"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Establishing a positive daily routine is both a self-investment and a way to do your best for the rest of the world.
1. Drink Water
Being well hydrated helps your brain wake up, so you feel alert and ready to face the day. If you still feel tired or your mind is fuzzy after you get up, it's often a sign that your body needs water! Take up this habit, and you may even find you need less coffee. Avoid drinking very cold water. Instead, drink water at room temperature, which will be gentle on the digestive system.
2. Leave your phone alone
Your telephone is often the first thing you pick up after opening your eyes. This small reflexive action seems innocuous but can quickly have a negative impact on your whole day. Checking your phone can trigger stress instantly and draw you into a vortex of obligations, emails that need to be answered and your long to-do list.
Make it a habit not to pick up your phone until you've completed all the steps of your morning routine and ideally after breakfast.
3. Wake up your muscles
Try some light exercise (even if it's only for 5 or 10 minutes) to wake up your muscles, activate your body and stimulate blood flow. Do something that makes you feel good, whether it's a few stretches in the living room, a short walk outside or some yoga poses. Each of these simple actions will provide a boost of energy for the coming day.
4. A dose of positive thinking
Take a few minutes each morning to read a few pages of a book that makes you feel good, listen to a podcast about wellness or health, do a short meditation, say some positive affirmations aloud or write down your thoughts in a notebook. There are countless options; the key is to do something that makes you happy and will have positive repercussions on the rest of your day.
5. And don't forget a healthy breakfast
A morning routine wouldn't be complete without a healthy breakfast. It really is the foundation for a good day. Eating a balanced meal in the morning will not only make it easier to concentrate, but it will make you feel better about yourself as well as more energetic. It will also help you avoid mood swings, memory problems and cravings later in the day and stabilize your sugar level and even reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
