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How Creating a Morning Routine Can Increase Productivity - And Wellbeing

Establishing a morning routine is key to increasing productivity.

By Alex C.Published 4 years ago 4 min read
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What you do, eat, and listen to in the mornings affects your outlook on the day.

What do your mornings look like?

Perhaps you're the kind of person that jumps out of bed at 5AM, heads to the gym at your apartment complex and gets your sweat on, to then head back to your home and prepare a healthy meal to eat for breakfast. You might listen to a personal development podcast or motivational audiobook while you complete your morning tasks before getting dressed and heading out the door for a productive day at work.

Or perhaps you're scrambling to get out of bed at 8:30 when you have to be at work at 9, and you rush out the door without eating breakfast and turn on the radio to distract yourself from the craziness of the morning. You try to calm down before stepping into the office but you already know today will be just like any other day; hectic, crazy, long, and never ending.

Or perhaps you're a stay at home parent, and your mornings (and afternoons, and evenings) are one gigantic blur of pure chaos. You're focused on getting your spouse out the door for work, getting the kids ready for school or daycare, making sure the baby is fed and taken care of, ensuring the dogs are let out and that their water bowl is full, and trying to keep the house some level of clean. You probably don't have much time for yourself, and you don't know how to create space in your day to adequately prepare for the next.

No matter what your mornings look like, chances are you are reading this and you don't have a solid morning routine established, or your morning routine looks something like a chaotic mess.

Studies have shown that creating a morning routine that is full of productive, quiet moments can set you up for success throughout your day. When you experience stress or feel rushed during the early morning hours, you carry that tension with you for the rest of the day.

So, what are some ways you can create a morning routine full of healthy habits that will help cultivate a productive day?

1) Get up early.

I know, I didn't like to do this either. But I can't deny how good I feel when I get out of bed at 6am, flip over to my Blinkist app, jump out of bed to do my morning tasks, and start listening to the daily pick. I'm a personal development junkie; I love to find small ways to get my knowledge in during the day, and the Blinkist app is a great way to do that. (This is not a sponsored post, I'm just obsessed with their content).

To all the parents out there whose kids get up early, you can do this too. I know you probably lay in bed at night even after the kids are in bed scrolling through your phone until the late hours just trying to turn your brain off, ecstatic that you have a few uninterrupted moments of time to yourself.

But what if you took that time in the morning instead? What would your day look like if you were able to wake up, pour a cup of hot coffee or tea, set up on the couch or in bed with a book or podcast, and take time to develop yourself and set a positive tone for the day. You'd be getting time to yourself and you wouldn't be wasting that time scrolling through Facebook, you would be applying yourself to learning new things and new strategies to encourage you during the day.

Envision that. Think about how that could change your outlook on the day. I'm willing to bet it would help you be calmer, more patient, and have more energy during the day to handle whatever those crazy kids can throw at you.

2) Don't waste your time.

Yes, scrolling mindlessly through social media is a time waster. You aren't actively engaging with the content, and you are actually teaching your brain to be reactive instead of proactive. Getting up at 6AM is a great start, but if you lay in bed for two hours scrolling through Instagram or watching Netflix, you are not using the full potential of that time. In order to set a good tone for the day, you need to be working your brain. Some things that might interest you:

  • Listening to a podcast
  • Reading a book
  • Watching the news
  • Journaling
  • Planning out the day

Whatever you choose to do with your time, make sure it is something you want to do, and something that will help you set the day up for a positive experience.

3) Meditate.

Science doesn't lie. The science behind meditation is enough to make any skeptic somewhat intrigued. Just 5-10 minutes of meditation in the morning can have immensely positive effects on your ability to handle stress throughout the day. I use the Headspace app to guide me through my meditations. I also use this app in the evenings to help me wind down for bed.

Even if you're not a yogi, or you're just not "good" at it - because let's face it, I'm no expert - meditation has powerful effects on the way you handle yourself, and it is an important tool to learning how to manage emotional stress in your day to day life.

When you win the morning, you win your entire day.

So take the time to create a morning routine that will work for you and your goals.

I promise you it will change your life.

self help
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About the Creator

Alex C.

Writer. Reader. Mom. 🖊🤎

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