Productive mornings set you up for the rest of the day and they are more important than most people will think. While some may just get up, shower, grab a bite of toast, and leave for work, others find and make the time to do more with the hours they have available.
Of course, not every household or family is blessed with ample amounts of time but just using the time you have more productively, can make a big difference to how much you get out of that morning.
This guide will hopefully give you all of the inspiration you need to create a productive morning routine for success.
Wake up earlier
Ok, so you might be getting up early enough already or you’re the type of person that enjoys the late evenings rather than the early mornings. However, if you’re able to get up early in the morning, then you will certainly get a lot more time to work with.
If you struggle to wake up early, then try to make use of apps like SleepCycle. This app is great for waking you up at the right time in the morning so that you’re not in a deep sleep. Therefore, you end up waking up more refreshed and less tired as a result.
When setting alarms, try to set them so the device or clock is far enough that you have to physically get out of bed to switch it off. You’re more likely to start your day if you get out of bed, versus turning it off via your bedside table.
Stimulate your mind with games
The mornings tend to be slow in general as your body wakes itself up muscle by muscle. It’s certainly worthwhile finding ways to stimulate your mind so that you’re waking your brain up in good time.
Some people enjoy doing word puzzles, while others like a good game of chess to test their brains. Luckily, current generations can enjoy the online world to help stimulate their brains if they don’t have board games or puzzles nearby physically.
Stimulating your brain in the morning will certainly help to get your brain and body ready for the day ahead. It can also be great for jobs that require a mental load. Having a bit of downtime in the morning to play a game is helpful for staying laser-focused at work.
Make your bed
It’s one of the first things that you’ll likely do as soon as you get up in the morning. Making your bed sets you up for the rest of the day and gets both the body and mind in good standing. When you make your bed, you’re essentially tidying up your space and cutting off any opportunity to crawl back into it for those extra few zzzs.
Try to make a habit of making your bed every day. This will certainly be a great motivator for the rest of the day and is helpful for keeping your bedroom space nice and tidy. Don’t forget to draw back your blinds or curtains so that you let some of that mood-bosting, natural light in too.
As well as making your bed, you should be making a proactive effort every week or so to change your bedsheets. There’s nothing like a fresh set of bedding to help you sleep at night and get a restful night’s sleep too.
Journal to unload your mind
Journaling has become a popular pastime in recent years, much like the good old days of writing in a diary every day. However, with journaling, there’s no expectation for the sentences to make sense. With journaling, you can help to unload your mind before the day begins.
It’s useful if you have the journal next to you in bed and that way you can get it out in the morning as you sip on your morning coffee or tea. Write down everything that’s currently in your mind, even if it’s just a jumble of sentences or words.
Journals also don’t need to be committed to every day when it comes to unpacking your mind. You might wish to do it every other day or once a week. Don’t put too much pressure on journaling every day if there’s nothing to journal that morning.
Do a bit of exercise or meditation
A good way of making the most of your morning is by doing a bit of exercise or meditation. Both can be great for your physical and mental well-being. Meditation is more focused on the mind but if you have time for a bit of yoga and meditation, this will help combine both the exercise and mindfulness.
Exercise is great for releasing those endorphins, which sets you up for the day. At the same time, it’s good for your health so should be done at least every day for twenty minutes where possible whether that’s a brisk walk during your lunchtime at work, or early in the mornings at your local gym.
Meditation is great for the mind and helps sit in the moment for a little longer than usual.
Set some goals for the day
When it comes to creating a productive, morning routine for success, think about how you could do that by setting goals. Perhaps you’ve got some project deadlines that need your attention or maybe it’s something within your personal life that you want to tick off. Whatever it is, note it down somewhere where you can see it.
By seeing the goals on your phone or in your workspace, you’ll be more mindful of them and likely have those goals ticked off as a result. Try to set realistic goals too, rather than ones that are just too hard to reach right now.
Creating a productive morning routine will truly help you in having a more successful day. Make sure to take on board these tips to improve your mornings moving forward.
