Tips To Create A Powerful Morning Routine
Hint: Don't get sucked into checking email or social media until AFTER you set your intentions for the day!
One of the best-kept secrets for success is learning how to make the first hour of each day a launching point for productivity. The first hour should be fiercely guarded, used intentionally, and considered sacred. NEVER let your day get hijacked by somebody else's to-do list. Because that's what happens when you check your computer or phone, BEFORE setting your own priorities.
Stop being busy and start being more productive by creating a powerful morning routine.
1. Get our of bed when your alarm goes off. Letting yourself fall back asleep undermines your body's readiness to start the day. Don't let your mind talk you out of getting up, just DO IT!
2. Stay off your phone and computer until after you complete your morning routine. This is really hard for most of us. Technology companies have designed their products to be addictive and suck us in. Trust me, and don't take the bait!
3. Take a moment for gratitude and set your intentions for the day. Each day is a gift, so take a minute to recognize the miracle of it. This is also when you should do a mental run-through of the day and set your intentions.
4. Rehydrate. During sleep our bodies are fasting. The first thing we should consume is water to end the fast and help our bodies rehydrate. 8-10 oz of room temperature or warm water will help rehydrate, flush toxins, and jump-start digestion. Get in the habit of drinking water BEFORE you drink caffeinated beverages.
5. Move. Ideally, you would get your fanny to the gym and knock out your exercise for the day. But at a minimum, do some stretching, get your blood circulating and warm your body up. Take at least 15 minutes of intentional movement and get the mind/body connection revved up for the day..
6. Take a cold shower. Ok, maybe not the whole shower, but a cold rinse. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in the body and controls the parasympathetic nervous system. It is connected to all the important stuff from our gut and heart to our sex organs. A cold rinse stimulates the vagus nerve and does beautiful things for our bodies and brains. At a minimum, 30 seconds of face splashing with cold water is beneficial.
7. Schedule time in each day for checking email and responding to text messages. I take 20 minutes 3 times a day to respond to emails, texts, and send my own. I build it into my schedule, and it saves me hours of wasted time. That's an hour each day, and even that seems like a lot. But most of us actually spend almost 3 hours a day on our cell phones or gadgets. Do the math, because you can never get back the time you spend checking email. We can use technology as a tool for communication and efficiency if we control it instead of letting it control us.
Maximizing the first hour of each day is its own form of magic. It helps us take back control in a world that can feel out of control, calm our busy brains, and focus on the things that really matter.
Stop being busy and start being productive by cultivating a morning routine that aligns your habits with your big picture goals.
Download The Culinary Cure Rx: Healthy Habits 101, a free in-depth guide for creating healthy habits.
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