5 Tips For A Great Morning Routine

WHAT’S YOUR MORNING ROUTINE?

I have become intimately familiar with the "daily grind" and the adjoining morning rituals many working people have. Does any of this sound familiar: 7:00am alarm blast wakes you, pull yourself out of bed, half asleep jump in the shower, dress, (get kids ready, if you have kids) leave house for work by 7:45am, on the way eat half a bacon, egg and cheese, some coffee, get to work by 8:30am, say your morning pleasantries to friends, check some emails and ESPN (guys) or Page Six (girls) and jump right in and start the day once the caffeine kicks in around 9am.

The majority of people I have encountered over the years have had morning routines similar to this, and the purpose of this article is to tell you how much better it can be. It is important to realize that what you do in the morning sets the sets the tone for the rest of your day, and habituating an effective morning custom can do wonders for your life. By following these simple steps, you will start to feel more alert, healthier and stronger as you begin your day.

Water

Drink a full glass of water as soon as you wake up. This is critical for the health of your body as you have just spent the last 7-10 hours with no food or drink. Water is calming for the mind as well and by making a habit of drinking water upon waking you are establishing a healthy pillar of activity first thing in the morning!

Meditate

Meditation is an extraordinary practice that has innumerable health benefits and dates back thousands of years. Through meditation, you commit yourself to the practice of listening within, and by sticking to it you will develop increased awareness, stronger intentions, and enhanced patience.

Journal

Keeping a journal is a fantastic practice for those of you who lead very busy lives. After a healthy meditation, spend 5 minutes to write down the things that are on your mind. There are no rules for keeping a journal, just write anything that comes into your head. It may be things you hope to accomplish that day, long-term goals, relationship issues, or perhaps an inspiring idea that sprouted while meditating.

Eat

For those of you that skip breakfast, let me give you one word of advice: don't. Like I mentioned earlier, your body has just fasted for several hours while you were sleeping and you need food for energy. Get creative and start making health shakes for breakfast that are full of anti-oxidants and will give you a ton of energy!

Be Grateful

As I am making breakfast, brushing my teeth, watering my plants, and getting dressed and doing everything else I do in the morning-I purposefully feel grateful for everything that I have in my life. If you use no other attributes discussed in this article, begin implementing a thankful attitude in the morning for the people and things you have in your life. By being grateful you will attract more of your intentions into your life, and it is very powerful to begin your day with an "attitude of gratitude".