What if you could set your day up for success within the first two hours of waking?

Having a morning routine is vital, worth the personal investment, and can allow you to achieve this goal!

By implementing habits that will allow you to have a productive morning you are creating a positive space, mindset, and environment which will allow you to have a positive day.

Let’s discover how to set your morning up for success which will subsequentially also set your day up to flourish!

 

Get a Good Night’s Sleep 

Did you know that success for the next day actually starts the day before?  In order for you to have a productive morning you MUST get an adequate amount of sleep.

Studies differ on the specific amount of hours of sleep that individuals need. However, John Hopkins Medicine and many medical articles recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep.

If you sleep the recommended 7 to 9 hours, the next morning your body be will well rested and you will have natural energy. You will be able to think logically and be more productive-our ultimate goal.

Medical News Today also asserts that by getting 7 or more hours of sleep you will have enhanced memory, be in a position to better maintain your weight, have enhanced emotional and social intelligence, and be in a position to build a stronger immune system.

These are all benefits that make having a morning routine worth it.

If you are sleeping less than 7 hours a day, chances are that you will wake up the next morning feeling fatigued, irritable, and moody.

I don’t know about you but those are not the characteristics that I strive for when waking up!

Before preparing to go to sleep, cease any activities that have blue light (smartphones, smart TVs, and tablets).  By engaging with blue light you are boosting your mental alertness.

While there is a time and place for blue light (we definitely want to be alert during the day), if our goal is to transition into a deep sleep, blue lights stop this, keeping us alert and awake beyond our desired bedtime.

Set your alarm clock for a reasonable time

Before setting your phone aside for the night, set your alarm clock at a reasonable time. 

If your workday starts at 9:00 a.m., setting your alarm at 8:00 a.m. is not enough time to complete your morning tasks, especially if you have kids!

You will find yourself rushing which counters our ultimate goal of having an organized and productive start to the day.

If you your workday starts at 9:00 a.m. aim to wake up at least two hours before your workday begins.

This would be the wakeup time of 7:00 a.m. however you may have to adjust the time depending on your morning tasks and commute time to work.

In my morning routine, I personally strive to wake up 2 ½ hours before the start of my workday.

With small children, I allot some of this time to myself before waking my children up.

If they wake up while I am completing my morning tasks, they usually like to hang out in my bed until I prompt them to start getting ready.

Tip: Do not press the snooze button! This will take away from the time that you have allotted, causing you to rush.

 

Prep Clothes the Night Before

Another tip that will allow you to have a productive morning but occurs the night before includes prepping your clothes.

When we wake in the morning many of us we do not have countless hours before leaving for work or school.

This means we have to be intentional about the time that we do have.

By prepping your clothes the night before you are saving precious time and can spend this time in other areas.

It’s also one less task that you have to think about.

If you have small children, prep their clothes as well.  As your children become older, give them the responsibility of prepping their clothes the night before as well.

This productive morning routine is perfect for students!

TIP: Check your weather app while prepping your clothes.

Incorporate a Self-Care Activity for the Day

In the morning we often hit the ground running. Literally!

There will time in the day when you will definitely need to exercise this skill but remember we are setting our alarm clock with enough time that will work for us and include meaningful activities.

Before facing the world, it is vital that we connect with our ourselves, addressing and nourishing our mental health.

This will vary among each individual but can include meditation, praying, reading, exercising, journaling, specialized breathing, and yoga.

These activities when incorporated consistently will allow you to manage stress, improve your productivity at your workplace, and will enhance the relationships in your life.

Hold off on Engaging with Technology

Many individuals use their phones as an alarm clock.  After turning off your alarm clock try not to engage with texts, social media, and the internet unless it is an emergency.

By engaging with our technology devices we throw away precious time.

Not only do we waste time our mind becomes pre-occupied and we become distracted and irritable in some cases.

For example, I had a bad habit of checking my work email as a part of my morning routine.

In many cases I would read an email that would cause me to become distracted and anxious before I even arrived at work.

Talk about a disaster!!

By no longer reading work emails before work and implementing self-care routines instead, I can focus and handle the situations so much better.

Hydrate and Eat a Healthy Breakfast

While taking care of your mental health is vital, we can’t forget about your physical care as well.

The night before place a glass or bottle of water by your bedside so that hydrating your body is one of the first actions that you take when waking.

If you don’t finish the entire glass, take sips of water while you complete your morning tasks.

Before leaving out the door make sure that you have eaten or planned for a healthy breakfast. This may include a variety of foods (eggs, fruits, vegetables).

Try to stay away from fruit juices and foods that will spike your sugar quickly.

Staying free of food that is high of sugar will increase your cognitive abilities and productivity.

You will definitely notice the difference of your increased abilities at work.

I currently implement intermittent fasting and have a late breakfast.  This works for me since I leave my home at approximately 6:45.

The night before I also prep my breakfast and lunch and have a cup of tea or coffee in the morning. This gives me extra minutes to complete additional tasks in the morning.

TIP: Prep your breakfast the night before

Final Thoughts

These are my must have tips that allow me to have morning routine that promotes a successful morning and day.   Do you use any of these tips when getting ready for your workday or school day?

List your morning routine tips in the comments!

 

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7 Habits Of Organized People

Sunday Reset Routine: How To Set Your Week Up For Success

Have you dreamed of becoming an organized person at work or home but don’t know where to start? By reading this post you will learn 7 habits of organized people and will be motivated to adopt at least one of the traits.

I promise!

Organization is a trait that many individuals strive for.  Organized people possess habits that make them more productive, have a greater sense of security, have more time for enjoyable hobbies, experience less stress, meet personal and work goals in a timely manner, and experience enhanced relationships.

Being organized also has positive mental aspects.  According to Psychology Today, being organized helps our brain function in an enhanced manner as unorganized people often struggle to focus and complete tasks due to their environments and spaces being cluttered.

Being organized promotes positive sleep habits, stress relief, and an overall healthier lifestyle.

I could go on and on as the results are endless!

I have observed the following 7 organization traits in highly successful individuals.

After implementing these habits in my life, I have experienced immense growth in the area of organization and now reap these benefits!

1.They have a strong morning routine

Organized people have a strong morning routine as it can make or break their day.  Often when awakening, individuals usually have a small window of time before their day begins.  Organized people have a set time to wake up, avoid their phone or television when they awake, and have time allotments for self-reflection practices, self-care, and breakfast.

Organized people also factor in the time in getting children ready in the morning.  As a mother of three, I would wake up before my children and complete my self-reflection practices and self-care practice, and pack lunches.

Completing these steps before waking my children allowed me to have a peaceful start to my morning.

When my children woke, I could solely focus on their needs.

Lastly, organized people build in a flex window of additional time to plan for any surprises.  Read here on to how to set up a successful morning routine in detail

2.They Utilize To-Do Lists, Planners, and Checklists

Remember that organized individuals have a strong morning routine which includes a flex window of additional time.

Imagine the following scenario:  A busy mom has a late start, runs behind schedule as she scrambles into work five minutes late.  Frazzled, she sits down at her desk, starting her day.  Upset that she has entered work late two days this week she struggles to focus on her daily tasks.

At approximately 2:00 she receives a phone call from her dentist’s office informing her that she missed her scheduled appointment.   Disappointed that she cannot stay on track of tasks at home or work she bursts into tears.

Hopefully this scenario doesn’t sound familiar, but if it does, it is totally okay!

Implementing some of these habits are definitely going to help you and make organization a habit!

Organized people usually avoid these scenarios by having a list of items to complete for the day.  Known as a checklist or to-do list, this can be done on a sheet of paper, in your phone, or document on your computer or tablet.

The list simply lists tasks that must be completed as well as appointments for the day. Having a list that you can visually see helps you remember important tasks.

In the 21^st century, there are many technology devices that will help you compile a checklist or to-do list.  I continue to prefer to use paper as physical writing helps your brain connect to the task.

Tip: Highlight important tasks and appointments!

3.They Prep For the following Day

Organized people always look ahead to the next day.  Before retiring for the next day, they review and look over their to-do lists, planner, and checklists.  This gives you an overview of the day and allows you to think of any modifications that may need to be made.

For example, if your have on your calendar a important meeting at work the next day you may want to adjust your alarm clock to arrive a work a few minutes earlier.  Arriving early will allow you to look over the agenda which can relieve the amount of stress level that you may have regarding the meeting.

I like to have a to-do list for both work and home.  Sometimes I list items on both lists.  Any health appointments for the family are written on both lists so that I can remember the appointment.

4. They Chunk Activities

Chunking is a strategy in which you break activities into smaller sections.

Lets say your child has a birthday party coming up next month. Break the party planning process into smaller sections to avoid less stress.  Week 1 you could select the theme and invite guests.

Week 2 and 3 you would write a list of all the items needed and purchase all the items needed and plan out any games.

Week 4 you would ensure that you have all the needed items.  2-3 days before the party you would set up as much as possible so that on the day of the party you experience less stress!

Does less stress even exist when planning birthday parties?

5.They Have a Mini-Cleaning Routine Throughout the Week

Remember the chunking strategy mentioned?  Organized people thrive in clean, neat, and uncluttered spaces and have adopted clutter free habits.  Instead of allowing their home and work spaces to become unrecognizable with clutter and dirt, they perform mini-cleaning routines throughout the week.

They may clean one room or day or area a day, chunking their cleaning process.

Also washing a few loads of clothes a week should be a priority in your mini-cleaning routine.

Remember to wash, dry, fold, and put up your clothes.  Clean clothes in a basket creates clutter!

6.They Have a Place for Everything

Organized people have a place for everything.

When people have a place for items in their home and at work the amount of clutter is immediately reduced.  In addition to reduced clutter, you are less likely to misplace important items such as your keys and wallet as these things will have a “home” within your home in which you will place these items everyday.

Labels work wonders in giving items a “home” within your home.

7.They Have a Strong Evening Routine

After the hustle and bustle of the day, organized individuals wind down in a way that results in a peaceful evening.  They complete their mini-cleaning routine, lay out their clothes for the next day, and prep their lunch.

After completing the manual activities, they review the activities for the next day and unplug from technology devices before they prepare for bed.  This allows their bodies to relax and prepare for a healthy night of sleep, setting the stage for the next day.

Final Thoughts

This blog discussed 7 habits that organized people often have, qualities that you can also possess.

Organizational habits will help your days flow so much smoother, I promise!

I would love to read some of your organization habits and routines. If you plan on trying some of the organization habits above or have organization tips that work for you, please let me know!

If this post has been helpful to you, these additional posts will also be beneficial!

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6 Powerful Benefits of An Organized Home-Free Printable

The 10 Tops Lists For Organization (Free Printable)