Kickoff Your Morning
Let's be real: I don't do all of these things every day. Do I want to... YES. Do I... NO. Even just writing this pains me because I look at this and thing - THESE ARE EASY THINGS TO DO. WHY IN THE WORLD DON'T I DO THEM EVERY DAY?
So here is the first rule (yes, mandatory rule) when thinking about your mornings. Celebrate your wins and give yourself permission to not get it all done every day.
Below I list the items I believe are most important to integrating into your morning ritual. Most of them are simple and don't take much time - however, it is about being intentional about integrating them into the time you have.
DON'T HIT SNOOZE
You are reading this blog because you want to get intentional about your life. You want to show up as the best version of yourself. You want to be productive and proactive. You want to kick butt. All of that is great... now it is time to put it to the test by looking at your actions. Start at the very beginning of your day - the moment your alarm goes off. Do you really want the first decision you make each day to be the decision to procrastinate?! Or do you want to be intentional, purposeful, and disciplined?
Just thinking about hitting the snooze button as a form of procrastination makes me want to never hit ever again! Plus - why wouldn't I want to get up and take on my day? I want my life set up so each day I am excited about what lays in front of me.
Plus, you perceive those moments between when your alarm goes off... and when it goes off again 5-9 minutes later as restful. People think they fall back into this perfect dreamland during those few minutes, but the truth - "it is not restorative sleep." Hitting the snooze button can actually make it harder for you to wake up! You would be better off getting whatever time you snooze for incorporated into your actual sleep.
So try this (ACTION STEPS!):
-Get to bed the night before so you get enough sleep.
-Set your alarm for the time you actually need to wake up.
-Organize your room so it is inviting to get out of bed. For me, I keep sweatpants and slippers next to me so I am not freezing cold getting out from my cozy covers!
MAKE YOUR BED
It was a rule in my house growing up. Your bed HAD to be made first thing in the morning. I always liked it. My room looked neat and organized from the start. But let's face it... sometimes you get your morning started and your bed is left disheveled and frumpy. I never liked getting back into an unmade bed and Admiral William H. McRaven vocalized the importance of making your bed when he gave the commencement address at the 2014 University of Texas Graduation. It is worth watching the whole 20 minutes, however, for the sake of "MAKE YOUR BED," I will transcribe minute 5:27 - 6:12.
"If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. it will give you a sense of pride and encourage you to do another task. And another and another. And by the end of the day, that one task completed will turn into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never be able to do the big things right. And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made. That you made. And a made bed will give you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. So if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed."
So try this (ACTION STEPS!):
-Have a simple way to make your bed (eliminate the decorative pillows).
-Pick when you will make your bed (When you first get out of bed? After your brush your teeth?).
DRINK A GLASS OF WATER
75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Drinking water first thing in the morning does a ton of positive things:
-Your body just worked for the hours you were sleeping. It rehydrates your body.
-It increases your level of alertness (think energy!).
-It has massive health benefits (reducing headaches, clearer skin, kick starts your metabolism).
-It improves your immunity by flushing out toxins.
-It fuels your brain.
I start my day off with a few different hydrating glasses of water:
1 - I drink a salt shot. It is exactly what it sounds like. A 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a shot glass with hot water. And I drink it. At first I was a bit skeptical, but now I love it and look forward to it! This was a recommendation from my functional medicine doctor and nutritionist.
2 - I drink a glass of warm water. My husband thinks I am crazy... but I like the warm water. It isn't such a shock to my system, plus - I am always cold.
3 - I drink a protein shake. It has bone broth protein powder, almond paste, almond butter, spinach, and hemp seeds in it. I use a BlendJet (a portable blender). Want a discount? Use this discount link for 12% off! (*I do not receive any benefit from offering this discount, I just truly love mine!).
Yes, the answer to the question you are thinking... I do have to pee a lot.
So try this (ACTION STEPS!):
-Figure out what you want to drink first thing. Maybe it is warm water. Maybe ice water. Maybe lemon water.
-Have it prepared. Keep a cup in your bathroom if you want to drink it there. Squeeze lemon juice and keep it in a jar.
-Have a cup you enjoy drinking from!
LEAVE YOUR PHONE ALONE
On average, I pick my phone up 80 times a day. And my goal is to have my first pick up AFTER I get back from the gym. (Want to see your stats? On an iPhone, go to Settings -> General -> Screen Time -> See All Activity.) I also have DND automatically turn on from 8:45pm through 8:30am (you can do this on an iPhone by going to: Settings -> General -> Do Not Disturb -> Scheduled.) This means I am not disturbed during that time unless it is an emergency. The dings of my phone don't pull my attention and I can focus on what I have determined to be most important... which is not social, texting, or email.
So try this (ACTION STEPS!):
-Schedule your DND times (if you are concerned about emergencies, add people to your Favorite list - they can still call through).
-Decide when you will look at your phone each morning. Ask yourself, "What do I want to be completed before I get distracted?"
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Don't hit snooze. Make your bed. Drink a glass of water. Leave your phone alone. These things all take less than 5 minutes to complete and will alter your day for the better. You get to make the choice: What sets my day up for success? Once you answer that question... you have to put it to action!
What do you love to incorporate into your morning ritual? Share below!
(Want to think through your evening? Take a look here!)
