Whether you are a “morning person” or not, how much thought do you give to the start of your day? Do you realize that by adopting a few simple morning rituals you can supercharge your whole day?
Here are some morning rituals that can help you to be happier, more creative, and successful!
Get physical first thing
You need to get your body moving as soon as you are out of bed. Take a brisk walk, practice some energizing yoga postures, or run a mile or two on the treadmill. Whatever your personal exercise of choice may be, the main point is to get your blood pumping, increase your oxygen intake and get fired up for the day ahead.
In a study conducted by scientists at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, it was discovered that morning stretches and exercise improved the quality of participant’s sleep.
Participants that exercised for at least a half hour every morning had less trouble falling asleep in the evening.
Make time for meditation
One of the most important morning rituals you can engage in for a creative day is meditation. Meditation allows you to center yourself, find peace, and open your mind. Specific types of meditation are more effective than others at opening your creativity.
A study by the Leiden University in the Netherlands found that a form of meditation called “open-monitoring meditation,” was highly conducive to bolstering creativity. In this type of meditation, the participant keeps their mind open to anything and everything that passes through it without specific focuses in their attention.
Have your morning planned ahead
Don’t wait until the morning to make several decisions. Instead, try to end each night by planning out the next day. Consider what clothes you will wear and have them conveniently located.
Put together any ingredients you need for breakfast and pack your lunch so you only need to grab it on your way out the door. Put together a quick list of what you want to accomplish the next day, so when you wake up there is already a plan in place.
By planning your day the night before, you streamline a large part of your morning activities. Instead of stressing over what to eat, wear, and start with on your list of tasks, you can glide from one thing to another.
Remember why you are grateful
Instead of bemoaning that you have to go to work, consider some gratefulness that you have a job with a reliable income. Think about the blessings that are specific to your life, whether it is your health, having a home, healthy children, a loving spouse, just be grateful for everything good in your life.
There will always be some hardships and obstacles to overcome, which makes it so important to remember the good things in our lives. Our state of mind has a huge impact on the outcome of our day, as well as our lives.
“Gratitude heals, energizes, and transforms lives,” states Robert Emmons, Ph.D., laboratory director at the University of California, Davis.
Avoid technology until you actually start your workday
Try to stay disconnected from your devices for as long as possible. Postponing your review of emails, responding to text messages, and not viewing the news online helps you to be truly present in the moment. We lose some of our awareness of what is going on around us and the people in our lives when we become locked onto our devices.
Instead, let your mind wander over the prospects of the day and interact with friends and family as you head out the door. There will always be enough time in your workday to check the emails, answer your messages, and review pertinent information. Leave the electronic hookup for the office rather than at home.
Eat a healthy breakfast and be sure to hydrate
Staying hydrated is important to every aspect of our health and wellness. Start the day by drinking a glass of water before you reach for a cup of coffee. Make sure you eat a solid breakfast with plenty of protein before leaving home. You need to fuel up your body for the day ahead.
Take it from someone who knows about success: Jeffrey Zurofsky, CEO and co-founder of the gourmet sandwich chain ’wichcraft, starts each day with exercise, meditation, and a healthy breakfast.
As Zurofsky explains, “I have an enormous breakfast: 1,000 calories, 30 grams of protein. It changes cuisines, but it’s always eggs, a cup of legumes, veggies, and typically some meats — whether it’s chicken breast or leftover something.”
