Say it with me, a quality morning routine will set me up for a successful day. Your toasty bed is begging you to stay under the covers. The hum of your ceiling fan sounds like a relaxing lullaby and your blackout curtains are doing great at their job. There’s only one problem… you can hear your roommate already up and at it like it’s not 6:00 AM! Something about knowing they’ve already gone to the gym, showered, and started making breakfast makes you feel guilty. You want to be more like them and this article will help you do that. The objective of this post is to uncover habits that lead to an effective morning routine. After reading this, I highly recommend checking out my additional advice on how to navigate college life.
Hack #1 Start With Morning Motivation
Meditation, affirmations, gratitude whatever works best for you has to be a regular in your morning routine. Sources have proven that many of the world’s most successful individuals kick start their day with reflection. This can be as simple as 10 minutes of quiet time, a mirror hype up speech, or even playing motivational words. Either way, the true hack to winning the day is putting yourself before any task on your to do list.
Additionally, starting your morning with time to yourself includes avoiding technology. That canvas notification isn’t going anywhere. Those unanswered texts can wait another 30 minutes for a response. And don’t even get me started with social media. Nothing productive comes from scrolling before noon so put it on pause and focus on winning the day. Whether you’re a journaling fanatic or manifestation expert, spend some time each morning focusing on you. This will increase the likelihood of you completing your tasks and going to bed with a sense of accomplishment.
Hack #2 Let Your Body Set Your Schedule
We’ve all been taught the body needs 8 hours of sleep to properly function so I won’t waste time talking about that. Instead I challenge you to learn your body’s circadian rhythm. Science suggests, in the past it was easier for our bodies to know when to be active and awake versus when to rest. Habits such as eating meals and physical labor were once clear indicators of when to be alert or when to sleep. I’m sure class schedules, organization meetings, social lives and part time jobs have made it significantly harder to sleep on a set schedule. As a result, you are tired! Your body is overworked and being productive is becoming increasingly difficult.
Hack #3 Boost Your Morning Mood
Even morning people need some good vibes to start the day. Let’s face it, getting out of bed is hard. Preparing for a long day of assignments, exams, and lectures is not ideal. To counter this, try incorporating some fun into your morning routine. Obviously I’m not saying treat yourself to a third go at the snooze button. Maybe try adding a little exercise to your morning routine. A full gym session is asking for a lot so how about a couple push ups to get the blood flowing. If you really want this hack to get you going, do a quick set outside or with your window open. Sunlight and fresh air can do wonders for the body and start your day off the right way.
On the other hand, exercise right after waking up is not for everyone. Luckily boosting your morning mood can also be accomplished in playful ways. Some other ways to get those feel good neurotransmitters firing can be:
- Singing your favorite song
- Taking a hot shower
- Calling a loved one
The point is, mornings are tough but you gotta get through them to win the day. Sprinkle in some fun to make daunting tasks more manageable and the day will fly by!
Ultimately, a quality morning routine will set you up for a successful day. Hacks such as listening to your circadian rhythm, setting time for yourself, and having fun in the morning can make a huge difference. Your day plays out the way you allow it to so take control and be productive! Leave a comment sharing your favorite morning hack to take on the day. Also share this post with a friend who is also trying to improve their morning routine.
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