When the mornings are grey, cold and damp, getting up and starting your day can be an effort. After hitting the snooze button several times, most people reluctantly drag themselves out of bed, turn on the TV and desperately grab a cup of coffee.
Many people stay under the duvet for as long as possible which means that when they do eventually get up, they rush around, wear whatever doesn’t need ironing, skip breakfast and do their make-up on the go. This is not the best way to start the day and is more likely to cause stress before your morning has even begun.
There is however a better way.
Here are five simple ways to start every morning with a spring in your step:
Create a morning practice
A morning practice is simply a routine you follow every morning.
You may not realise it, but you already have a routine that you follow with regards to what order you shower, brush your teeth, get dressed and anything else you do before leaving the house each morning.
Allocating as little as five minutes every morning to journal, meditate or stretch can drastically improve your overall mood for the entire day.
Leave all electronic devices in another room
Today, reaching for your mobile phone or tablet is the way most people start the day. This means you automatically begin your morning influenced by external factors.
Emails, social media and news headlines all have the ability to influence your mood and potentially set the tone for the rest of your day.
Leave all your electronic devices in another room and don’t check them until you’ve completed your morning practice.
Swap caffeine for lemons
If you wake up feeling exhausted, caffeine is an obvious choice for helping you start your day with a spring in your step.
Yes, grabbing a coffee will wake you up, however it is not the best choice.
For a healthier option, swap your morning Americano for a cup of hot water and lemon and then spend a few moments in silence to mindfully sip and soak up the benefits.
Avoid the news
Let’s be honest, how often do you watch the news or read a newspaper and feel positively inspired or motivated?
More often than not, the news focuses on negative doom and gloom stories and does its best to sensationalise and induce fear.
This definitely does not help you to start your day with a spring in your step.
Avoid turning on the TV, checking social media or reading news websites first thing in the morning. I would even recommend avoiding the free newspaper on your daily commute.
Instead listen to a positive audiobook or podcast and if you normally read the newspaper, read a book instead.
Exercise
If you are short on time in the morning, this does not have to be a full on work-out. It can simply be doing a few stretches before you take a shower.
If you have more than a few minutes, you could go for a walk or jog around your block.
Alternatively, you could leave home a little earlier and if possible walk to the station and opt for the stairs rather than the escalators or elevator.
Research has repeatedly proven that exercise has a significant positive effect on your mental and emotional well-being therefore it is important to get your body moving to improve your chances of having a great day.
As you can see, it is possible to start your day with a spring in your step without having to make any major changes to your current morning routine.
With a few simple tweaks, you can leave home feeling positive and ready for the day ahead.
Image credits: www.123rf.com.
