The morning is an important part of the day as it sets the tone and rhythm that creeps into the entire day. Having a good morning can put you in the right mindset for the rest of the day. On the flip side, a slow start can bleed into the rest of your day and sap your productivity. That’s why it’s so important to get a good start in the morning, and building good habits and a solid routine is the best way to do that. Today, we’ll look at my top 5 more habits that help me feel refreshed and ready to attack the day.
Why follow a routine?
First off, I just want to briefly talk about why having morning habits and routines is a good thing. This topic could probably warrant an entire book on it’s own, so bear with me as I’m going to be very brief and broad.
The key idea with habits is that they are almost automatic, you just naturally do them without really thinking. That means once you build good habits you’ll continue to follow them without much effort.
Think about your morning right now, I’m sure you already have habits. For example, every morning I wake up and make a pot of coffee. I don’t really think about it, I just do; that’s a habit. By making positive actions into habits we undertake everyday we don’t waste any of our willpower doing them.
By breaking our mornings into a series of good habits we spend less time and also set ourselves up for a productive day.
There’s much more to it than that, but it’s enough to say they make our lives easier.
If you're looking for some more information on habits check out this article which goes a lot more in-depth on science behind them.
Make Time For a Nice Breakfast
So many people skip breakfast and it’s a big mistake. Having something filling and healthy in the morning is a great way to start the day right. Being well fed helps with focus, and keeps you from wasting time later on snacks, it’s also part of living a healthy life which is a benefit of its own.
Your morning breakfast doesn’t have to be something very elaborate either. A simple piece of fruit and a bagel is enough to reap the benefits. I personally enjoy eggs in the morning, and hard boil a few every week to grab when I’m running a bit late in the morning.
Find something that you enjoy that fits in with your schedule.
Don't just take my word for it, there's a ton of research that shows just how important breakfast can be for you.
Take Care Of Simple Items the Night Before
A great time saver is to take care of small tasks the night before. This includes things like packing a lunch, setting out clothes, and getting your bag ready. It's a bit cliche, but it does work, and it's something a lot of people overlook.
This is great for those who feel rushed in the morning. If you take a few minutes the night before, it can help you get back a few minutes in the morning; perhaps you can use that extra time to prepare breakfast.
It’s also great for those who might be a bit forgetful. I don’t know about you, but I’m often a bit groggy when I wake up, and that makes it more likely for me to forget something. If I spend some time the night before I’m much less likely to do so. Nothing can ruin your day faster than getting to work to discover you’re missing something.
This also extends to tasks and work for the following day. I generally take 10-15 minutes at the end of the work day just to recap what I've done as well as plan out the next day. This means I can jump right into work in the morning and don't have to fuss around with my what my schedule is going to be. I'm a big believer that the sooner you can get into a "work state of mind" the better.
Stay Hydrated
It’s important to stay hydrated all day long, so start it off right by doing so in the morning. Having a glass of water in the morning has been linked with a whole slew of health benefits.
Staying hydrated also lends itself to better focus. Not having enough water throughout the day can often lead people to feel down and tired, which saps productivity. Having a glass to start the day combats this, while also building a habit to stay hydrated all day long.
Make Your Bed
This one is sure to stir up some emotions, but starting the day off making your bed is a key habit many successful people follow. There are a lot of excuses on why not to make the bed, but none of them outweigh the benefits of doing so.
Making the bed is a great way to start the day off with a small accomplishment, and snowball into bigger ones. Taking the time to actually make your bed sends a message to yourself that getting stuff done is what you’re about, and even small things don’t go unnoticed. It might seem small, but it has a big effect on productivity. It’s also a great way to start the day off on a productive note.
At the very least, it also becomes something you’ve done that day. If nothing else goes right at least you can come home to a nicely made bed.
What's important here is not the physical act of making the bed, but the mental one that signals work and progress. Making the bed can be that for many, but I treat that more as a metaphor than anything. What's important is finding some small that you can do each day that helps get you in the mood to get stuff done. Find your own "making the bed" and stick with it.
Get Active
Lastly, adding a bit of activity to your morning routine is a great way to wake up and feel energized. It doesn’t have to be a lot; a quick 10 minutes is enough to see the benefits.
Getting active can mean different things for different people. Some people enjoy walking or going for a short jog. Others enjoy doing yoga or meditation instead. Any of these and others are all valid. It doesn’t really matter what you do, just that you are doing something and are staying consistent with it.
Make It Your Own
While these are great habits to build, I’m a big believer in doing what works for you. I encourage you to try adding these habits to your daily routine, but don’t be afraid to move things around or add to it to find things that work for you. If you find something that helps you start your day off right then keep at it! Building good habits is in my opinion one of the best ways to be more productive in your life, and starting with a solid morning routine is key to making the most out of each day.