It’s so easy to be swept in the craziness of each day, which is why it is so necessary to develop healthy habits that not only keep you sane, but make you more productive throughout the entire day.
1. Wake up an hour earlier each morning
I first adopted this habit after reading Rachel Hollis’ Girl Wash Your Face and honestly makes the BIGGEST difference in my day. Waking up an hour earlier than you “need” to be up allows you time to start the day on your own terms. In its most simplistic terms, waking up an hour earlier ensures you start the day in control. You aren’t rushing out of bed with a million things to do and stressing yourself out before you can even think straight. By waking up an hour early, you make yourself your first and most important priority, and you should be!!
2. Make your bed
This sounds so self-explanatory, but seriously!! Make your bed. It is such an easy way to feel organized and start the day off on a good note. As a habit, it tells your mind and body that sleep is over, and it’s time to take on your day. It acts as your mini-victory of the day.
3. Create daily affirmations
Daily affirmations are such an incredible way to live with intention. They act as an everyday reminder to why you’re doing what you’re doing! Write them as if they’ve already happened. For example, one I am currently loving is, “I honor and celebrate my body for all that it does for me.” By writing it as if it is already true, I am speaking it into existence. When you write things as goals to be completed, your mind ends up focusing on the action word of “I’m going to” or “I will” instead of what you actually want to achieve. For more information on affirmations, especially if you are new to them, read my self-care article for how I developed my own!
4. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every single day
This is a recent one I have adopted but goes hand in hand with the importance of waking up an hour earlier each morning. The major benefit of having a routine sleep and wake cycle is aligning with your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm helps your body to operate at its most effective level. A huge difference I notice is that it lowers my anxiety throughout the day. When I wake up well-rested, I feel like I conquer the day, rather than the day dragging me on and on until I can finally go back to bed.
5. Move your body!
I’m sure you’ve heard this thousands of times, but it really is important. Go on a walk, ride a bike, try yoga. Anything you can do to sweat in the morning will make a world of difference in any routine. After all, were here to care for our whole self, mind and body. Being active in the morning is proven to give you more energy and improve your alertness throughout the day. Mind Body Green has several articles packed with research about the benefits of working out in the morning that are definitely worth the read!