How Setting a Morning Routine Can Make You More Productive
There are so many variables in our day that we can’t control. Hitting every red light on the way to work, inclement weather on a day you wanted to spend outside, unexpected to-dos popping up throughout the day — the list goes on.
But there’s one important aspect of your day that you can control — your mornings. Establishing a morning routine offers great health benefits, but most importantly, it allows you to start your day in control of your time. Setting a routine that becomes second nature, allows you to get the most out of your mornings and start it at your own pace — unrushed by snoozing alarm clocks or racing out the door without breakfast.
Why Stick to a Morning Routine?
Establishing a morning routine offers a variety of health benefits that are both physical and mental. Here are just a few of the benefits of starting your day off on the right note.
Lower Stress Levels
One way that stress creeps into our lives is when we feel out of control. That can be amplified when we’re constantly waking up late or not using our mornings to our benefit. By waking up earlier and setting a morning routine you can stick to, you’re better able to feel in control of your day and help to lower your stress — a feeling which can positively impact your work and relationships.
Improved Sleep
Consistent wake and sleep times help train your body to expect bedtime and waketime will improve your sleep habits and the quality of your sleep. And by improving your quality of sleep, you can boost mental sharpness and performance.
A Leg Up on Your Peers
There’s a reason why so many successful CEOs and leaders have a well-oiled morning routine that they’ve stuck to for years. Taking advantage of the morning hours allow you to achieve personal dreams or better yourself before many people are even stirring.
5 Tips for Setting a Morning Routine You’ll Actually Look Forward To
While it may take some time to settle into your morning routine, you can start by waking up 20 minutes earlier for a week at a time and adding in a few of these tips into your routine over time.
Make Your Bed
There’s something so empowering about checking off something on your to-do list first thing in the morning. Making your bed is the perfect task to tackle as soon as you wake up, which will also help prevent you from hitting the snooze button or crawling back into bed so that your day can really begin.
Find a Morning Ritual
One of the best tips for creating a morning routine is to personalize your routine for yourself. Do you have fitness goals you want to reach? Then start exercising after you wake up. Or maybe you want to work on your side hustle or gain some new skills? Use the extra time you have from waking up earlier to tackle your personal goals.
Prep What You Can the Night Before
Your future self will thank you for eliminating as many morning decisions as possible by prepping the night before and also help ward off decision fatigue. This could look like laying out your clothes the night before or packing your lunch so that it’s ready to grab as you head out the door.
Listen to an Audiobook or Podcast
Make your morning productive by listening to an audiobook or podcast about your interests or your industry to start off your day collecting pertinent information that could help you in your work or could even be used for small talk fodder in a Zoom call.
Take a Cold Shower
Cold showers are a great way to wake yourself up in the morning without the need for a cup of coffee. The shock of the water will help stimulate blood flow in your body, which can signal your body that it’s time to be alert and tackle the day ahead.
As you can see, there are many benefits to establishing a productive morning routine. Auraglow created this helpful infographic that details additional tips for how to create a morning routine, the do’s and don’ts when it comes to productive mornings and some surprising statistics surrounding morning routines. You’ll be more productive and ready to face whatever challenges are thrown at you.
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