How to Make the Most of your Mornings!

 

Hello Blogfam!

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Hope you all are doing well and staying safe & healthy during the COVID-19 crisis! All of us are on lockdown and it’s def a devastating and nerve-wrecking situation but we all have to stay strong and pray that everyone and everything will get better ❤️ A lot of us are quarantined at home so here are some tips to stay healthy:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣1. Always wash your hands as much as possible and don’t touch your face⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣2. Avoid going near people and practice social distancing⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣3. Meditate for mindfulness and to improve mental health; helps with any respiratory or lung problems⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣4. Boost your immune system with Vitamin C, nuts, and green vegetables⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣5. Stay hydrated and get a good night’s sleep⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣Keep yourself busy and don’t panic because worrying is just going to worsen your health. We are all in this together, you got this 😘⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

I always have a morning routine that makes me productive and keeps myself occupied everyday. This also helps me during tough times like these so wanted to share my tips with you all on how to be reenergized in the morning, especially if you’re a night owl 🙂

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“Alarm rings” Just 5 more minutes.

“Alarm rings again” Maybe just 10 more minutes, I promise.

“Alarm rings so loudly” Ugh, I’m so tired, hate waking up!

Are you a night owl who sleeps at 2 am and struggles to wake up and have a productive morning? No worries because I got you covered! I’ve always been the girl who practiced self-discipline since elementary school and even till now, I don’t have problems waking up at 7 am as I got accustomed to being an early bird since childhood due to the interesting mechanism of the circadian rhythm. But…sometimes there are lazy days when I just don’t want to do anything and end up waking up at like 9 am which really makes me groggy and sluggish.

I started to alter my circadian rhythm to the “school days” so that I can make the most out of my mornings and adopt a specific daily morning routine.  I’ve been really trying to keep up with my morning routine for the past 6 months and I got to say that I definitely feel more fresh and energized and am able to get more work done than usual.

So, snooze that alarm, open up those curtains for sunshine, and pull up those windows to get some fresh air and I will guide you through a morning routine that you all can follow for a very productive morning. Let’s get started!

1. Wake up between 7am – 8am

I always sleep around 11 pm the night before even if I’m not sleepy so that I can get a solid 8 hours of sleep. I pray for about 5 minutes and do an exercise before I go to bed. No phone or any lights in my bedroom and I try not to argue or stress myself out right before bed as that will definitely disrupt my sleep. I don’t usually need an alarm because my body naturally alerts me when it’s sunrise and bright outside.

So if you’re a night owl, please try to get all of your work done before 11pm and turn off all electronic devices and stay relaxed as you go to bed. Set your alarm (a loud one) anytime between 7 – 8 am as this time frame is the best for a productive morning. Your skin will definitely be more smooth and glowing, energy levels will be high, and your mind will be active and sharp to get your tasks done efficiently. Please try to wake up as soon as your alarm goes off. I’ve tried snoozing my alarm, going back to sleep, and waking up after 2 hours and was the worst idea! I was just even more tired and lazy. If you sleep and wake up at the same time everyday, you don’t even need the alarm clock anymore. Your circadian rhythm functions really well which leads to better sleep patterns and a good night’s sleep leads to a 60% increase in productivity.

2. Put your phone away and lock it in your drawer

As soon I as I wake up and brush my teeth, I check my phone for any messages, scroll through social media for max 10 min and I put my phone away in my drawer. Using the phone distracts you from being productive and getting the necessary tasks accomplished that are required for that morning.  This has tremendously helped me with my productivity levels as I don’t feel the need to always check my phone for irrelevant information. I always put that aside and only use it when it’s required or during break times. I know it’s going to be hard, but if you have tasks to be done within a certain deadline, the phone is definitely going to be a huge distraction so hide it and get used to that phone detox in the mornings!

3. Drink hot water on an empty stomach

Right before I eat breakfast, I always make it a habit to drink hot water or even a cup of green tea. I don’t drink coffee and I try to avoid caffeine as much as I can so I drink a glass of hot water (not boiling water) maybe with a hint of cinnamon or honey. Drinking it on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning, has really helped with my overall digestion process and weight loss.

I also recommend that you can drink lemon water on an empty stomach as it is very healthy and good for detoxification as well as stomach bloating and acid reflux. This in return will allow you to enjoy and have a full breakfast full of nutrients as you can eat better with an empty stomach.

4.  Manage your breakfast portion sizes

When you eat breakfast, just eat foods that are rich in nutrients and less in carbs and fats. Make sure to always read the nutrition labels on oatmeals, cereals, etc. The more carbs you eat for breakfast, the less you will be able to burn those carbs/calories which will make you feel more tired and sluggish, hence hindering your focus to get work done. I only eat cereal for breakfast because it makes me full easily (portion varies for each person depending on your metabolism). I never add sugar to my breakfast and usually add more milk than the actual cereal as milk is packed with several nutrients. Cereal has high carbs so I usually eat half to 3/4 of a bowl of cereal so that I can be more active for the rest of the day.

5.  Exercise or go for walk for at least 10 min

Take the time to focus on physical health right before you start on your tasks. It’s vital to burn all those carbs and calories you ate for breakfast so that you can be renergized to get your morning started on the right food. You can either exercise indoors by doing aerobics or going out for a nice long walk for at least 10 min outside. Get soaked in Vitamin D as you go out in the sun and feel the breeze as you inhale the fresh air. I personally have allergies especially during the spring season, so I workout or take a 10 min walk indoors every morning which is actually as effective as the outdoors. I also go on Youtube and watch fitness videos by doing upper body workouts to tone my arms and chest and to improve my overall weight and well-being. Exercise boosts your energy as well as happiness levels which allows you to motivate yourself to have a productive morning. It also puts you in a better mood and is a really good strategy for lowering your stress levels.

6.  Write a new to-do list every morning

Take your planner or a memo pad out and make a to-do list of the tasks that need to be done within a certain deadline or needs to be finished at the earliest.  I always write down my lists the night before and sometimes in the morning where my mind is clear on what exactly needs to be done in the next couple of hours. I sometimes split my to do lists into different categories such as career, health, urgent, next week, etc. To do lists are really important as they help you to plan your schedule ahead of time without any stress and keeps you much more organized so that you can be more productive and can get a lot done in a short span of time.

For to do lists, you can buy stickers at the store to decorate your planner in a creative way, use google tasks and set reminders to get the tasks done, or even just search templates so that it’s easier for you to manage time, track progress, and hit those targeted deadlines.

7.  Write in your journal for self-reflection

For the past few years, I started to really emphasize on self-improvement and personal growth that everyday I take the time to set up my bullet journal and practice self-reflection. I express my thoughts and feelings on topics that I feel have helped me grow as a person. I sometimes get inspiration from Pinterest on insightful topics such as my strengths and weaknesses, things I’m grateful for, what I love about myself, etc. By reflecting on my experiences, struggles, thoughts, I started to learn who I really was as a person and really started to love myself and was aware of my self-worth.

Take 10 minutes of your time to write down thoughts about your life experiences and what you’ve accomplished so far which will allow you to analyze who you are and what your purpose in life is. It allows you to live your best life and be motivated to achieve goals in the future as you learn more about yourself. This is such a great practice as it helps you to figure out where you’re headed in life and learning to live life to the fullest using your potential.

8.  Surround yourself with positive energies and vibes

As I start my mornings especially on weekends, I strive to surround myself with optimistic people and in return, I always try to spread positivity to everyone out there who needs it. Cheering someone up or just a random act of kindness really helps me be inspired and in turn, allows me to be motivated and energized to get my work done. I listen to positive soothing music and my Instagram feed is full of inspirational quotes which really motivate me to be ambitious in achieving my goals. I receive so much positive energy and vibes from these quotes that I always read when I’m on the internet.

To boost that productivity, cut out any negativity either from people or anything on the news/social media, and try to think positive thoughts. You can watch podcasts or Ted Talks which really give out positive vibes to get your morning grooves going. Decorate your room with inspirational phrases and sayings to give you more drive and determination to reach your targeted goals.

9.  Practice Meditation

I’ve seen so many celebrities, older people, and even young people do yoga and meditation as an excellent destress mechanism and to start the day with a bang. I haven’t been to a yoga class but I learned how to do Pranayama which is a basic form of meditation. I do it for 5 min right after I go for my morning walk. It’s not hard at all and this is what you have to do:

1. Cross your legs and sit on the floor or even on the bed

2. First close your eyes and say Om by inhaling and exhaling 5 times

3. Then close one nostril, inhale deeply and exhale 5 times

4. Same thing with the other nostril

5. Both nostrils open, and inhale deeply and exhale for another 5 times

That’s it, it’s that simple! I started doing this everyday and I saw a huge difference. I was much more relaxed, free of tension and it really felt that calm and serene that I almost that I was at the beach when I opened my eyes haha. I really recommend you practice any form of yoga or meditation as it really improves mental health, giving you more clarity in your thoughts which will then allow you to be more productive. Your emotions are more stable and in control and allows you to be more attentive.

These are few things that I implement in my routine to make the most out of my mornings, whether it’s on weekdays or weekends.  Take the time to follow these helpful tips and I’m sure you will see a huge spike in your productivity as well as your energy levels. You will feel reenergized in no time 🙂

 

Hope these tips helped you all and start incorporating them into your routine as you can take this time at home to practice self-care.

Until next time & with lots of love,

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