Your morning routine is like setting up a string of dominoes: You line everything up for success, but one false move can cause it all to come tumbling down. In order to set the right tone for the rest of your day, experts say you should adjust the following seven habits.
1. Hitting the Snooze Button
Itโs tempting to steal a few more minutes of sleep, but hitting snooze has a negative impact on your physical and emotional well-being, says Joanna Kleinman, owner of The Center for Extraordinary Relationships. โPhysically, hitting the snooze button actually sets you up to be groggy and less productive because you are repeatedly waking yourself out of a deep sleep,โ Kleinman says. โEmotionally, you set yourself up to be late, rushed, and stressed in the morning.โ
The obvious solution, Kleinman says, is getting out of bed right away (even if it seems impossible). โIf we listen to our minds telling us what we feel like doing, we will never be able to make the positive changes we need to,โ Kleinman says.
2. Checking Your Phone
Doing this first thing in the morning stimulates self-criticism and judgments in your mind, Kleinman says. โYour emails and texts are all about things to do, things to buy, things to add to your to-do list,โ she says. โThis amounts to either the stuff that other people want you to be paying attention to, or what your mind says you should be paying attention to.โ
Even if you leave your inbox alone and stick to Instagram, you can do harm to your psyche because social media causes you to compare yourself to other people. Bottom line: Checking your phone first thing can awaken your inner critic. To stop yourself from opening Twitter immediately after turning off your alarm, charge your phone in another room. Begin your day instead with a self-affirming habit like journaling or meditation.
3. Planning Your Day
If you wake up and have no idea what's on your schedule, where you have to be, or what youโre going to wear, then your day is already off to a frantic start. Psychologist and Certified Master Coach Joel Ingersoll recommends organizing your day the night before. This way, youโll feel refreshed and ready to go in the morning.
4. Drinking Water...
You may be craving a cup of coffee as soon as your feet hit the floor, but what your body really needs is a glass of water, Ingersoll says. Since you havenโt had any liquids in your system for at least six (or hopefully eight) hours, your body is dehydrated. You can have the coffee (see below), but your body will function betterโyou'll have fewer headaches, less fatigue, and smaller bags under your eyesโif you down a glass of water first, Ingersoll says.
5. ...and Coffee
Don't feel guilty about reaching for the coffee pot after you've had your waterโit is actually good for your body, too, says Ilyse Schapiro, a Registered Dietitian and Certified Dietitian/Nutritionist. โCoffee is a great source of antioxidants, and it can increase energy as well as help to stabilize our moods,โ Schapiro says. โIt can also help keep our brains healthier and our minds sharper.โ
Too much coffee isnโt going to do you any favors, though. Stick with one or two cups a day, and be consistent with how much you drink, or else youโll start getting headaches and withdrawal symptoms.
6. Skipping Breakfast
Have you been told to eat a good breakfast before? Thatโs because itโs important, says Bruno LoGreco, life coach and author of Stop Sabotaging Your Life. โEating a healthy breakfast consisting of nuts, fruits, and oats will satisfy your brain to get you through a tough day at the office,โ LoGreco says. Itโs best to skip the doughnuts and croissants, though, as these will give you a sugar high and set you up for a crash just as you reach your desk.
7. Rising Early
A study published by the American Psychological Association found that early risers are happier and more successful than those who go to bed late. They tend to be more proactive, get better grades, and better anticipate and minimize problems.
These 7 habits are really important and can make or break your day. Do this, and you will see and feel the difference it makes :) Smile!!