What you do first thing in the morning is foundational, setting the tone for how you walk through the rest of your day. In our age of technology, mindless scrolling oftentimes starts first thing in the morning (are you tracking your screen time?).
Here is something to consider, a mindful morning routine can change the way you walk through your day and help you practice the discipline you need to reach your goals,
Here are 5 ways you can reenergize your morning--
Don’t Start with Your Phone
It is becoming more and more difficult to disconnect from technology. Most of us sleep with our phone on our bedside table, and you might even scroll until you fall asleep. The National Sleep Foundation says the amount of stimulation we receive from our devices can result in a poor night’s sleep. When we wake up, we are right back to it.
Instead of starting your day with your phone consider, sleeping with your phone outside of your bedroom; waking up to a more traditional alarm clark; and simply taking a few minutes focused on yourself to start the day.
This carves out time for intention setting, gentle movement, meditation, journaling, or maybe even a short walk.
Rise Earlier
This might mean going to bed at a more reasonable time, but there is something to say about rising just before the sun. The morning is crisp, quiet and a great time for quiet and productive rituals.
Letting the sunshine in a window, or taking a short walk helps to keep your circadian rhythm functioning the way it is supposed to.
Meditate
Meditation in the morning sets the tone for the day. Taking 5-10 minutes in the morning for meditation is proven to boost your mood, promises increased happiness, and can help cultivate creativity.
As days get long and sometimes arduous, your will to carve out time for meditation or any mindful practice, decreases. Starting your day with a seat, awareness, and mindfulness to breath will change the way you shoulder stress.
Drink Water
Break/fast each day with 8 oz of water. You can also try warm lemon water.
The benefits of drinking warm lemon water each morning include detoxification, waking up your digestive tract, balancing your body's pH, and improving your immune system.
Make and Enjoy Breakfast
Starting your day with a well rounded meal boosts your metabolism and prevents the need for random and sometimes unhealthy eating habits during a hurried lifestyle. We are often on the move and do not always have time to sit down and truly enjoy the meal prepared by us or for us.
By taking time in the morning to sit down and enjoy breakfast, you will experience your food instead of just eating because you have to. Sitting down to breakfast is also a great mindful practice, as we are often times doing more things than one.
While this list offers a few options, choose something that will be fulfilling to your morning routine. It is okay and in fact recommended to start with one or two morning routines and create a daily routine around your morning rituals.