The way your morning starts sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you want to feel calm, accomplished and productive, you should start incorporating these 6 morning rituals into your life on the regular:
1. Leave Your Phone Alone.
Incredibly, 85% of us sleep with our mobile phones next to our bed. Then when we wake up, the first thing we do is grab it and check our email, Facebook and other social media apps. This is not the best way to start your day!
You need to put your phone away from your bed so when you wake up, the first thing you do is connect with your loved ones face-to-face. This means no cell phones, iPads or laptops. Making time to connect with them each morning, even if it’s just for 10 or 15 minutes will help strengthen your relationships. If you live alone, you can use this time to connect with your inner self by meditating, having a relaxing breakfast while looking out the window or enjoying an extra-long shower.
2. Get Your Greens On!
Green leafy vegetables are very healthy for you because of the vitamins and minerals they contain. The chlorophyll in green vegetables helps to regenerate your blood and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimutagenic properties.
While you may not want to eat a salad for breakfast in the morning, you can whip up a green power smoothie for yourself which only takes a few minutes! Take a ripe banana, fresh (or frozen) berries, spinach or kale and some water (or almond milk) and blend for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drinking this in the morning several times a week will give you energy and provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
3. Move Your Bod.
It’s a proven fact: Exercise is very beneficial for your physical and emotional health! If you don’t exercise regularly during the day, then it’s important for you to find a physical activity that you can enjoy doing in the morning.
Wake up 20 minutes earlier than usual and do some simple yoga moves, hop on your exercise bike for 10 minutes or dance to a few of your favorite tunes while your coffee brews. The point is for you to do an activity that you think is fun so it doesn’t feel like work! Jump starting your morning with a burst of physical activity for a few minutes each day will energize your body and mind.
4. Be At One With Nature.
No matter how busy you are, it’s important for you to make time to surround yourself with the sights, scents and sounds of nature. The best time to do this is during the early morning hours, when the earth is still and just waking up.
For example, sitting outside while you sip on your green power smoothie or herbal tea can help to relieve stress and place you in a relaxing, meditative state. Quiet time spent outdoors for a few minutes each day or even a few times a week can help you connect with nature and calmly prepare you for the day’s events.
6. Arrive At Work A Little Earlier
If you get to the office before everyone else does and do most of your important tasks first, you’ll get more done and will be less stressed throughout the day. Doing this even just once a week can make a big difference.
Think about it: Quiet work – without any interruptions or distractions – can be the equivalent to several hours of regular work in a noisy and busy environment; especially when emails keep flooding your inbox, your boss or colleagues keep asking you questions and your phone is ringing off the hook!
Start off this New Year by taking care of yourself physically and emotionally. By weaving some (or all) of these healthy habits into your morning schedule, you will energize your mind, body and spirit while calmly accomplishing the things you need to do each day.
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