They say the early bird catches the worm. There’s a lot of hype lately around early mornings and their correlation to professional success, with many of the most influential people in business abiding by their early morning habits. Our approach to morning rituals is a little different, in the respect that your alarm clock doesn’t necessarily need to be set at 5:30 am in order for you to get an energised start to your day!
1. Start your day with exercise
Firstly, exercising in the morning is a great way to tick something off your to do list! Other than that though, your hormones are at their natural peak during the morning, therefore getting a work out in, means you are taking advantage of them in the best way possible. It also means that you will experience a healthy sense of fatigue close to your bed time, thus getting better quality sleep! Adding to the mix the fact that your metabolism gets a very nice boost, and you burn calories throughout the day, the list of benefits of prioritising your work out at the beginning of your day is endless!
2. Open a book
The digital era is well under-way, and it has become somewhat of a reflex to jump into the sphere of social media the second you grab your phone to close your alarm. If you find yourself identifying with this description, then perhaps it’s time to test your limits, live on the edge and – wait for it – open a book! If you take a second to reflect on the amount of information you consume within a few minutes on social media, you will probably be surprised by the outcome! Instead of diving into your screen in the morning, you can opt for a book, which will afford you with a little distance from the all-consuming screens of your digital tools, and allow for a profound sense of accomplishment… Or if you are not a book-worm per se, there’s also the option of a newspaper, magazine or audio-book!
3. Keep a journal
The way that we evolve as we navigate our lives is extraordinary, yet it’s quite difficult to truly understand it, unless you document it. One of the best morning rituals you can adopt, is that of a journal. Spending 15 minutes in the morning to express your thoughts, externalise the elements of your life that create stress and get your creative juices flowing will go a long way. You will find it to be a wonderful exercise on self-reflection, and an energy boost unlike any other!
4. Create Your To-Do list
Retracing the previous days at work or your personal life and making a note of everything that has to be done in the present may seem like a mundane task to undertake in the early hours of the morning. It may also be the biggest productivity booster you have ever tried! Getting a grip of your daily tasks first thing, means you get your dose of motivation and a clarity as to the tasks you need to tackle. Dependent on how you choose to look at it, it’s also a source of inspiration!
5. Meditate… or something along those lines!
Meditation is a bizarre concept for some, yet mindfulness should be a priority for you at the very first moments of your day. Some people call it mindfulness, others meditation and for many it’s simply enjoying the silence. However you want to approach the concept, the underlying principle is quite similar: enjoying time in a calm environment and dedicating yourself to, well… yourself! You can research meditation if you are interested, opt for a session of mindfulness that you direct yourself, or simply start by taking a moment to distance yourself from the hectic rhythms of daily life. Other than allowing your stress levels throughout the day to decrease, it’s also a wonderful way to appreciate yourself and your time more, something which will eventually manifest itself in more ways than one!
