Bad day starts with a bad morning. In order to avoid a bad day – fix your morning. Getting up early and doing something apart from chaotic getting ready to school or work seems like a struggle, especially looking at it from under a cozy blanket and a head glued to the pillow. Whether it becomes an everyday habit or just from-time-to-time thing, a special morning routine can a kick-start a day from the right foot.
Here’re some things I consider helpful to me personally and to some of my friends.
1. Starting a day before
Clearing up a head from the evening before helps to have a better sleep and therefore feel more rested the next day. Also with a clear head it’s easier to program oneself to wake up at specific hour, which frankly does a better job than a screaming alarm clock – thoughts about murder is not the best way to start a day.
2. Writing dreams down
It’s really easy to lose a dream in the first few minutes after waking up. However a habit to write this remaining of a dream down develops a better memory and self-awareness which later helps to remember dreams better.
3. Water
Main problem that I see in the morning is that I’m not hungry for at least an hour after I woke up. This problem leads to not wanting to cook breakfast and lunch which eventually screws up a whole’s day eating style. Drinking a glass of water helps to wake up and “start” sleepy digestion.
4. Some moving
What is more natural than stretching in bed after sleep? Body tells us it needs to do some movements to start fully functioning. Some people prefer to go running in the morning or at least to do some morning exercises, which is ok, but I personally would kill myself to do so. Therefore there’s a wonderful stretching solution in terms of yoga exercising called surya namaskar or “sun salutation”. It’s super simple but at the same time few repetitions and the body feels awaken.
5. Meditation
Feels amazing write after the previous one. Mind is not yet full of daily chores but it’s already not sleeping. As somebody said “Find 10 minutes a day to meditate. If you can’t find 10 minutes – find 20.”
6. Shower
Even a super short shower is enough to feel ALIVE! Ideally it’s also a cold shower that stimulates blood circulation and has many other health benefits.
Sadly this approach requires some time management since with a normal waking up after this routine there’re only 10 minutes for dressing, make up, cooking and walking a dog. But that’s another story, folks.
What’s your (ideal) morning?
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