone thought I was pretending to be fine. But I was genuinely fine because I kept my eyes on the bright side. If no one can prove to you that being thankful will transform your day for good, I can.
Stretch Your Body
Do you ever open your eyes in the morning and feel like you’re not really awake? Go about the morning trying to get things done, but still feel as sleepy as your duvet? It’s normal for the body to feel that way. It’s still trying to come out of the unalert, lazy phase it has been in for some hours.
But you can stretch your way out of it. Slowly stretch from one part of the body to another—slowly. There’s no specific process to stretching, so you don’t even need to take a class or watch a YouTube video for guidance. Just wing it. Do your best to ensure every part of your body gets its fair share of stretching.
As you do it, you’ll find that you become more conscious of the world around you and that your flexibility is reactivated. Your joints and muscles will feel more relaxed, and you’ll be less likely to feel pain or discomfort as you begin your daily activities.
This way, you can start getting things done as early as possible and be on your way to crushing your deadlines for the day and making the most of it.
Meditate
If you’re asking what meditation can do for you, you should know that it reduces stress and anxiety. Now, meditation is not really my thing. I deal with stress in other ways, so I’m not telling you about this from my personal experience but from that of my friends who practice it and swear by it.
All you need is a quiet, comfortable, and free-from-distractions space. Go there, sit in a comfortable position, try to push away all thoughts, and just focus on your breathing. Thoughts will always try to filter themselves back into your mind, but grab them and guide them back out.
One thing you may discover is that meditation isn’t as easy as it sounds when you start. Freeing your mind from worries may negate your mind’s wish to stay on these issues. But gradually, you’ll become a pro at it, and soon, you’ll find that you can easily do it. Also, you don’t have to meditate for very long, especially as a starter. 5-10 minutes is enough.
Now, note that there is no best time for motivation. You can do it whenever you want, but it helps to do it in the morning if you want to set a good tone for the start of your day.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
You’ve gone without food for some hours while you slept. Your body needs food in the morning, so breakfast is something you shouldn’t play with. Except for when I am doing a fast, I do my best to eat in the morning. I have my bad days where I see the clock at 1 p.m. and realize I’m yet to eat, but I try to make sure that rarely happens.
Eating breakfast is one thing, but eating a healthy breakfast is another. You want to ensure your breakfast is healthy and contains protein, fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Also, remember to keep your breakfast light so it doesn’t weigh you down.
Breakfast will give you the energy to go about your morning activities and prevent you from easily getting hungry later in the day. Once hunger is tackled, your mood improves, and you can focus better, which are two things you need for a great day.
Set Your Intentions for the Day
I know you want to achieve many things, but you should decide what you want to do today. Which tasks are you focusing on? Which tasks could you dabble into if you have some time on your hands? When will you take a break?
Is answering these questions even necessary? Yes. When you know the things you want to do, you can go straight for them without having too many indecisive moments, and that way, you are focused on what should be done.
When your intentions are defined, you can now build a to-do list that can help you achieve them and easily turn down things that don’t fit into it. You’ll feel more in control, and that feeling alone will help you do more than if you feel like the day is just happening to you.
Avoid Technology for the First Hour
Technology remains one of the biggest blessings humans have ever received. But it’s a great idea not to start your day with technology—and I have a good reason for it. Please hear me out.
What you see on the news, read on social media, or read in your email inbox can set the tone of your day. Imagine waking up to put on your TV and finding out that there’s a new regulation that affects the survivability of your already struggling business. That’s a news story that can make you cross all day.
So how about you take some minutes, or maybe the whole first hour after you wake, to set the tone of your day with activities that will make you feel good? A nice meal, some stretches, a peek into the Bible, some pages of the novel you’re currently reading? Anything that will make you feel good and positive.
Then, you can jump into the day with a positive and thankful mind that can soften any blow that technology may send your way. Your mind, being better prepared, is likely to work on solutions instead of drowning in any sad news.
Look at it this way: You have the whole day to scroll through social media, check your emails, and watch the news. How about you give it a break at the start of the day?
Move Your Body
Earlier, I mentioned stretching as a way to prepare your body for activity when you wake. You could take it further and get your body more awake with exercise. Get that body moving, baby!
There are so many things to do as exercise that you will find one that’s appealing to you no matter what you like. Besides specialized workouts tailored to some of your body-specific needs, like sit-ups and weight lifting, you can do anything from brisk walks and biking to dancing and perfecting your basketball moves up to scoring.
As a performing artist, one of my go-to exercises is to perform to an imaginary large crowd with all the jumping and theatrics it comes with. In my head, I’ve performed at the Grammys. Not only does it help me get more active, it is so much fun for me, and it even helps me better my craft.
Exercise makes you feel good. And when you feel good, you are better positioned to do big things and make the most of your day. Exercise also keeps you healthy, and the healthier you are, the more you can do and achieve. Exercise also has other benefits, like helping you sleep better and controlling your appetite.
As you attempt to develop these habits, remember to take it easy on yourself. You may struggle to build some, and that’s fine. You may not begin building all of them from day one, and that’s alright. Take it step by step and embrace the process and one day, you’ll be practicing them easily.
When that day comes, you’ll find that the quality of your days has improved and that you are more productive and happier.
I’d love to hear which of these morning habits you’ll start working on and how you’re progressing. Please leave a comment so that I can stay updated. Please share this article with your buddies. I heard that sharing is caring.