The morning sets the mood and tone for the entire day. It often defines how the day will unfold, or at least a part of the day. Not everything that happens throughout the day is in our hands. But we can at least try to start it on a positive note and hope that the positivity will stay with us the entire day.
How we behave in the morning often depends on when we usually wake up and when our work schedule starts. They define whether we move around the house at a normal pace or run around like a headless chicken. However, if you plan in advance on how to start your day and pace out your morning schedule, there should be no cause for concern. What a blessing that would be, right?
So, let’s get going with an easy-peasy to-do list on how to plan a good morning routine before work.
11 Positive Steps On How To Start Your Day
1. Tell Your Alarm Clock To Shut Up!
By that, we don’t mean to say that you can conveniently go back to sleep after hitting the snooze button. Instead, we mean to convey that it’s best that you leave your bed the first time you hear the alarm. It will be very difficult at first, but soon your brain and your body clock will get conditioned to popping out of bed on the dot.
2. Be An Early Riser
Start your day with good morning habits. As painful as it may sound to some (or many), waking up early has many perks. It enables you to introspect and slip into the right frame of mind. It gives you enough time to plan your day at ease and enjoy some early morning peace. It can also help you etch out time for a relaxing activity like a run, a leisurely shower, or meditation – things you wouldn’t have had the time for if you are a late lateef.
3. Keep Your Smartphone Away
Are you one of those people who checks your smartphone for messages and emails, and browse social media as soon as you wake up? Well, most of us do. But, by doing this, you encourage a reactive state of mind rather than a proactive mindset. This is too much brain activity and information download as soon as you wake up. Make it a habit to detach yourself from technology for about the first hour of your day and learn to enjoy your morning routine in a more mindful and peaceful way.
4. Think Positive Thoughts
Start your day with a smile; use positive thoughts or affirmations to express gratitude for what you have. A smile nudges your body to release dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, which are feel-good neurotransmitters, helping you start your day with a better mood. To top that, smiling also strengthens the immune system, reducing the risk of diseases, specifically during the flu season.
5. Meditate In The Morning
Usher in some calming stillness with a meditation session. It reduces stress and enhances focus, prevents illnesses, and improves emotional stability. Sit and make yourself comfortable. Close your eyes and then focus on your breath for 3 minutes or longer. Every time you feel your mind wander, bring it back to your breath.
6. Take A Washroom Tour
It is recommended that you brush your teeth as soon as you wake up, not after having breakfast. A bacterial layer or plaque develops in your mouth when you sleep. It is essential to remove this plaque before you set your body in motion to do anything else. Brushing also creates a protective layer of fluoride on your teeth that guards against the acids and sugars that make their way to your mouth during breakfast.
Follow this up with a scraping routine. Scrape the back of your tongue as it is a breeding ground for bacteria-induced bad breath. It also prevents toxins from being reabsorbed into your body. Scraping removes mucus that can block taste buds. What’s more, it boosts overall gum and tooth health. How to start your day healthy? Here’s your answer. Wind up your brushing routine by rinsing with a fluoride mouthwash.
7. Sip Warm Water
Reach out for a glass of warm water before anything else to hydrate your body. Get inspired by the Ayurvedic technique of squeezing a few drops of lemon into the warm water to flush out toxins from your digestive system that may have accumulated overnight. Not just that, lemon is a rich source of vitamin C, it helps make your acidic stomach more alkaline, it refreshes your breath, stimulates digestion and metabolism, and even helps with weight loss.
8. Follow A Fitness Routine
A regular fitness routine is crucial not just for your body but your mind as well. Even a 10-minute schedule goes a long way in helping you stay fit. Select a fitness routine of your choice – yoga, cardio, Zumba, or anything else that catches your fancy. You can also choose from going on a walk with your pet or alone, or switch between these options to keep the routine interesting. Sweating it out releases endorphins, making you feel good about yourself. Now, you are all ready to start your day on a positive high. Want to know how to start your day with a positive attitude? Working out is your answer.
9. Make Your Bed
We know what you’re thinking. Why make the bed that you are anyway going to use again at night, right? However, it is one of those small, seemingly insignificant activities that make you feel accomplished, organized, and in control, helping you begin the day on a positive note.
10. Make Your Way To The Kitchen
Yay! It’s breakfast time. Nutritionists cannot emphasize enough the importance of a healthy and wholesome breakfast. It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it kickstarts your metabolism and gives you that burst of energy after a night of rest and slumber. So, help yourself to the whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in order to refuel the energy to get you going.
11. Get Creative
Embark on a therapeutic journey right at the beginning of your day by giving wings to your thoughts. Write your thoughts down or create something you are interested in—sketch, paint, dance, and so on. This will help you gain clarity of thought before you start on a busy day of reading and responding to emails, attending meetings, and getting on with your workday.
It isn’t difficult to inculcate good morning habits provided you plan and make an effort to follow a good morning routine before work. You might falter at the beginning and that’s fine, provided you don’t give up and leave it midway. Follow your chosen morning routine for a few days till it becomes a habit. Say ‘Good Morning’ to yourself every day you wake up, and remember, say it with a smile.
