You don't have to be a "Morning person" to accustomed these habits in your daily activity. You can set your schedule anytime in the morning, as long as you have a slow time to perform the recommended 10 habits before you start your work or going out.
The morning routines are based on my experiences, which I adapted from the morning habits of rich and successful people. So far, they have been effective in helping me feeling rich and successful... as Vincent Van Gogh said; "Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together."
1. A moment of thanksgiving. Practicing mindfulness is one stoic habit to appreciate your surroundings. Once you woke up, feel, see, and hear what are the things to be thankful for. I sometimes woke up from a loud bark of a dog or the sweet chirping of the birds outside my window, and I am simply thankful that I was able to hear those sounds.
2. Drink warm water. Drinking water first in the morning has a multiple potential benefits to your health, skin and mental alertness, according to health research. Your body deserves water to hydrate after your long 6 to 8 hours sleep.
3. Stretching, exercise or morning walk. The productivity and success of your day depend on the movements you make with your body in the morning. According to the sources online, the movements of more than 30 minutes can help you boost your mood, reduce fatigue, and help you keep focused thoughout the day.
4. Quiet time for prayer and reflection. If you are not religious, I would suggest you still take time to meditate. This helps you to declutter your mind while relaxing your body in a very comfortable sitting position. It requires a quiet time while listening to a mantra and doing nothing. You may get more information of meditation on other sites.
I am more of an advocate of prayer, so if you are able to thank something from the item #1 here, then it's a good start for prayer. You can incorporate this quiet time with your journaling as you write your reflections based on today's gospel.
Also, don't forget to give yourself an affirmation. If you can list some things that you have accomplished yesterday and plan to accomplish today, then you deserve to be encouraged.
5. Read a book or any inspirational materials for 15 to 30 minutes. I am a novel reader of a book that transports me to another era and historical place and I also like inspirational and self-help books. You can use this time for quick learnings related to your work, too.
5. Read a book or any inspirational materials for 15 to 30 minutes. I am a novel reader of a book that transports me to another era and historical place and I also like inspirational and self-help books. You can use this time for quick learnings related to your work, too.
6. Make your bed and essentials. Aside from brushing teeth and changing clothes from your sleepwear, making your bed first thing in the morning is a sign of a positive attitude and success. I would like to quote on US Navy Admiral William H. Raven here -
"If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another.
And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can’t do the little things right, you’ll never be able to do the big things right.
And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made—that you made. And a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.”
The aspiring quote was dedicated to a graduating class.
7. Have a quick cold shower. Before you start your work or leave the house for your daily activities, take a shower. One of the most inspiring mentor and a successful speaker promotes this nerve wrecking habit in the bathroom. It has potential health and mental benefits that proves to be effective. Sourced from various sites in the internet.
8. Make a smoothie as a starter for your breakfast. Invest in a good fruit blender, smoothie maker or juicer. You will find smoothie recommendations using the available tropical fruits in the market. It's great to have a dose of your vitamins from the blended fruits that you missed to eat as a snack. Drink this power boost while you are cooking or preparing breakfast.
9. Planning and prioritizing your To-Dos. After your quiet time, you can now start to plan, prioritize, and schedule your to-do list. It can be work related or personal task. It's rewarding to organize, so that by the end of the day, you have some accomplishments to tick off. If you have planned this ahead the night before, you can review and ensure you are ready to act on it.
10. Write in your journal. You can choose to do this during your quiet time after prayer, or as a separate activity. Journaling is an excellent way to organize your thinking. The thoughts and ideas that have been lingering for a long time can now be written. Come up of a conclusion and set those thoughts aside.
While you perform the routines, I encourage you to stay away from your phone. This is a crucial habit to consider in the morning. None of the ten routines require a cellphone. If you are using phone to prioritize, try to use your journal notebook as a planner instead.
Comment on what habit you learned here that you would like to incorporate in your regular day? It may take time for you to include in your routine, but just remember that this habit won't change you overtime. Gradually, you will witness the transformation of your character because of your consistency and willingness.
I am with you on your development journey to a loving and better you. There's no better time than to start now. If you would like to receive new blogs and updates related to personal growth via email, send us a message. Or follow me in Pinterest.