For many people, mornings can be the toughest part of the day. You know the drill. We don’t want to get up, and most of all, we certainly don’t want to go to work. But mornings are important. Getting your morning off to a better start is the most important step to ensuring that you have a good day ahead.
If you stumble out of bed, fall into shower, grab anything that looks clean to get dressed, and then rush out of the door to grab a cup of coffee on your way in, you are not setting the stage for a very productive day.
An effective day begins with an effective morning. You cannot be rushed and be at your best.
Getting A Great Start:
1. Work on Your to-do list the evening before.
- You cannot get your morning off to the best start if you do not know what you have planned for the day.
- Do you need to wear something a little dressier than your normal wardrobe choices?
- If you know what is in store for you, you can get your mind in the right place.
- Understand how you are going to spend your day.
- Preparing for the day the night before.
2. Start with a large glass of water.
- After a night of sleep, we are dehydrated.
- So when you wake up, your body craves water.
- Consider decreasing or avoiding caffeine.
- If you find that you are tired in the mornings, try going to bed a little earlier.
3. Walk.
- Put on your running shoes and step outdoors.
- Using your treadmill is another option.
- Run if the urge strikes you. But, a morning walk is a great way to wake up and clear your mind.
- Any type of exercise is acceptable as long as you feel better after than you did before.
- The first thing in the morning is not the time to wear yourself out.
- You should feel invigorated by the end of your sessions.
- Find the best form of exercise for you. This is not a one size fits all recommendation.
4. Eat breakfast.
- A good breakfast should make you feel good and provide you with the nutrition you will require to reach your lunch break.
- You already have some ideas about which foods are healthy and which are not.
- Choose to make a few wiser choices and note how you feel during the morning.
- Keep experimenting with different combinations until you find one that works best for you.
5. Use affirmations vigorously.
- You can recite affirmations while in the shower, exercising, or driving to work.
- Find a time that works for you and be consistent about the exercise.
- Use affirmations that address the more challenging areas of your life.
- The things we say to ourselves over and over become the truth of our lives.
- Use self talk to uplift yourself.
6. Rise a little earlier than absolutely necessary.
- If you start the morning off behind schedule, you will spend the morning, if not the day, playing catch up.
- It is much more enjoyable to spend your morning without the added and unnecessary pressure of worrying about being on time.
- Go to bed earlier and get the sleep your body requires.
7. Deal with your most important task first.
- This should be an easy first step at work, since you made a to-do list the night before.
- Know what your most important task of the day is, and be prepared to face it head-on.
- Our mental and physical resources are at full capacity earlier in the day.
- We begin to run out of energy by the afternoon.
- Put your best resources to work where and when they can do the most good.
- Have a plan and get after it.
Life is often hectic.
We do not help our situations by crawling out of bed at the last possible second and shoving a donut in our faces on the way to work.
A good morning increases our chances of having a better day.
Give yourself the time in the morning to gather your thoughts and prepare yourself properly for the day ahead.
You will be amazed by how much can be accomplished before work begins.
Doc
Photo Credit: Strangers of London via Compfight cc