Sarah EatonMornings, or whatever time of day you get out of bed, set the tone for the day. Most mornings ooze chaos, and so it is from dawn and well past dusk. Amid kids, pets, work, poor sleep and bills, it’s a miracle any of us remembers how to breathe. But either way, your morning is a pattern of habits, good or bad. Whether or not you think you have time for much of anything in the morning, you can always dump the undesirable habits and replace them with good ones. After all, some good habits take just as much time as their bad counterparts.
For a better day, try instilling these energy-boosting habits into your daily wake-up routine:
1. Meditate
The benefits of meditation are numerous: It helps to diffuse the stress bomb, screen the noise our busy minds create, and block out negative self-talk. And a morning habit of meditation helps you slip into a “go with the flow” mindset, making it easier to deal with the challenges the day ahead of you will bring. Spilled coffee, screaming kids, traffic jams—these frustrations will be more likely to roll right off your back if you include a few minutes of meditation every morning. You might roll your eyes or cackle at the idea of having enough time in the AM to meditate, but you don’t have to be too elaborate with it. Consider meditating before you even get out of bed, even just for five minutes or so (you might need to sit up to avoid falling back asleep).
2. Unplug
Upon waking, don’t immediately reach for your smartphone. The onslaught of chirpy notifications piles on the stress and loads your brain up with demands, often before you even leave your mattress. Instead, keep a journal near your bed to write down the dreams you had last night, an epiphany or a new idea, or a list of self-affirmations. If you have kids that like to jump on your bed first thing in the morning, jot down and talk about your dreams together. Give yourself a chance to be you, first, then deal with the demands of the outside world. It will help you start the day out on a positive, confident note.
3. Visualization
This practice could be a part of your daily meditation sessions. Visualization is a powerful tool, and this is how it works: As you envision what you want to happen, both in the day-to-day and the long-term, the brain translates those images as equivalent to real-life action. This cues our bodies to act in ways consistent with what we imagined in our minds. Assign a mental image to what you want your day—and life—to look like, and play it out like a movie in your head every morning. Those images will start to carve in your brain a new path to follow. Don’t think you have time for this? Do it in the shower, over breakfast, or like meditation, before you even leave bed. The long-term effects are worth it!
4. Don’t Skip Breakfast
Many people ignore the old saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, but it still rings true. Always make time for breakfast and opt for a slow-release carb to maximize the energy benefits. This is one of the easiest ways to boost your energy, yet so many of us disregard it. Do your body a favor and eat!
5. Stretch
Tight muscles and an achy body bogs you down throughout your day and zaps your energy. Adopt a good stretching routine every morning. It will help promote healthy blood flow, improve your posture, and boost your energy. Another time saving tip: Try linking body and mind by coupling visualization with your stretching routine.
Sources:
Daily Worth
Power of Positivity
Your Fitness
MBG
The Huffington Post