5 Healthy Morning Habits Anyone Has Time For

Ah, mornings. A new day, a fresh start, a time to snooze your alarm and push the limit on how much time you can stay in bed before you’re ridiculously late.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have a specific morning routine.

At one point, I was able to cram in meditation, writing, reading, and exercising before 8am, but life got in the way and I gradually stopped doing those activities in exchange for more sleep.

That being said, I consider mornings to be the most important part of the day. They essentially predict how the rest of your day is going to go, which means your morning time is incredibly precious and you need to use it wisely.

I see lots of people posting about their morning routines, and sometimes I feel discouraged because I wasn’t able to keep up the step-by-step plan I used to follow.

But then I realized that you don’t need an elaborate routine in order to have a successful day. All it takes is a few minutes of your morning to incorporate some simple, healthy habits that’ll guarantee you feel prepared for whatever life throws at you.

If you also struggle to stick with a morning routine, here are five ways you can feel healthier, more awake, and totally prepared for the day before you even leave for work:

1. Drink 10 gulps of water.

Usually when I wake up my mouth feels like an Arabian desert, yet for some reason I pick up my phone and scroll through my notifications rather than hydrating myself. Instead of torturing yourself, drink 10 gulps of water before you do anything else in the morning. Why 10? Because it’s less pressure than drinking a whole glass, but more hydrating than only taking one sip like you’re probably used to.

Related Post: 3 Reasons You’re Losing Sleep & How To Quit Doin’ Them

2. Do a quick workout.

You knew this one was coming, but it’s how most successful people start their mornings. Don’t be hard on yourself if you can’t make it to the gym – 10 minutes of exercise is all it takes to to feel energized, healthier, and accomplished. Seriously, don’t you want to feel like you accomplished something before the day’s even begun? Heck yeah, you do!

Try a total body pilates video, the 7-minute workout, or just go for a walk and let the fresh air wake you up. Always remember that any exercise is better than no exercise.

3. Visualize your perfect day.

Sit down, close your eyes, and imagine what your day would look like if you accomplished everything you set out to do. Think about what you could do to make your day as productive, healthy, and enjoyable as possible. This can seriously help get you motivated for the day!

For example, you might imagine that:

• You get to work on time
• Work on your most important task first and make significant progress
• Take a break and go for a walk
• Eat a healthy lunch and feel good about yourself
• Email that person you’ve been wanting to collaborate with
• Get everything else done that you needed to

4. Eat an energizing breakfast.

Start your morning with a delicious and nutritious breakfast. You want something that has enough protein to hold you over until lunch time, like oatmeal, yogurt with fruit, toast with almond butter and a banana, or a smoothie with protein powder. My absolute favorite breakfast right now is a whole wheat tortilla with avocado, arugula, and tomato drizzled with some olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

5. Stay away from your phone.

If I keep my phone near me in the morning, you can guarantee I’ll start watching youtube videos and lose all track of time. Try leaving your phone on do not disturb mode until you’re out the door, or put it in your in your bag as soon as you wake up. That way it’s out of sight and out of mind so it won’t interfere with your precious morning time. The same goes for all electronics – use the morning as a time to look after yourself, free from distractions.

What do your mornings usually look like? Leave a comment below!