It’s no secret that mornings hold a lot of possibilities for bettering ourselves and reaching our goals. That’s why so many successful CEOs and entrepreneurs have their own morning routines that range from eating a staple breakfast every day to starting each morning with some movement to get their blood pumping.
But don’t just take our word for it. There are many studies and research papers that highlight the benefits of establishing a strict morning routine, in fact, morning routines have been shown to lower stress levels.
Stress often crops up when we feel like there’s not enough time in the day to accomplish all that we need to. By waking up earlier, we can carve out more time in our day that allows us to not only check off our work to-dos, but also our own personal goals.
Waking up at the same time each day and having a regular bedtime will also help you to improve your sleep habits. Consistent sleep and wake times have been shown to help your body develop a natural rhythm, making each successive morning easier and also boosting the overall quality of your sleep.
A healthy morning routine can also help give you a leg up on your peers. Waking up before anyone else has stirred for the day allows you time to improve yourself or get a head start on a big work project. Either way, waking up earlier will give you more time to accomplish whatever goals you may have for yourself.
It may seem daunting to wake up earlier or know what to fill that extra time with, so we’ve compiled a few tips for establishing a morning routine and what you can do to give yourself a more productive head start.
1. Get Enough Sleep
If you want to wake up feeling refreshed and ready for action, it’s time to look at your sleep health. Are you sleeping too little or too much? The recommended daily amount of sleep is between 7 to 8 hours. If you’re exceeding this amount, or not sleeping enough, this could be the reason why you struggle to wake up early.
Successful entrepreneurs get an early start, waking up between 5 and 6 AM. If you want to wake up this early while still getting your recommended amount of sleep, it’s best to ensure you’re asleep by 10pm every night.
Here are some tips for maximizing sleep health:
- Get ready for bed early
- Allocate time for winding down
- No devices for 1 hour before bed
- Lay out tomorrow’s clothes
- Set your alarm out of arm’s reach
2. Make Your Bed
This may seem like a no-brainer, but making your bed as soon as you wake up will not only prevent you from crawling back into bed for a few more minutes of sleep, it will also tee you up for crossing many more things off of your to-do list throughout the day. Even accomplishing something as small as making your bed can be a small “win” to help set the stage for a productive day.
3. Open Your Blinds
A great way to help yourself wake up in the mornings is to open up your blinds and let in the natural sunlight. Natural light alerts your brain that it’s time to wake for the day, as well as signals the brain to release more serotonin, which can help to start your day on a positive note.
In addition to this, you can engage in some mindful focus activities as you soak in the sunlight such as meditation. It’s pretty easy for people to become burnt out in modern society, as the work never stops. Finding a few moments for mindfulness in the morning and taking a few deep breaths in the warm morning light can boost your serotonin levels and help to clear your mind for a happy and positive day.
4. Start the Morning with Water
After hours of sleep, your body becomes dehydrated. By drinking coffee first thing in the morning, you’re not doing your body any favors. Instead, drink at least 8 ounces of water as soon as you first wake up.
One way to maximize the benefits of drinking water is to use a copper bottle. Copper has been shown to have antimicrobial properties, which can help keep the water clean and fresh. In addition, copper can provide other health benefits such as aiding digestion and supporting a healthy immune system.
Many successful entrepreneurs stress the importance of drinking water. Dehydration can quickly lead to fatigue, and drinking water can help you to feel more alert for the day. You can choose flavored waters or incorporate lemons, limes, oranges, or cucumber into your morning water for a more flavorsome drink.
The health benefits of lemon infused water are plentiful; as well as keeping you hydrated, it’s also a good source of vitamin C, supports skin health and even helps aid digestion too. Plus, water helps to increase your red blood cell counts which in turn increases the amount of oxygen you receive to the brain. This boosts alertness and energy, which is something we could all use a little more of in the morning.
5. Take a Cold Shower
We could all benefit from a little more self discipline. Cold showers might seem unpleasant, but you can argue that facing some adversity first thing in the morning can prepare you for the stresses of the day.
Cold showers are fantastic for your skin, as well as your hair, and can do wonders for your heart health as ice cold water acts to increase blood circulation. Not to mention that enjoying a cold shower can help to fully wake you up and make you feel more refreshed in the morning, just as well as a strong cup of coffee.
6. Read And Stimulate Your Mind
Reading is an essential habit of many successful entrepreneurs. You should take up reading if you want to improve your focus, memory, and information processing speed. It doesn’t matter what you read, from fiction, through poetry, to nonfiction. Any book is good and will help to stimulate your mind in the morning.
Regardless of the content you choose, reading is a great way to find a moment of stillness amongst the rush of the morning and will help to improve your cognitive function – which is why it is such a commonplace practice for so many successful entrepreneurs.
7. Listen to an Audiobook
If reading isn’t for you, another great way to start your day on a productive note is to use your mornings to learn more about your industry or develop a skill through listening to an audiobook or a podcast. You could listen along as you’re preparing a healthy breakfast or even while you hit the gym. Either way, you’ll be doing something positive for yourself to start the day, which is really what morning routines are all about.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to be the next Steve Jobs or Jeff Bezos, you’ll need a morning routine reflecting your self-discipline and self-care. So, why not add a few of these practices to your morning? Rethinking your morning routine can help you to approach the day with a healthy and refreshed mindset – and you’ll be ready to carpe diem!
To help inspire you to create your own productive morning routine, Auraglow has created this helpful infographic that offers additional tips and the do’s and don’ts of a successful morning.
