Now that we know we need to value all of our days, especially the ordinary ones, how exactly do we do that? Let's start at the beginning. When you get out of bed.
Most people undervalue the power of morning. Many of us awaken with a few simple missions: to get coffee, find out what happened overnight--either with friends or in the world--and to get the most urgent thing accomplished. That may be getting to work on time or getting the kids to school, or both. For almost everyone mornings are hectic. Often times rushing around can steal any optimism we might have for the day.
What if I told you there is a better way?
Well there is. It is creating a morning ritual that focuses on your mind, spirit, and body before you do anything for anyone else. Think about airplane safety instructions, "Please put on your own mask before assisting others."
Today we'll address the physical and the next two days, the mind and spirit. Here's what you should be doing in the morning according to experts to be more productive and energized for your entire day.
1. Get up first. There is something powerful about the time alone in the morning when you are the only one awake. I've never read a book by or seen an interview with a super successful person in which they recommended sleeping late, grabbing coffee, and checking Facebook. If we want to be successful in whatever our endeavors are we need to emulate success. They all say pay extra attention to the morning.
Morning is the time to get yourself in the mindset that will carry you through the day. If you normally get up at six to leave for work at seven, then start getting up at five instead to have an hour to prime yourself for the day. Yes this means going to bed earlier, but anything really good that happens on Jimmy Kimmel will be on Youtube tomorrow.
A word about vitamins: Several studies have proven that multi-vitamins are mostly a waste of money, especially if you eat a balanced diet. I take individual vitamins instead and sometimes change them based on what I feel are my current needs. Here's an article about the supplements that are proven to do the most good. Five Vitamins and Supplements that Are Actually Worth Taking
3. Stretch. Ever noticed that in the morning your body wants to stretch and you do it naturally? You'll even notice that your dog or cat do the same thing. I spend about five to seven minutes stretching in the morning while the coffee is brewing. What are the benefits of stretching in the morning?
Here's a stretching video I made to show you what I do. Yes, I know it's not Monday but I make Monday Motivation videos for my Facebook friends and this is one of those.
While I'm stretching I practice deep breathing. Breathing deep and getting the oxygen flowing has a number of proven benefits.
The other school of thought about breakfast is that if you skip it you can reduce the total number of hours a day that you are eating. In my experience however, if I skip breakfast (and I mean a nutritious high protein meal) I more than make up for those calories later in the day.
Again, experiment with what works for you. When you find what works just make sure to do it consistently. Remember, we are looking for sustainable change.
Tomorrow I'll be covering priming your mind and spirit for the day.
Do me a favor and leave a comment about how you structure your morning and what routines or rituals you practice!
XOXO