Rising early every morning is one of the most beneficial tools to kickstart the day and be as productive as possible.
Okay, so maybe you’re not going to wake up at 4.30am like Kris Jenner. However, there are multiple reasons why you should start your morning early and create a healthy morning routine.
A morning routine is considered by many, including Mark Wahlberg and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, to be taken seriously, as it’s the most important part of the day. Many uber successful people like Richard Branson and Elon Musk claim, setting yourself up for success for the day begins in the very first few moments when you wake.
And there are multiple reasons why you should start your morning early and create a healthy morning routine.
It sets you up for the day ahead, whether that’s ingraining mindfulness and positivity into your routine, getting those early endorphins going or dabbling in some self-care.
And yes, we get it. Hitting that snooze button ten times over to ‘catch – up’ on some extra sleep, even it’s for 10 minutes feels good at the time.
However, hitting the snooze button time and time again has proven to make you more sluggish in the morning. According to sleep experts, instead of giving you a kick, napping after the alarm goes off can actually increase tiredness and exacerbate feelings of drowsiness.
Switching those sluggish habits and opting for a better morning routine, like a brisk before-work walk or early morning mediation can make all the difference.
It’s time to rise and shine.
Here is how to create the perfect morning routine.
1. Establish routine:
Starting every morning the same, especially on weekdays, is essential for setting intentions, kicking goals and overall mental health. A routine provides people with familiarity, and with that comes a sense of comfort, safety and ease.
This, in turn, means yes – waking up that little bit earlier everyday will become easier. For tips on how to have more energy to get out of bed in the morning click here.
2. Get outdoors and into the sunshine:
A walk or workout outside does wonders for our mental clarity, feelings of happiness, energy and sleep.
Environmental Scientist Uma Phelan from Econscious Living outlines how morning light sets off a cascade of hormones and neurotransmitters which make you feel good. Sunlight is 42% infrared light, which generates collagen production, increases bone healing and heals wounds.
The feeling of accomplishing a task on the to – do list so early on, and not having it on the conscious all day brings a sense of relief and productivity. This streamlines into an efficient and determined work ethic that can smash the goals of any day.
3. Skincare:
When sleep is disrupted, the first thing to do is ensure it’s not obvious just by looking at the skin. Dry, tired eyes and dark circles can all result from a lack of shut eye.
Immediately washing the face with cold water refreshes and awakens dull skin.
Applying a few personal favourite skincare products every morning gives as much routine to the body as it does to the skin. It’s a win win. Plus, no matter how inadequate the sleep was, the same application of quality skincare products will leave the face looking fresh and rejuvenated always.
4. Eat a healthy first meal, whether intermittent fasting or not:
Beginning the day with a nutritious breakfast, brunch or lunch will replenish the body and provide it energy to continue striving towards those goals.
Starting with a coffee, caffeinated, or decaffeinated, can boost that energy during a stressful week, or prior to a chaotic day. Even if you are fasting, you are able to have a black coffee to kick start your mental and physical engine.
In particular, the Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee blend; https://sipcoffeehouse.com/best-jamaican-blue-mountain-coffee/ is an absolute treat. These coffee beans are packed full of taste and quality, to tackle any work – related task, errand, or gym session.
5. Meditate:
Jennifer Aniston is known for her youthful glow. Her workdays consist of 4:30am wake ups, sipping on hot lemon water and 20 minutes of meditation. We aren’t saying set those alarms to dawn… but aim to include meditation just after waking up every day.
Starting the day with a short meditation helps reconnect and realign people with their purpose, mission, and values, both long and short term. This state of tranquility also transfers to the following tasks, leaving those who practice mediation daily feeling calm and relaxed amongst the pressures of the day-to-day.
Bondi Beauty Founder Renae Leith-Manos believes in morning routines too, read hers here.