Whether you’re a total morning person or can’t get out of bed, how you start your day can have a big impact on how the rest of it flows. Here are ten of the best morning habits to start things on the right track.
10 of the Best Morning Habits for a Better Day
1. Make your bed
When I still worked in the corporate world, I never made my bed. The morning was such a scramble to get out the door, and it’s not like I saw my bed again until it was time to go to sleep at night.
Since starting to work from home, though, I’ve begun making my bed every morning. And it’s a habit I now love.
Why? Well, it starts my day with an instant sense of accomplishment. It makes my room look and feel more clean and organized. And it makes getting into bed at the end of the day feel a bit fancier than climbing into a tangle of sheets.
2. Practice gratitude
Having a mindset of gratitude is a powerful place to be. Starting your day feeling appreciative for what you have is a mood booster that reinforces the positive aspects in your life.
You can jot a few notes in a gratitude journal, or simply say (in your head or out loud!): “I am happy, thankful, and grateful.”
3. Journal
Along the same lines as writing in a gratitude journal, consider starting your day by journalling. You can use journalling in a few different ways.
First, you can use it as a thought download. If you’ve had a ton on your mind, write it down. Pouring your thoughts onto the page can be extremely cathartic, and also help you make sense of what is going on.
Second, you can use it to work through things that have been bugging you. By writing out your thoughts and asking yourself key questions, you can use journaling as a key to problem solving.
And third, you can use journaling prompts to simply use journaling as an opportunity to dive deeper into one or more aspects of your mind.
I like journaling in the mornings when I’ve had a lot on my mind and want to start the day in a good headspace. Even just getting a greater awareness of how I’m feeling and what thoughts are causing it brings me more in tune with myself.
4. Read
Reading is a great way to start the day. Instead of jumping into emails, tasks, and to dos, try to carve out even 20 minutes to read a book. I typically read a non-fiction personal development book, but you could read fiction too.
I find that personal development books help get my mind in a positive, productive place so that I’m ready to tackle the day. Recently, I’ve been loving You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero.
5. Meditate
As I talk about in The Confidence Toolkit, meditation has huge benefits in many areas of our lives. Start your day by quieting your mind and focusing on your breath. I’d recommend using an app like Headspace or Insight Timer if you’re new to meditation (like me!) as they act as a helpful guide.
6. Set an intention
Along with meditating, intentions are a way to be more deliberate in creating your day.
An intention differs from a goal in that it’s focused solely on the outcome and not on how you plan to get there.
For example, you may have a goal of writing 10 blog posts within the next five weeks and a plan to write two per week every week so that you can get there. An intention, on the other hand, would be more around an outcome you’re wishing for. And in many cases, it’s more broad. So in this case, it may be “I will create helpful content to share with the world.” or “I intend to guide others in meaningful ways.”
Looking for more examples and inspiration? Check out this post from mindbodygreen.
7. Move
Whether you like practicing yoga first thing, working out, or simply stretching, dedicate even a few minutes to moving your body. You’ve been lying in bed all night, and your body will thank you!
8. Eat a healthy breakfast
Some say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and in many ways, this makes sense. It nourishes our bodies and gives us the fuel we need to take on the day.
I love eating overnight oats but sometimes I’ll make a breakfast sandwich with an egg, cheese, avocado, and tomato on an english muffin. It’s delicious and starts my day with protein and healthy fats.
9. Water the Plants
I have been recently think of doing batch cooking, but planning takes a lot of time. So I bought some indoor plants. I don’t water it daily but sometimes I do it in morning! This really calms my mind.
10. …and Drink Lots of Water
Your body is often dehydrated from not getting any water all night, so replenish it with a glass of water when you wake up. There’s even science showing that you should mix water with lemon (and use hot water!), so give that a go too.
Do you practice any of these morning habits? Are there any other rituals you keep coming back to? Leave a comment and let me know.
