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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