Being productive in those first 60 minutes when you wake, can make all the difference for how your day shapes up. Here are 5 simple things you could change to make to have the best morning routine to set you up for a productive day.
Exercise first thing
Switching up your training routine and working out first thing in the morning will set you up for the day. Not only will you feel energetic throughout the day, but you will also feel a lot more motivated having ticked that off your list early and will make you less likely to think of excuses not to go if you wait until later on!
Meditate
It’s the single most effective thing you can do to calm the nervous system. Concentrating on your breathing fortifies your stress response and gives your mind and body the rest you know it deserves. Just 10 minutes of slow, deep, gentle breathing at the start of the day can make a world of difference.
Stretch
Even just for 5 minutes. It’s beneficial for everyone, but especially for people doing repetitive work or sitting at desks all day. Over time, if we sit in the same position or use certain muscles in a repetitive way we shorten one muscle group and elongate the other. Our muscles are designed to work together in perfect parity, to maintain posture and give us strength to perform tasks. When muscle groups become imbalanced it is important to restore equilibrium.
Practicing Yoga is great way to do this, it both strengthens and stretches the muscles and you can focus on the whole body or specific areas where relief is most needed. There are loads of videos available on YouTube or on Instagram.
Cut out screen time
If like me you grab your phone and check all your notifications before you’ve even left your bed, you can waste a big chunk of your morning on Instagram, Twitter or checking emails, when you could be doing something productive like writing your to do list for the day or going for a 30 minute morning run!
Set goals for the day
Preparation is the key to a successful day. Writing down everything you want to achieve and setting yourself goals can be a great way to structure your day, but be realist, pick 3-5 things to prioritise that you can tick off in 1 hour and reward yourself with a break in between.
Even choosing just one of these changes can have a big impact, commit to the change for 4 weeks and it will soon become a habit!
