Mornings… groan. As much as we want to love them, we just don’t. Even when you love your job and have a great day ahead, climbing out of the sheets can be a struggle, especially at this time of year when it’s still dark out. But there’s not loving mornings and there’s not being good at mornings, and luckily, one of those you can change. Yep, there are ways, easy ones, to make mornings run more smoothly and more successfully, which as soon as you adopt as habit, are gonna make everything better. I always seem to find that when an early morning goes well, the rest of the does too, and vice versa, so how do you switch up your morning routine to make the rest of the day run more smoothly?
Water
Start the day as you mean to go on and drink water before you leave the house. Aim for half a litre while you’re getting dressed, having brekkie and doing your make up. That way, not only will you feel more awake and alert, but you’ll be in good tread for the rest of the day. Try it — and don’t forget to take a bottle on your commute too.
Bullet Coffee
This one’s sure to be a step too far for some but for something very different, try adding bullet coffee to your morning routine — that being coffee….with butter and oil. Yep. As mad and off-putting as it sounds, research suggests it’s good for the metabolism, curbs cravings, prolongs energy, and even strips body fat. We aren’t 100% convinced but if you can stomach it, try it.
Cold Shower
The idea of it will make you wince, the actual doing it will make you squirm, but finishing your hot shower with an ice-cold blast has serious benefits. Not only will you feel more awake (well that’s a given), but it’s also good for the hair and skin, stress relief, muscle soreness, circulation and stimulating weight loss. A no brainer right?
Sing
It might sound like we’ve lost the plot but singing is a viable way of totally turning your morning around. It releases endorphins, which make you happy, so is perfect for morning grumps. Tomorrow, when you’re in the shower or doing your make-up, try playing with those vocal chords and see how you feel…
Breakfast
Eat. There’s no less than a whole World Wide Web’s worth of content telling you how important it is to eat brekkie, so if you’re still not doing it, you’re missing a major trick. For for the brain, the body and the metabolism, don’t give is a second thought.
Stretch
Sure, we’d all love to fit an hour’s yoga class in to our daily morning routine, but sadly, that doesn’t always happen (and by always we’re being…generous). Even the most organised and perky of morning people will probably admit that feels like an achievement, so instead of feeling the guilt that we’re not doing it, try and do something. A little morning stretch goes a long way in making you feel more alive, alert, and fresh-headed, and will iron out those creases from spending the last 8 hours in foetal position. With your arms above your head, stretch up and tilt from side to side; then, put your hand behind your head and bend forward, letting your body hang, head leading the weight. If you’re feeling really up for it, get down in to downward dog and enjoy 20 seconds of just feeling everything s-t-r-e-t-c-h.
To-Do List
Busy day ahead? It’s all too easy to panic, letting your mind jump from job to job, place to place, but always, the best thing to do is get everything you need to do jotted down, and star the priorities, so you have more clarity and more organised approach.
Listen to a podcast
Once you’ve got yourself out of the house and are making your way to the office, use your time more productively than trawling lustfully through Instagram or Facebook, and listen to a podcast instead — something that’s going to make you laugh, or learn something so to stimulate the brain and release endorphins too. My Dad Wrote A Porno is a popular favourite you can LOL along to; Emma Gannon’s Ctl Alt Delete offers relatable wit; and Stuff You Should Know is a good one for dishing out trivia.