How was your morning? Perhaps it was a mad rush to get ready and out the door. Perhaps you’ve rolled out of bed late and you’re trying to cajole yourself to be productive. Most of us realise that giving ourselves the right amount of time in the morning is the key to setting ourselves up for the day. So why do most people not have a morning routine? Having a morning ritual not only changes your day, it’ll also change your entire attitude. Here’s how to set yours up:
Commit to having a ritual
Seems silly but the first step to having a healthy morning ritual is to actually want one. Research has repeatedly shown that unless we have clear ideas about why we want to change something about ourselves, we are unlikely to succeed in changing. Take some time to consider what your motivators are: perhaps it’s your health, money or relationships. Once you know this, you can begin to turn your thoughts into practice.
Forget the snooze button exists
Want to wake up earlier or train yourself to wake up at the same time every day? You need to forget that the snooze button ever existed. Hitting the snooze button over and over so that you can fall asleep again only ends up making you feel more tired because it interrupts your sleep cycle. So make sure that you place your alarm out of reach so that you’re forced to get out of bed to turn it off in the morning.
Don’t plan to be a superhero
There’s nothing like laying in bed and thinking about all the things on your to-do list to make you snuggle back down into the covers. Instead of writing a big list of superhero chores for the day, whittle it down to achievable tasks. You might not be able to hit the supermarket, get to the mechanic, the bank, visit the gym and have lunch with Helen at 1pm all in one day, but you can do at least a few of those things. Prioritise and target a few simple tasks and you’ll get them done. And if lunch runs later than you planned and you don’t get to the bank, there’s always tomorrow.
Give yourself something to get up for
All it takes is one small thing to motivate you to get up. Maybe that’s the first sip of your morning coffee, reading the next chapter of your book or the lovely weather that’s been forecasted. Your life doesn’t have to be about being productive the minute you get up. Treating yourself and feeling positive about the day ahead is important to having a good day. So give yourself something to enjoy straight after waking up.
What are your tips for a good morning routine?
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