Six Strategies for Improving Your Morning
I'll admit it...I'm a morning person. I relish the hope that comes with each new day...so full of endless possibilities and fresh starts, no matter what may have happened yesterday. I love the smell of coffee brewing, the anticipation of what lies ahead, the sense of accomplishment I feel from getting a jump on my day. What I don't love is getting out of bed early enough to enjoy as much of it as I can while that sense of fresh newness lasts.
Whether you're a morning person like me who wants to make the most of those early hours, or someone who needs a reason not to hit the snooze button again and again, you can create a positive and productive start to your day with the help of these six simple strategies:
1) Express gratitude
What's worse than having to wake up before you're ready? Not waking up at all! Each day is another opportunity to make the world a better place...to accomplish your goals...to forge and strengthen your relationships. No matter what is happening in your life, each new morning brings hope...you just need to embrace it. If you're a spiritual person, start your day with a prayer of thanksgiving and ask for guidance in making the most of this gift of a new day. Consider starting a gratitude journal, where you write down one thing you are grateful for in your life and why it's a blessing. Even if you don't have time for writing it down, you can make a conscious effort to think about the good things around you while you take your shower or drive into work. This is especially crucial if you are struggling through a difficult time. Find something to be grateful for (the tweeting birds, the warm bed you just slept in, a way to get to work, hot water for your shower)...there are many more than you may realize, and really focusing on them instead of on what's wrong will start your day out on a positive track). Do this every day and before you know it, you'll be in the habit of looking for what's right in your life.
2) Connect with others
One of the best reasons we have for getting out of bed is interacting with the people in our lives. We have something to contribute to their lives and they to ours. The way we treat them often gets reflected back to us like a mirror, so why not start out positive? Wake your spouse and/or kids with a snuggle, loving expression or gentle kiss. Compliment the people you meet. Offer kind words to a stranger. You may not realize how much impact your attitude can have on someone else's morning, but searching for the good in others and giving them a reason to smile is bound to bring out the best in you and improve your own morning.
3) Wake up your body
How we feel physically plays a big role in our psychological state. Show your body some loving patience by helping it get up to speed in the morning. Stretching in bed gets the blood circulating. Allow yourself adequate time to rise slowly and to properly nourish and hydrate yourself. After all, you can't expect to speed down the highway on an empty tank of gas! Respect your physical limitations and plan around them. If you're like me and need some time to loosen up those creaky joints, set that alarm to go off a few minutes earlier. Better to get out of bed slowly than to be stuck in bed for days because you neglected to take care of your physical needs. If time allows, exercising is a fantastic way to infuse yourself with the energy you need to get through the rest of your day.
4) Prepare ahead
Even the most daunting tasks don't seem as bad with adequate preparation. Instead of dreading what lies ahead, equip yourself with a plan. Consult your calendar and make a to-do list each evening for the day ahead. Take steps to save time and stress in your morning routine so that you can enjoy a more relaxed pace in the morning. Lay out clothes, make lunches, tidy the house, unload the dishwasher, pack up for school/work the night before.
5) Score a quick victory
Nothing puts us in a better mood than a quick and easy win! Making your bed not only brings a sense of order to your day, it is an accomplishment you can easily add to the "win" category straight off the bat. Whether it's making the bed, getting a jump on dinner prep, giving your teen a much-needed pep talk, spending quiet devotional time, or folding a load of laundry, accomplishing something positive early in your day boosts your confidence and empowers you.
6) Create calm
Who would want to wake up to a chaotic, frantic, loud environment to shout at the kids and scramble in a mad dash to get everyone out the door on time? That just sets you up for a grumpy day. Implementing the first five strategies will enable you to create a calmer environment for you and your family to wake up in. Packing up the night before minimizes desperate searches for misplaced keys, phone, books, etc. in the morning. Making your bed brings a sense of order to your day right from the start. More time for a healthy breakfast aids in digestion, and a positive attitude inoculates us against stress.
With a little planning and the right attitude, even Monday mornings can be easy peasy!
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