Morning marks the start of a new day and fresh beginnings. The possibilities of the number of things you can accomplish in a day are infinite. Successful people attribute their achievements to following a few simple steps as soon as they wake up.
When we say that these steps will bring about many positive changes in your life and increase your productivity, we aren’t exaggerating. So, what are these steps, and how will they help?
Read on to unravel the habits that will help turn your life for the better.
1. Start your day early:
From a very young age, we have been ingrained with the mantra of early to bed and early to rise. Many successful people such as Tim Cook, Michelle Obama, Richard Branson, Indira Nooyi, etc., attribute their achievements to rising early before everyone else does.
When you wake up early, you will find the time to accomplish tasks without interruptions. Your brain works at its full capacity first thing in the morning, which means you will get more work done in a lesser time frame.
Sleeping and waking up early play a major role in achieving a proper circadian rhythm, which leads to developing the right sleep patterns. According to an article published in the NPJ Science of Learning journal, proper sleep pattern leads to improved brain functions and memory.
Some find it difficult to sleep early and wake up early, making it an unbreakable and unhealthy chain. If you find yourself struggling with going to bed early, a few modifications in your habits can help.
- Avoid caffeine after 5 PM.
- Do not use electronic devices for at least a couple of hours before going to bed.
- Shift your workout schedules to earlier hours.
- Have a shower before going to bed.
- Essential oils such as lavender can help you relax and sleep early.
- Push ahead your sleep and wake up time by 15 or 30 minutes every three or four days to develop the correct sleep patterns.
- Place your alarm further away from where you sleep so that you are forced to wake up from bed to hit the snooze button.
These tips will help you get into a proper sleep-wake up routine.
2. Plan for The Day Ahead
A day well-planned is a day half-accomplished. Journaling is a great way to draw plans for the day and ensure that all your tasks are accomplished. Many use journaling as a way to record their thoughts and feelings. A concrete plan will help utilize the available hours efficiently and leave some time for relaxation too.
If you are new to journaling, you can start by laying out a schedule at the beginning of the day. Your plan must include appointments, targets, work schedule, meetings, virtual hangouts, etc.
Future Self-Journaling is an excellent way to keep yourself motivated to reach the long-term goals you have set for yourself. Through this process, you intentionally create a blueprint for your future self.
This type of journaling involves analyzing your present state, what kind of future you see yourself, and the changes you must make to achieve the end goals.
An example for future self-journaling:
- What are my future goals?
- What current tasks must I accomplish today to reach the goals?
- My affirmation(s) for the day
- One thing I wish to change about myself today
- Two things I am happy about
- One new thing I learned today
This list gives you a basic idea of how you can start working on your future self-journal. With practice, you will get a better idea of how to go about the process to suit your ideas and personality.
Apart from journaling, you can also plan ahead by laying out your clothes and accessories you want to wear. If you are among those who like cooking all their meals, you can also make a note of what to cook depending on what is available in your fridge and pantry.
Detailed planning has many advantages. Imagine your alarm hasn’t gone off on time, leading you to wake up late, or you have hit the snooze button too many times! Your pre-planned schedule means that you needn’t start your day on a wrong note. You know what needs to be done and what can be skipped to make up for the time lost.
To top it all, journaling is an excellent way to improve your psychological health and wellbeing, as stated by the American Psychological Association.
3. Indulge in me-time:
When you wake up early, you will have quality time for yourself. Utilize this time to do things that help you put the right pace into your day.
Meditation or mindfulness is a great way to start your day. Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. As you breathe, feel aware of every part of your body. This process conditions your mind and body as you prepare for the day ahead. Meditation has many benefits on the mind and body, including healing, relaxation, and stress relief.
If meditation isn’t your cup of tea, you can use this time to stretch, work out, go for a walk, or run. Getting close to nature also helps you get ready to face the day. Sunlight is an excellent natural source of Vitamin D, while greenery helps your body receive more oxygen. Getting some stretching exercises done will prepare your body for the day ahead.
You can use the early morning hours to update yourself with the news and happenings and learn something new.
Avoid checking your email and social media as soon as you wake up. Endless scrolling will lead to the loss of precious time and an unproductive day.
4. Hydrate:
Your body is deprived of the much-needed aqua during the 6 to 8 hours that you spend sleeping. Water is essential for most of the body functions. Starting your day with a glass or two of water is an excellent way to get your body into hydration mode. If you don’t like plain water, you can add a slice of lemon or any flavoring of your choice.
A majority of us have a cup of coffee in the morning, which can be dehydrating. When you drink water followed by coffee, the water compensates for this dehydration and balances out the water content in your body.
Drinking water early in the morning can quicken your metabolism by nearly 24% for an hour according to a randomized trial published in the National Library of Medicine. Drinking water before breakfast also promotes satiety and helps achieve weight loss by reducing food intake.
Additionally, water controls your body’s temperature, maintains proper brain functions, and functioning of the digestive system, kidneys, heart, etc. When you drink water, your skin also stays healthy, supple, and glowing.
5.Have a healthy breakfast:
Your body is in starvation mode when you sleep. The first meal of the day helps break this fast and kick starts your body’s metabolism. For this reason, your breakfast should be carb-rich, nutritious and wholesome.
Having a proper breakfast helps avoid hunger pangs throughout the day. According to an article published in the Oxford Academic’s Current Developments in Nutrition, breakfast improves appetite, satiety, and even your sleep cycles.
When you eat well in the morning, you function well throughout the day, and enjoy a restful night’s sleep.
When you start your day with these tips, you will start the day on a positive note. Planning and organizing your day become easier, and you can make the best of the time available with you. Some pointers also help you develop a healthy lifestyle. So, what are you waiting for? Start implementing these changes today and lay the foundation for a healthy and happy life!
DISCLAIMER:
The priority, in this blog, is to supply the reader with clear and unambiguous information. However, neither The New Me nor Gagan Dhawan makes promises, or guarantees regarding the completeness of the information found here. The content is not a replacement for advice of a licensed professional. The opinions expressed in this blog are solely that of the writer’s.
