Have you found time slipping away from you, especially in the mornings? You’ve probably hit that snooze button multiple times, telling yourself, “Just five minutes,” till you realise you’re late for work. Or you’ve watched multiple YouTube videos of My Productive Morning Routine or My 5 to 9 before 9 to 5 and wondered how people can squeeze in so much activity before their actual work day. Granted that morning routine can be overwhelming, you’re expected to make breakfast, workout, and journal before you start your day.
But the truth is that having a more intentional routine when you wake up can boost your productivity and make you healthy–physically and mentally, confident and optimistic. Take all the successful entrepreneurs, for example. Oprah Winfrey wakes up before 6 am and gets in a workout, journaling and breakfast before her day starts. Jeff Bezos is up by 5 am to practise visualising, working out, and reading. Tim Cook wakes up at 4.30 am and hits the gym before heading to work and answering his emails.
If you want to start this new year with a pledge to work on your overall well-being, then here are 7 steps to build the perfect morning routine to boost your productivity, attitude, energy, and performance throughout the day.
1. Prep the night before
To have a smooth, stress-free morning, take 15 to 20 minutes the previous night to plan at least part of your next day. It can be making a to-do list, figuring out what to wear the next day, ironing your clothes, prepping your breakfast, or even keeping your gym bag or workout gear ready. This is extremely helpful if you have trouble waking up early or have a limited time window before heading off to work. The pre-planning part of your day can automate some tasks, leaving you with fewer decisions to make first thing in the morning.
2. Have a fixed bedtime and wake-up time
Once you have your plan ready, work backwards and figure out how much time you need for yourself before you start work. Let’s do the math here. If you start work by 10 am, give yourself at least an hour and a half or two hours, waking up at around 7.30 or 8. To be focused and productive throughout the day, you need a good night’s rest of seven to eight hours of sleep, which means going to bed between 11 and midnight. Having a fixed bedtime and waking-up time builds consistency and a routine that will help you in the long run. An erratic sleep schedule can make you feel low and less focused the next day, especially if you don’t have enough sleep.
3. Avoid scrolling
You may consider your smartphone your best friend, but this friend is needy and attention-seeking. You’ve probably heard it quite a few times and read it in many productivity-based articles: do not start scrolling on your phone first thing in the morning. Social media is addictive, emails are stress-inducing, and news notifications never have anything positive for you to start your day with. Our minds tend to go down the rabbit hole of dissecting everything we’ve read and seen, taking away precious time and focus first thing in the morning. So once you’ve shut off your alarm on your phone, avoid clicking through your notifications as much as you can.
4. Hydrate
Reach for a bottle of water, not a cup of tea or coffee. Drinking warm water with lemon first thing in the morning has proven to be good for digestion. If you have trouble sipping water throughout the day, try drinking at least half a litre before heading off to work. Not only will it replenish your body, but it will also help with your skin and your focus. The most effective way to start your day with hydration is to keep a bottle of water by your bedside and have it as soon as you’re up.
5. Fuel your body
If you’re feeling tired and lethargic when you wake up, eat something within your waking hour, especially if you have scheduled a workout in the morning. Nourish and fuel your body with healthy nutrients like a handful of nuts and seeds or fruits like bananas or apples. Nothing too heavy, but enough to give you energy for a good workout.
6. Move
The idea is to get your blood flowing, whether it’s through stretching, running, yoga asana, walking or lifting weights in the gym. You don’t need to squeeze in an hour of movement in your morning routine. Just 10 to 15 minutes of moving your body can give you a boost of energy. Plus, it will help in your overall physical and mental well-being. There are a number of YouTube videos and apps for you to follow if you’re unsure about what to do.
7. Practice affirmation
Truthfully, this is one step that doesn’t take much of your time in the morning. The point of practising affirmations is to start your day positively, especially if you have had a rough night or a particularly cumbersome previous day. Say positive things that resonate with you, and let it be intuitive. You can do this while brushing your teeth, showering, stretching, or even en route to work. Simple things like ‘I am strong’ or ‘Today is a beautiful day’ can change your mood exponentially. If you have time, practice gratitude by journaling, either in a notebook or even on apps.
