First, every morning your alarm goes off, may you hit the snooze button. And, you may be hoping time will stop so you can get a few more minutes of sleep. But, then your alarm goes off again. Next, you jump out of bed, anxious, and get ready for work. And, then you head out the door, rushing around all day. While not ideal, this is one of the most common ways many people start their day. However, consider how you feel on days where you’re calm in the morning. Essentially, start your day off right by creating a routine of self-care. In many cases, starting the day off wrong means very little in your day can go right. And, for many, this means rushing, anxious thoughts, and feeling frazzled.
How to start your day off right from holistic counselors?
To start your day off right, you need to take a look at your routines so you can wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever the day has to throw at you. Here’s how you can start your day off right.
Have A Nightly Routine Can Help You Have A Great Day
Now, having a great day starts before you go to bed the previous night. It’s important to get enough sleep to correctly set up your next day. Also, this can prevent you from hitting the snooze button too many times too. Often, when you hit snooze, you end up leaving for work in a rush. So, every night, set a time to turn off your television. And, set an alert to get ready for bed at the same time nightly. To add, your nightly routine can include anything from yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises to brushing your teeth.
What are holistic, calming night activities that can help start your day off right?
For some, a before bed routine means doing your skincare routine. Coloring in an adult coloring book can be calm. Try to wind down by reading a relaxing book. Also, petting your dog or cat is a soothing night time ritual for a restful sleep. Simply put, petting your animal can help to relax your mind and release stress. However, do not read a book that is too stimulating or you may be alert and awake. And, setting this routine and following through every night will train your brain to goto sleep. Essentially, a bedtime routine means that your mind slows down. And, your nightly routine trains your brain that it’s time to start feeling sleepy when you do these activities.
Get Up Earlier
Now, once you have a nightly routine, try getting up an hour earlier. At first, this can take discipline and may require you to readjust your bedtime. However, getting up earlier allows you to do more things that will set your day up correctly. For instance, these morning activities can include having warm water when you wake. Also, you may want to do a morning prayer or mindfulness meditation. Maybe, you want to write a letter to a pen pal or friend before your busy day begins. Or, you can have a quiet moment of solitude to plan your day.
Drink Water
To add, drinking water as soon as you wake up in the morning can wake up your internal system. Plus, warm water can be soothing for your digestive system in Ayurveda. Also, water can actually be better at making you feel awake than coffee. Often, people skip meals and stop drinking water because of coffee. So, coffee can be dehydrating. Lastly, proper hydration is key to feeling great all day long.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast Start Your Day Off Right
As well, avoid breakfasts that are overloaded with sugary carbs or too large. Now, go for whole grains, avocado, and real foods. Also, you should also avoid skipping breakfast for a simple cup of coffee. Instead, your breakfast should include the right nutrients to provide you with energy to take on your day. So, if your breakfast is colorful, that is great. Plus, sit down to eat your breakfast and truly enjoy each bite. To add, you can think about the farmer that raised the chicken who laid the egg you are eating. Yes, breakfast is the best meal of the day. Look up a fun recipe for breakfast so, then you always have something to look forward to. Lastly, looking forward to breakfast can help you stop sleeping past your alarm.
Move More To Start Your Day On A Positive Note
Nobody is asking you to sneak an entire workout in before you start getting ready for work. Working out hard in the morning may be completely unrealistic for you. However, by getting your body moving as soon as possible after you wake up, you can improve digestion. For instance, this might be laying on your back and taking a big body stretch. Essentially, by doing gentle yoga in the morning, you’ll signal that it’s time to not only wake up, but stay awake throughout the rest of the day. Also, a body in motion stays in motion, after all. You can start by walking your dog as soon as you wake up too. Often, people discourage themselves because they want to do the hardest work out. Simply put, and have a glass of warm water and do simple stretches to get your blood flowing.
Make a List
Essentially, everyone has a list of things in their head they need to get done for the day. But, by starting your day off with a list, you’ll know exactly what you need to do. And, you can feel a sense of organization. Making a list using software like Trello can also be a relaxing way to wake up. And, using Trello can help you feel efficient to start doing all the things you need to do. Finally, having a list at the beginning of the day can help you track your performance and productivity to ensure you get everything done.
Change Your Mindset
Waking up is hard to do if you’re not looking forward to the day. Now, you may have a busy day at work, that’s no reason to wake up with a negative attitude. Instead, focus on the things you look forward to doing that day. For instance, it might be seeing a friend after work, getting food, or coming home to a quiet home.
Make Your Bed
Moreover, making your bed may seem unimportant if you have a busy morning ahead of you. But, making your bed serves as a task that makes you start your day feeling productive. And, you can be proud that you’ve accomplished something. Completing simple tasks like making your bed or even finishing the dishes from the night before can help you start your day productively so you can keep that motivation going all day long.
Don’t Check Your Phone
If you use your phone as an alarm, it can be tempting to make the first thing you do every morning checking your phone. However, while you may be happy to reply to your friends’ texts, you’ll get distracted by work emails. And, it is common to feel anxiety, pressure, and feel the need to check work emails. So, instead of starting your day off thinking about work, give yourself time off your phone. Maybe, you feel excited responding to an email before you’ve gotten out of bed. However, ignore the urge to check your phone, and you may find a calmer routine emerges.
Now, reading a work email, even if it isn’t something that could ruin your day, can stress you out. To add, this is because it will make you think of all of the things you have to get done that day. In turn, stress can be an overwhelming thought first thing in the morning. Instead, turn off your alarm, put you phone down, and leave your phone in the bedroom so you can start your day without it.
Final Thoughts For A Great Day
To conclude, the way you start your day will look different from the way someone else does. Sometimes, a person is highly energetic in the morning. They may be someone who loves doing everything from working out to cleaning their homes in the morning. On the other hand, others prefer an extra few minutes of sleep. It’s okay to sleep a little bit longer on days you need it. However, make sure you stick to a routine that can help you feel more awake, peaceful, and alert throughout the rest of the day. Really, routines teach your brain when it’s time to be awake. And, a nightly routine promotes that relaxation can help you know when it’s time to be asleep. Without healthy routines for self-care, your brain can feel groggy in the morning and wide awake at night.
What is awesome about Wisdom Within Counseling?
At Wisdom Within Counseling, you can work with a holistic therapist to learn how to create self-care routines. Self-care can promote lifelong mental wellness tools. Often, busy work gets the best of us. You can have a therapist to encourage you, help you navigate friendships, and balance work-life stress. Frequently, a lot of stressful days can pile up leaving you exhausted and depleted. So, working with a therapist at Wisdom Within Counseling can provide you healthy coping strategies to handle any stress that comes your way. Wisdom Within Counseling provides holistic, creative options like pen pal therapy alongside traditional talk counseling. Also, you can choose from art therapies, yoga therapies, music therapies, and walking therapies by the beach.
Marné Amoguis
Marné Amoguis holds a B.A. in International Business from UC San Diego. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com where she loves sharing her passion for digital marketing. Outside of writing, she loves traveling, playing music, and hiking.
