10 Things to Add to Your Morning Routine
by Alex Mathers
Ever heard of the saying, “Your day is the reflection of your morning habits?” No? Well, that’s because I have just made it up. But it is true. Infuse better habits earlier on, and you give yourself a gift that keeps on giving throughout the day. I’m not necessarily suggesting you do all of the following, yet you can use this list as an inspiring reminder.
Cold shower
Yes, I went there. I took the leap. As you might tomorrow morning by stepping under the shower and turning it to freezing cold. But why? Oh, just a few things. Cold water improves circulation, reduces muscle soreness, improves your skin and hair, and makes you more alert. But the best benefit for me is training yourself to lean into discomfort. If you get into the habit of facing this kind of shock every morning, what other challenges are you able to contend with over the week?
Read a few pages
Whether fiction or otherwise, you know you can benefit from reading instead of consuming content online. So add some reading time to your mornings and give yourself the luxury of doing this before the day transitions into full-on focus mode. Take notes while you read to better absorb the ideas you pick up.
Brainstorm
Creativity isn’t a gift–it’s a habit. And the more creative you are, the more creative you get. So, the creative habit of brainstorming ideas and solutions on a topic or problem is one of the best things you can do to strengthen your creativity and problem solving skills.
Dance
Every time you dance, this type of movement loosens you up physically, unlocks your hips, and increases positive endorphin chemicals that raise your mood. Yes, it’s that simple.
Go for a walk
You may say you don’t have time to walk in the morning when there are more ‘important’ things to do. But walking offers a myriad of health benefits, not to mention giving you the opportunity to reflect on the day ahead, so you can start from a strong mental foundation. Make walking non-negotiable.
5-minute meditation
Giving yourself the space to sit and observe your breathing and the thoughts that float by needn’t take a long time. 5 minutes is better than nothing and, most importantly, it’s effective in itself. Even a short session makes a difference and will set you up for a more relaxed, more mindful day.
Tend to your garden
Getting physically in touch with nature is a lost feature of our rushed, modern lives. Even if it’s simply watering the plants or nurturing other forms of life, your soul knows when you’re doing something wholesome. You will be enlivened and feel the serenity that comes when you unite with nature elements.
Connect with someone
Here’s the thing: other people represent a lot of opportunities that you can enjoy when you are proactive with networking. What if you reached out to one person before your morning meditation? At the end of a year, how many people would this add up to? How many opportunities would a simple hello equate to?
Spend ten minutes on a dream project
Dreams, as we all know, can get deprioritized and relegated to the bottom of our priority lists. You might want to become an artist or write that novel. But days go by and you still haven’t made a dent in this direction. What if you worked on your dream first thing in the morning? Now it’s a thing. Now your dreams–and your potential–are being realized. This will energize you.