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I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a morning person! Which is why having a healthy morning routine has been crucial when it comes to taking care of my wellbeing.
I suffer from chronic pain as well as anxiety and sticking to a morning routine has really helped me manage my pain and mental health a lot better.
If your anything like I used to be and have a war with your alarm clock every morning, creating a healthy morning routine is just the thing for you!
I’m self-employed and work from home, so I’m solely responsible for my time. In the past 6 months, I have developed a morning routine that has helped me set the tone for my entire day and be more productive.
Mornings are a great time to have some quiet time, practice some self-care and plan your day.
I know, you’re probably thinking “why I would I create even more work for myself, especially in the morning?!”
Well, hear me out…
THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A MORNING ROUTINE
Having a morning routine can be beneficial for both your physical and mental health.
1. SETS THE TONE FOR YOUR DAY
The way you start your day usually dictates how the rest of your day will pan out. If you start the day off in a funk, running around like a headless chicken, the rest of your day will probably follow suit.
Having a morning routine helps you to remove the chaos, control your day and put yourself in the right frame of mind.
2. TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR DAY
The majority of us lead very busy lives, whether that be with work, family or other commitments. Having so much to do can take its toll and cause us to lose control.
What a lot of us don’t realise is, the morning is the time we have the most control over. We choose when we wake up and what we do with that time.
It may seem like to smallest part of your day but creating a morning routine is the first step in regaining control of your life.
3. A FORM OF SELF CARE
When people think of self-care, they usually think of bubble baths and scented candles, but that doesn’t always have to be the case.
Believe it or not, having a healthy morning routine can also be a form of self-care.
It’s another way to introduce some healthy habits into your life, whether that’s making time to eat breakfast in the morning or meditating, all of those things will be beneficial to you in the long run.
4. DECREASE STRESS LEVELS
Mornings can be really stressful, particularly if you have no plan of attack for your day. Waking up rushing and worrying about all you need to do isn’t healthy.
Having a routine creates structure from the moment you open your eyes- you’ll know exactly what you need to do and how much time you have to do it.
Avoiding stress will not only improve your mornings but also your mental, physical and emotional health.
Stress can be a major trigger for things such as anxiety and depression, so why not start your day off right to remain healthy?
5. BOOSTS PRODUCTIVITY
Having a morning routine helps you start your day off on the right path. It allows you to be more efficient and more productive with the time you have.
Starting your morning off having already accomplished something is a positive way to start, which you can carry throughout your day, resulting in less procrastination and being more productive.
HOW TO CREATE A HEALTHY MORNING ROUTINE
Creating a morning routine may seem like a lot of work but it doesn’t haven’t to be. Use these tips to help you create a routine that suits you.
BE REALISTIC
Your routine doesn’t have to be jam-packed, it can be simple or thorough, as long as it works hand in hand in with your lifestyle.
It doesn’t have to be perfect either, there will be days where you can’t follow through with your routine, and that’s fine. Sometimes you will have to adapt to what’s happening because of, well, LIFE!
Having a morning routine should add to your peace not make life more stressful. If you find that your routine isn’t working out, change it until you finally find something that does.
MAKE A PLAN
Creating a plan will make sticking to your routine even easier. Start off by writing down 3-5 things that you’d really enjoy doing in the morning.
Use that list of ideas, work out how much time you have each morning and add them into your routine.
BE CONSISTENT
Once you have found a routine that works for you, be consistent and stick to it. If you have to miss a day, that’s fine, just get back to it the following day, no pressure.
Creating a morning routine will only be beneficial if you’re consistent. Once you’ve seen the positive impact it has on your day, trust me it will be something you look forward to.
If you need some ideas to get your routine started, you may find the following routine useful (which also happens to be mine).
EXAMPLE HEALTHY MORNING ROUTINE
1. GET SOME NATURAL LIGHT
As soon as you wake up, open your curtains or blinds and get some natural light in your room.
Research has shown than natural light first thing in the morning suppresses melatonin secretion which wakes the body up.
Natural light also has a number of health benefits, such as improving your mood, boosting vitamin D and improving sleep.
If you don’t have much natural light where you live, an alarm clock that wakes you up to natural light is a great investment.
2.GET FRESH AIR
Similar to natural light, fresh air is another great way to wake your body up.
After you wake up open the window and take a deep breath. Get some air circulating in the room and freshen the air. Or if you prefer, go for a run or a walk around your garden.
Fresh air has many benefits for the body such, as improved digestion, cleaning the lungs and relieving stress and anxiety.
3.DON’T CHECK YOUR PHONE
The first thing a lot of us do is, check our phones as soon as we wake up. Try not to check your phone for at least an hour after you wake up.
Give yourself time to ease into your day and not get distracted by the latest happenings on Instagram.
I’m not saying to lock your phone away completely as most of use it as an alarm, instead, don’t let it consume your entire morning.
4. MAKE YOUR BED
I feel like my day can’t start unless I make my bed, weird; I know.
As soon as you get up, make your bed and start the day as you mean to go on.
Making your bed not only makes the room look tidy but, its the first task of the day to complete and give you a sense of accomplishment. It will encourage you to complete another task and continue that pattern throughout your day.
5. WASH YOUR FACE & BRUSH YOUR TEETH
Splashing some water on your face and feeling the minty tingle in your mouth is a sure-fire way to wake your ass up.
Once you’ve washed your face and brushed your teeth, its official, the day has begun!
6. HAVE A WARM DRINK AND BREAKFAST
I’m a typical Brit, I can’t start my day off without a nice cuppa tea. You may not be a tea drinker, so perhaps a coffee or some lemon water along with a nice healthy breakfast.
7. DO SOMETHING YOU ENJOY
This will be different for everyone, but, whilst having your breakfast do something you enjoy. It could be writing in your journal, listening to a podcast or reading the paper.
This is a great way to start a day filled with relaxation and enjoyment, not chaos.
8. STRETCH OR YOGA
Once you’ve got done with breakfast, try to fit some physical activity in. It doesn’t have to be a high-intensity session, but perhaps something less strenuous like yoga or some simple stretches.
I like to hula hoop for about 10-15 minutes whilst listening to some music. It’s so fun and gets my blood pumping.
9. GET READY
Once you’ve finished your workout, cool down, take a shower, get dressed and do your hair/makeup. Even though I work from home, this is something I still do every day.
Whether or not you’re leaving the house, looking good makes you feel good! You’re much more likely to be productive wearing something other than your pyjamas, particularly if you work from home.
10. PLAN YOUR DAY
Now you’ve had breakfast, some downtime and gotten ready, it’s time to get shit done.
Get your calendar or to-do list out and plan your day. I like to start by writing my to-do list for the day and jumping right into my first task.
OVER TO YOU!
Why start your day off in a rush and feeling unprepared? When instead you can start off the morning stress-free, with a clear mind and some food in your stomach!
Everyone’s lifestyle is different, so of course, there may be things you wouldn’t do in your morning routine. So, make it your own!
What would you add to your healthy morning routine?
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