Simple Ways to Start Your Morning Perfectly

Is your day determined by the morning? Studies suggest so.

Mood, energy, productivity levels and quality of the interactions with others are all affected by the first things we do in the morning.

This is the reason why building a perfect morning routine is of paramount importance. It can affect your job, your interactions with the people you love and even your happiness level.

Most people don’t put a lot of thought in the things that they do in the morning. In fact, some are so sleepy that they engage the autopilot to get through those early steps.

A few simple lifestyle changes can contribute to a happier, healthier and more beneficial morning routine. Here’s how to make the routine happen.

Exercise!

This doesn’t mean you should hit the gym as soon as you wake up (although you can definitely do so!).

Some gentle exercise, yoga or a stretching routine will boost the production of happiness hormones. You will feel a lot more energized and excited about the day after a brief exercise session of 15 to 20 minutes each morning.

Even a few sets of jumping jacks can promote hormonal balance and the production of serotonin.

Finding the motivation to do a morning workout can be difficult. Begin by waking up 10 to 15 minutes earlier. You can also try a few simple routines you can practice in your bed.

The more you train, the more you’ll feel like breaking a sweat in the morning. With time, you may decide to do something a bit more intensive like running or going for an early morning swim.

Think about Your Morning Routine from the Previous Day

A little bit of preliminary planning can help you embrace the new routine quickly.

Think about what you’d like to accomplish the next morning. Would you like to make a healthy breakfast? Spend some quality time with your kids before heading to the office? Pinpointing your main goals will help you determine how early you’ll have to wake up in the morning and whether you’ll need specific supplies.

Keep the list limited. Having one or two primary goals will give you the chance to focus on those instead of scattering yourself and accomplishing nothing.

If you need to, have a reminder list by your bed to help you get into your morning routine when you wake up. In a bit of time, you’ll no longer need a cheat sheet in order to make the perfect morning happen.

Practice Mindfulness and Gratitude

Try to do something positive in the beginning of the new day.

Practicing mindfulness and gratitude can make you happier and these will even change the structure of your brain.

Stand in front of the morning and think of a few things that you’re grateful for. Send a “thank you” note to the universe. If you’re appreciative, you’ll become much more capable of noticing everything beautiful and positive that surrounds you.

A mindset of gratitude does necessitate a mindset change. This is why you should incorporate such practices in your morning routine.

Even if you’re busy, slow down, have a delicious cup of coffee and give yourself a few minutes to “smell the flowers.” Starting your day this way instead of in a chaotic state will promote focus and a higher level of productivity throughout the day.

Forget about Snoozing Your Alarm Clock

Do you snooze the alarm to sneak in 10, 20 more minutes of sleep in the morning? You’re not alone!

While this may seem like a minor habit, it’s definitely detrimental to your morning effectiveness. Snoozing your alarm clock could actually decrease your productivity through the day.

According to physicians, each time you hit the snooze button and doze off, you’re entering a new sleep cycle. The sleep is fragmented, instead of deep and rejuvenating. It doesn’t help you feel more energetic in the morning. On the contrary – you could end up feeling sleepy and tired.

Just set the alarm for an actual hour when you plan to wake up. If you already have the bad habit of snoozing your alarm clock, you may find it difficult to get out of bed immediately. Still, give it a try. In time, you’ll actually feel much more rested and rejuvenated when you get up.

Maintain the Routine That You Develop

A new morning routine will only be effective if you plan to maintain it in the long run.

Don’t introduce major changes that you’ll be incapable of sticking to. Instead, you may want to start slow. Take some time to improve your morning habits and to gradually increase the scope of the changes.

Even if it feels difficult, you should stick to the new practice every single morning. Slipping back in your old routine will quickly undo everything that you’ve managed to accomplish so far.

Consistency is the key to regular productivity and day-long happiness. You can’t just practice your new morning routine on Monday and hope for it to produce results throughout the week. Yes, change and consistency can be difficult but when you start seeing the results, you will feel much more motivated to keep on going.

As you can see, productivity morning habits don’t have to be complicated or life-altering.

You will need to wake up on time, get your body moving and make your mind thankful of everything that you are and you have.

It’s up to you to decide if you want a slow or a fast-paced morning. Different people hit their productivity stride in different ways. You may have to experiment with a few possibilities until you identify the one that works best for you.

Your ideal morning routine will change who you are and what you’re capable of doing through the day. And if you believe it, you’ll be capable of achieving a lot. Getting your loved ones and your family on-board with the new morning plan will make the adoption a lot easier and you can have a new little ritual to share with those closest to you.