People nowadays go on social media every morning after we wake up to check up on what is trending, celebs we follow or friends and family members.
I decided to switch it up and start afresh a new productive morning routine. That means leaving social media for later in the day (I’m a blogger and social media is literally my life) just so I can be more mindful of the day. The moment I did that, it changed my whole perspective on this thing called “world”.
Few days past and I had a routine of waking up at 6 am in the morning, got ready for a productive day and ended the day with me feeling relieved and ready for the next day.
It may be hard for you guys at first to let go of clamming onto that phone of yours but trust me, it’s the best thing that I did for the sake of my mentality and health. Like one would say, baby steps is the way to go.
Here is a list of morning habits you should install into your productive morning routine.
So grab your mug of coffee or tea and let’s get right into it!
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Table of Contents
Meditate
I know I mention meditation a lot throughout my older posts but meditation is literally a lifesaver. You should start the day off with meditation because its quiet, everyone is still fast asleep, you get more quiet time to yourself to be mindful. As well as quietness, you’ll be able to start the day fresh, clean and calmer, waking up your mind and body.
It also helps reduce headaches and stress. So when you start your day, you’re more likely aware of your current work rather than what you did yesterday or future assignments etc.
I like to use an app called 10% Happier on my android phone to help guide me in the morning. It has different courses for different guided meditation but to unlock all, you got to pay monthly. I’m currently using the free version and there’s a meditation course I like to use called “before you wake up” which is what I listen to every morning. You should try it out and see how it goes.
A tip for beginner meditators: try starting off with guided meditation for 3 mins. Then once you get used to it, upgrade to 5 mins, 10 mins, 15 mins… and so on. This will help get you to use to installing mindfulness into your morning routine.
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Journaling (Morning Pages)
You might like writing or you might not like it. Whatever it is, anyone can do it. You don’t need to correct yourself, you just need to put down on what is on your mind.
If you hate writing, then you can also sketch down what is on your mind. Either way, you’re still putting down your jumbled thoughts on paper so you won’t get headaches.
It’s a great place to put all your problems & negativities aside and start the day fresh as well as check on your mood and thoughts before you start the day. This can be done just a few mins after u wake up or while you have breakfast.
You don’t need to have an expensive journal to do morning pages. You can do it in a cheap exercise book, notepad, journal, your note or sketch apps on your phone (of course there are free apps out there and the ones that are already installed on your phone).
One app that I use is SimpleNotes. I use to use a small cheap journal I bought from the $2 shop but I rather prefer the app version since it’s easier to just grab your phone and write things down instead of trying to flip through pages and all that jazz. This app is free and can be sync up to the application version on your pc.
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Read a Book
Start off the day creatively with a fresh mind so that the information that you’d just read will be stored in your memory.
This is a brilliant way to learn faster because your concentration levels are higher in the morning and store information for a long period.
As I said, mornings are always peaceful so you’ll be able to read without having to get distracted. I like to read webtoons on my phone or ebooks on my Amazon Kindle app.
Write your Day Plans
I know people like to write their to-do list before bed but I like to do it in the morning because then I’ll be able to know what I need to do to start out the day and work my way to the finishing line (aka the end of my to-do list).
It’s the best way to be organised throughout the day without having to be in a messy situation (like forgetting your assignment that you need to do before its due in 3 days).
It can be done just after your morning pages or during breakfast. I like to do mine after my meditation and journaling in an app called Microsoft To-Do. It’s a free app where you can jot down a checklist and check it off as you go.
I also keep a physical diary with me so I can keep a digital and physical record. You can also get your own physical diary at Erin Condren. If you love bright, feminine, beautiful or colourful things (I’m talking to you ladies) then I absolutely recommend getting one from Erin Condren. It’s a neat way to organise your life together and keep yourself productive with the visuals. All sorts of planners are there for anyone, mums, teachers, bloggers, entrepreneurs and students.
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Read Inspirational Quotes or your Daily Horoscope
If you do this, you’ll feel more inspired and motivated to start your day more productive. This way, you’re being more aware of what you’re in for in life, what defines you as a person and what the purpose is. Also, start the morning more positive like a highly successful person.
You can read morning inspiration quotes by searching them up on Google or use a free app. I use an app called Daily Horoscopes. This app has daily horoscopes so you can check in every day to read your signs.
I made a post on motivational quotes for success. You can read it here.
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Stretch
You might already be doing this because we all know that morning stretches is like heaven but if you haven’t, then here’s why.
By stretching, it improves your circulation by increasing the blood flow to your muscles, helping you increase energy level. You can read more about it by checking this link of health benefits of stretching in the morning. You’ll be able to keep a better posture and flexibility by relaxing and lengthening your muscles, equating to fewer aches and pains.
I like to start off stretching from my neck to my arms to my legs (top to bottom). Oh yeah, if you hear a bubble crack, don’t worry! You’re not breaking your bones in pieces, it is just bubbles between the joints that make that sound.
The thing is, if you don’t stretch, you’ll end up tightening your body, causing the muscles to pull on joints and cause pain such as back pains in the future. You don’t want that do you?
Conclusion
Try out these morning routine habits and see how it works out for you.
Do you have a morning routine technique/s that you would like to share?
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I’ve started doing yoga first thing in the morning, and I have noticed it helps my focus a lot during the day! These are all great ideas!
Agreed, same with meditation, these techniques definitely help improve our focus during the day!
I love the idea of meditating first thing in the morning. I always wake up super groggy and of course, roll over and check social. But sitting straight up and meditating would be such a better way to start the day 🙂 Thanks for sharing! xo, Brittany Nicole | http://www.theblistblog.com
Lol! I literally do the same thing when I check social media. My body automatically sits up to meditate so I really don’t need to think that much in the morning!
Meditation sounds really good. I seriously need to start that asap.
Meditation can change your life! Definitely, recommend it and good luck!
I do have a problem with checking social media in the mornings and sometimes I spend way too much time on it. These are great alternatives!
With social media nowadays, pretty much nearly everyone is checking their social media every day. Don’t worry, you’re not alone! I got lazy the start of June and started going back to SM checking lol!