The way you start your day can pretty much make or break how you spend the rest of it. Aside from the bright-and-bubbly, rise-and-shine folks who seem to enjoy mornings, the rest of the population just does not like it and you may be a part of that statistic. Why do most people not like mornings? That’s a universal question that can be answered in a million different ways.
Mornings can often be a chaotic time for most people. You probably worked well into the night and you went to bed late; this makes you sleep in, and then the real rush begins. You take a shower, hurriedly brush your teeth, get dressed, prepare the kids for school (if you have any), have a quick breakfast, get into the car, and more likely than not get held up in traffic. After a few honks and traded swear words, you finally get to your office, you’re stressed and tired already, and the day has only just begun.
A morning routine helps you work at your own pace and eliminates the element of stressful surprises. With a morning routine, you can have better control over how you start your day and make it as productive and relaxing as possible. Here are four things that can be included in your morning routine.
Wake Up Two Hours Before You have to be Anywhere
To avoid the morning rush and give you ample time to get things in order before you have to leave for work or engage in other activities, you need to wake up at least two hours before you have to be anywhere. The early start gives you time to feed your mind, body, and spirit with positive things.
You can spend your time however you want to. You can read something inspiring and uplifting to motivate you. Practice daily gratitude and meditation – make a mental list of all things you should be thankful for.
Exercise
You can also perform various forms of exercises in the morning. They don’t have to be tedious or high-intensity workouts. 20 to 30 minutes on a treadmill, jump ropes, a walk, or yoga stretches will do the trick. Exercises are known to release endorphins - think of these as fuels that power you throughout the day.
A good morning workout also boosts your metabolism. This basically means that your body burns more calories even when you’re sitting behind a desk or driving. It also helps you cultivate the habit of consistency; it improves your physical and mental energy and helps you develop strong self-discipline and the best part? A good morning exercise will help you sleep better at night. This is almost certainly fantastic news for the insomniacs out there. So, throw on a hat or a hair tie and get moving!
Skincare
When our skin looks good, we tend to feel good - especially when we get complimented on how radiant we look. It's an amazing emotional boost. Create a skincare routine that makes you feel good, and try to include sweet-smelling products that you enjoy using.
If you have the time, gently massage moisturizers on your face to properly hydrate your skin or use a face mask. Apply your favorite face lotion or body lotion and try to relax. Take a hot, refreshing shower or even a bath; wash your hair with sweet-smelling shampoos and conditioners. Self-care can be fun! It reduces your stress levels greatly, it improves the health of your skin, boosts confidence, and helps prevent skin issues such as acne.
Drink Lots of Water
The wonders water can do for our overall health and wellbeing are greatly underestimated. A glass of water in the morning after sleeping through the night without properly hydrating has a lot of benefits both psychologically and mentally. Drinking water in the morning increases your energy levels and also increases the oxygen you receive to the brain. It boosts your metabolism, helps ease pains and aches, fight toxins, and gives you a clear and radiant complexion. Water is essential to life and your body needs it to function at its best.
