If you’ve clicked this post, you may just be waking up. Studies show that your brain is more inclined to make decisions without overthinking in the AM. And by studies I mean according to me. And I’m hoping that you decided to give my blog a chance by reading this article. Assuming it’s in the morning is another case study conducted by… well, me again. LoL! So, I’m no scientist and by no means an expert in anything involving the benefits to bettering your life. In fact, I think I’ve grown in to a great worrier, anxious prone and a slight Debby Downer. That makes me the perfect candidate for these tips I’ve recently adopted to kick-start my day. Because if you get ahead of the day, you are ahead of the week and if you are ahead of the week, well, you are winning!
5 powerful and easy ways to jump start your day
1 Don’t hit snooze
I used to be a snooze abuser. I will admit, I thought it would help me but instead I felt more groggy than before. I set my alarm to a reasonable 7:00 (because my kids are late risers + there’s no school) but that will change once school starts. I will rise then more like 5:30 or 5:45 am. Take into consideration that you still need an adequate amount of sleep like 6-8 hours depending on your needs. There’s even a 5am Club book which is based on a revolutionary morning routine that has helped people maximize their productivity, activate their best health and bulletproof their serenity in this age of overwhelming complexity. You can find it here.
2 Rise earlier than your kids.
If you don’t have kids, high five yourself you lucky duck. Lol okay, okay, it’s not that bad but rising up earlier to get some quiet time yourself is an easy way to get ahead of the day. If you are a Mom and you wait for your kiddo’s to wake you, you are going to be bombarded with a list of food, requests on cartoons and possibly help with the potty. That’s starting the day off on the wrong foot. It’s starting on the defensive side rather than the offensive side. You want the ball in your court… This is your house anyways so get ahead of the chillens before they sink their claws in you.
3 Drink
Water, tea or lemon water. Those are the options that I give myself. I usually lean towards a cup of digestion tea to get my body going before I exhaust it with any food consumption. For years I drank hot lemon water first thing in the morning. I have since shifted beween the three aforementioned drinks above. I just don’t start my day with coffee. Turns out the best time to drink coffee might not be first thing in the morning, but an hour after you wake up. This is because in the hour after you wake up, your body’s production of cortisol is at one of its three daily peaks. Consuming caffeine while our bodies are already at peak cortisol-production teaches the body to produce less cortisol. And less cortisol means less alertness and a higher chance of a coffee tolerance. If you are trying to get the most out of your cup of Joe, just wait and drink it after your water. It’s equally noted that Water fires up your metabolism, hydrates you, helps your body flush out toxins, gives your brain fuel, and may even make you eat less. Hello size 4!
4 Meditate
Meditation can be done in so many ways. I am a person of faith and I practice prayer which they say is similar to meditation. Meditation is essentially guided prayer. I typically start my day by recording my prayers. I have a journal where I write down my prayers, thank my creator and list out my troubles. It’s quite reflective and I feel it’s more powerful than just praying in my head. I love that I can go back and remind myself of the things that I’ve overcome. This leads me in to my last powerful way to jump starting my day.
5 Intentional journalism
After my prayer, I list out 5 things that I made a mental note from the day before. These things are small blessings or small actions that someone showed to me in kindness or love. Sometimes its as simple as having made a delicious cup of coffee or that the barista making my coffee passed on a compliment on my style. Sometimes it’s because my husband washed the dishes or that my son made me laugh with a bad joke. These seemingly simple things will fill up your day and you will actually start to look for them after making the list a few times. The good things sometimes are the small things that happen and can easily go without notice. Again, having these little lists is a powerful reminder that life is beautiful.
If you are in to journaling but dont have the time for all that writing, there’s a lovely app called Reflectively available on the app store and on google play. You can find out more about it here.
What do you do to start your day?
♥Kris
