10 Healthy Habits That Can Transform Your Morning Routine
Good morning, sunshine! Do you ever feel like you’ve woken up on 1% battery? Let’s juice you up with some habits to supercharge you in the morning. Here’s how you can transform from “just woke up” to “let’s rock this day.”
1. The Waterfall Wakeup
Chug a glass of water as soon as you open those peepers. Unless you have a glass by your bed at night, your body’s been on a liquid fast all night. Despite the rumors, it won’t help you lose weight or stop you from eating – but it’ll definitely quench your thirst and help your body hit the reset button!
2. Sun Salutations
Pull those curtains wide and let in the daylight. No sun? No problem. Your body’s internal clock, a.k.a. your circadian rhythm, needs that light to say, “Hey, it’s go-time!” Even if it’s cloudy, exposing yourself to natural light first thing helps shake off the tiredness and gets your day rolling.
3. Tune Into Your Groove
Create a morning playlist that wakes you up and makes you want to dance. Music has the power to uplift you more than any caffeine can! Let those beats guide you through your morning routine, and watch how a little rhythm can turn your day around. Just make sure you don’t use it as your morning alarm, or else you’ll end up hating your favorite tracks!
4. Breakfast of Champions
Forget sugary cereals – think protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Avocado toast, anyone? Fueling your body right in the morning sets the tone for your entire day. A nutritious breakfast ensures you’re not thinking about lunch at 10 a.m. or eyeing the donut in the break room. Add fruit or a smoothie to the mix for an extra vitamin kick!
5. The Power of Pen to Paper
Start your day off by scribbling in a journal for a few minutes. It doesn’t matter if you’re recording a dream diary or planning your day, writing can help you clear your mind. You’re decluttering your mental desktop, so you’re not mentally juggling tasks all day. And who knows – you might just stumble upon an epiphany!
6. Move It or Snooze It
A quick morning workout or stretch session is a great signal to your brain that it’s time to dominate! It could be yoga, a brisk walk, or just dancing like nobody’s watching (because, hopefully, they aren’t). A workout session is an oath to yourself that today, you’re taking control from the get-go.
7. Mindful Moments
Try meditating for five minutes. No need to ascend to another plane of existence – just focus on your breathing. By the time you open your eyes, you’ll find that the mountains of stress have shrunk to manageable molehills, and you’ll have the patience of a saint – or at least enough to not honk at the first traffic light.
8. Cold Shower Challenge
Yes, it sounds like a punishment, but hear us out. A blast of cold water can boost your alertness and circulation to wake you up. Start warm if you must, but finish with the chill, and you’ll feel like a superhero (cape optional). The cold water will tell your body that you mean business. The cold never bothered you anyway, right?
9. Dress to Impress (Yourself)
Put on clothes that make you feel fantastic. If you’re working from home, ditch the pajamas and dress up, even if it’s just a bit. It shifts your mindset from “relax” to “achieve” and tells your brain, “We’re serious about today.” When you look in the mirror and see a person ready to conquer, you’ll believe it, too.
10. Laugh a Little
Do whatever you need to to make yourself laugh in the morning, whether it’s watching a funny video or reading a comic strip. Laughter reduces stress and boosts mood, setting you up for the day ahead. Despite the meetings and the deadlines, there’s always room for a little joy at any time of the day.
Improve Your Day
Sure, morning routines don’t work for everyone, but sprinkling a little intentionality into your dawn can do wonders. These ten habits will help you to create moments that make mornings worth waking up for. So tomorrow, when you hear your alarm, remember that it’s not a siren of dread – it’s the starting gun for a day you’re about to win!
Tamila McDonald is a U.S. Army veteran with 20 years of service, including five years as a military financial advisor. After retiring from the Army, she spent eight years as an AFCPE-certified personal financial advisor for wounded warriors and their families. Now she writes about personal finance and benefits programs for numerous financial websites.