Your morning routine has the power to impact your entire day. Chances are, if you wake up feeling rushed, you’re going to feel less in control for the next few hours. But if you start your day feeling balanced and refreshed, you’ll likely carry that productive attitude with you long into the afternoon. Below are seven ways you can maximize your morning routine, according to Business Insider.
Make a plan
If you have a full day of tasks ahead, plan for how you will execute them before you’re actually faced with them. Make a checklist for the most important tasks you need to tackle.
Be proactive, not reactive
Don’t let yourself be pulled away from one task to another because you suddenly remember something else you should be doing. Deliberately decide what task you are going to focus on and ignore outside distractions.
Get enough sleep
You’ve heard this before, but without a good night’s sleep, you will likely feel foggy-headed and have a difficult time performing the next day. Business Insider suggests 7.5-9 hours of sleep each night.
Eat breakfast
Studies have shown eating breakfast in the morning can be beneficial to your health, improving things like memory function and lowering the risk of diabetes and heart disease. A balanced meal can also boost energy levels.
Warm up before working
With technology so easily accessible, it’s difficult not to want to check your email first thing in the morning. But it’s important to give your brain a chance to warm up before consuming so much information. Consider showering, meditating, or exercising first.
Leave time for yourself
As previously mentioned, rushing out the door hardly leaves you time to mentally prepare yourself for the day. Try setting your alarm a few minutes ahead of schedule to give yourself a few more minutes to wake up.
Don’t put yourself in stressful situations
There’s little you can do to avoid things like morning traffic, but the way you deal with these situations is crucial, because it can be difficult to shake off a negative mood once you’re in one. If something like traffic is a given on your morning commute, plan for how you will handle the stress beforehand or consider leaving a few minutes earlier.
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