How you start your morning not only can set the tone for the rest of the day, but it can impact your health.
We have all experienced the morning scramble, especially if we have school-age children. Many of us spend most mornings just hoping to make it to where we need to be on time, let alone remembering all the things we actually need to do for the day. The stress from the — organized or disorganized — chaos really does take a toll.
Creating and living by a simple morning routine not only eliminates the scramble, it does a whole lot more.
» Reduces stress: A planned day means less time worrying about what to do next and more time getting things done. Stress contributes to serious health problems.
» Increases productivity: Having control over your day from the start will help you stay on schedule, remain focused and get more done. Productivity gives you purpose.
» Creates healthy habits: A consistent, healthy morning routine will turn into healthy habits. Healthy habits increase your quality of life.
Certainly, there are a lot more benefits, both physical and psychological. There are also a lot of ways to go about designing a routine to achieve your personal goals. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
» Be realistic: Make your routine fit your lifestyle. Don’t plan to get up at 5 a.m. and hit the gym if you’ve never woken up before 7 a.m. and hate to exercise. Try carving out 15 minutes to meditate or do whatever it is that motivates you. Knowing what you can realistically accomplish in the morning will mean success or failure.
» Start the night before: If there are things you can get done before the morning, do them. Make lunches, set out clothing, review your to-do list. Basically, get a jump on any task that will help make your morning smoother.
» Be consistent: The more you do a routine, the less thought you have to put into it and the easier it becomes.
Need a little inspiration? Check out these morning routines from the rich and famous:
• Jennifer Aniston wakes up at 4:30 a.m., drinks hot water with lemon, washes her face and meditates for 20 minutes.
• Oprah gets up between 5:30 and 6 a.m. and spends an hour in the gym before getting into the make-up chair by 7:30.
• Richard Branson wakes up around 5 a.m., works out, eats breakfast and spends time with his family, which he says puts him in a good frame of mind before work.
• Julianne Hough wakes up at 6:30 a.m., thinks of five things she’s grateful for and then sets small spiritual goals for the following 24 hours.
You don’t need to be rich or famous to start your day with significance. Steve Jobs used to look in the mirror and ask the same question each morning: “If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m doing today?” If he answered no, he knew he needed to change something. N
Source: www.marieclaire.co.uk