5 ways to power up your mornings!
The way you start your day can influence the quality of the rest of it, such as your work, mood and motivation. Establishing a morning ritual can help us not only power through whatever the day throws at us but it can help us grow and create the life we dream of! I've come up with 5 things that I think help set me up best for the day and that I try to do every morning. Some things can be done during a morning commute to save on time if you like, as I get used to early mornings and train rides into London I have adapted my morning ritual so that I do part of it on the train.
Drink a pint of water - preferably warm with lemon, however, to save time I pour a glass before bed and drink it as soon as I wake up in the morning so it is room temperature and not cold. Drinking water in the morning is great for your skin, the digestive system, regulating toxins and your immune system too.
Yoga or other exercise (~5-30 mins) - starting the day with some exercise feels amazing and particularly with yoga it really stretches my body out and gets my mind ready too. Just spending 5 minutes of doing yoga is enough to leave me feeling great what time is tight but I aim for 20-30 mins each morning. Running to work or early gym classes are other great ways to start the day feeling accomplished and not have the workout looming over you all day or at risk of missing it if plans come up in the evening.
Practice gratitude - write down 3 things you are grateful for or express your gratitude to someone. Starting the day by reminding ourselves of all the good we are surrounded by helps us to be more present and content with what we have rather than what we think we need.
Read for 10 minutes (I sometimes do this on the train if I am working) - this is a moment of relaxation and fun for me, it is something that most high-performers do and its a great way to get more reading into your week. I love non-fiction books and starting the day learning something fascinating from an author or motivating can really drive me to feel like I can crush the day! For inspiration check out some of the books I love here.
Meditate (I usually do this on the train if I'm working) - Meditating daily helps create space in my mind, I can work on personal issues with specific meditation techniques and feel more prepared for anything the day will throw at me. I feel calmer, more patient and self-aware. I like to use an app such as Calm or Headspace for guided meditations and they also have timers for unguided meditations.
What do you do to power up your morning? Let me know in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you!
Alice x