Add one of these activities to your morning routine for less stress and more productivity

Add one of these activities to your morning routine for less stress and more productivity

As an entrepreneur who works from home, I have found that how I spend my morning often reflects how productive the rest of the day will be for me. It doesn’t matter what time I wake up per se, but how I spend that first hour or so upon waking can lead me to either have a productive day or a wasted one! There are many different idealized morning routines you can adopt that promise health and wealth, but let’s be honest- designing a whole new routine is pretty hard. So, instead, start off with one of these and add it to your existing routine for a day that promises less stress and more productivity!

Guided Meditation

Meditation is one of those activities that you expect to find on lists like these, however, as someone who has tried every which way to incorporate meditation into my days and failed, I know it isn’t as easy as you’d think. Forcing yourself to sit still for 15-30 minutes without falling asleep is hard. Having to control your thoughts in the silence of your room is hard. But listening to a guided meditation instead, while you sit or lay in bed, is actually pretty doable! I keep a few guided meditations found on YouTube saved in my iPhone’s bookmarks, and in the morning when I wake up, I put one on. This routine works for me because it fulfills my need to stay in bed when I first wake up, and because I know all I have to do is turn on the guided meditation and listen. I can stay in bed, remain in a reclining position and just listen. It’s a very peaceful way to wake up in the morning, especially if you’re not a wake up and jump out of bed sort of person! If you aren’t sure where to start with something like this, here is the YouTube channel of an account that I love to go to for my meditations. This guys voice is very soothing to me and he has targeted guided meditation audios for a number of common issues.

Breath deeply

Starting your day with a workout is often touted as a secret of success for many, however, that exercise doesn’t have to be cardio. Even a simple routine of yoga in the morning where you are controlling your movement and breathing deeply is an excellent way to keep in shape, and lower stress. If you want to get started with Yoga, but think it’s too complicated, check out this article to get some helpful tips and tricks for beginners!

Journaling

In Julia Cameron’s bestselling book, The Artist’s Way, she instructs to keep a journal to write in stream of consciousness each and every morning. A few pages a day is all it takes to process through the events of the previous day that may still be having a sway over your mind, and really help you start your day with everything off your chest. It’s like having a morning therapy session with yourself! So, if you find that you wake up anxious and feel stress from the moment you step out of bed, I suggest keeping a journal by your bedside and giving this a try!

Make your bed

Making your bed in the morning is the start to a great foundational morning routine. Not only does it leave your space neat for your return in the evening, but it gives you an easy mental win in the morning because you have checked one item off your to do list without even leaving your bedroom. Start making your bed in the morning as soon as you get out of it and you will feel the positive affects on your day!

Hydrate early and often!

After hours of lying in bed, your body is in need of hydration immediately. Try drinking a big glass of ice water or start your morning with some warm water with lemon! You may want to reach for the coffee machine first, but caffeine actually dehydrates you further, so make sure to get in a good 8-12 ounces of water before you touch any other liquids!

So tell me, do you have any morning routine non-negotiable activities that aren’t included on this list? I’d love to know how you spend your morning!

xoxo,