The Benefits of a Good Morning Routine

I used to be one of those people who would immediately roll out of bed and head straight for my laptop. I was bleary-eyed and barely awake, but I figured I could get a jump on the day by getting some work done before anyone else was even up and about. Turns out, I was wrong. Instead, by having a good morning routine that offers a number of benefits to you throughout the day works wonders for you both professionally and personally.

It Starts The Night Before

The first change I made was to give myself time to wake up properly before starting work. By preparing a good nights sleep, I am giving myself a better chance to get the following morning off to a great start.

Now everyone's evening routine will differ for a number of reasons, if you can highlight areas where you could improve on (Scrolling through social media until the early hours, binge watching the latest Netflix series, etc.) to allow for a better rest period then you have already won half of the battle. The tricky part is putting those changes into action, but I guarantee you will see the benefits almost instantly.

Set An Earlier Alarm & Get Up

For years, I would roll out of bed and head straight for my laptop, firing off emails and checking my social media feeds as soon as my eyes opened. But what I discovered was that this left me feeling frazzled and stressed before noon. So now, I set an alarm earlier than usual and take some time to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee and catch up on the news or a good book before starting work. This gives me time to ease into my day and start working when I'm feeling fresh and alert.

Avoid All Mobile Devices

No longer do I start my day by stumbling bleary-eyed to my laptop. These days, I make sure I'm washed, fed, and hydrated before I even think about picking up a device. That small change has made a massive difference in how productive I am during the day. When I'm well-rested and have had something to eat and drink, my mind is clearer and sharper. As a result, I'm able to get more done in less time.

Breakfast

The saying goes that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet I used to regularly skip this meal. As you can probably guess, this did little for my concentration levels after just a couple of hours work.

Now, instead of rushing out to start work on an empty stomach, I make sure to sit down and fuel up with a nutritious breakfast that will see me through until lunchtime. This doesn't have to be anything fancy; eggs on toast or porridge with fruit is usually enough to set me up for the day ahead.

A Quick Energy Burst

In general I do the majority of my exercise in the evening by playing sports or going to the gym. However, if I feel any lingering tiredness, I try to get out for a quick walk to get generate a quick burst of energy, this really helps on those dreary gray mornings here in the UK.

It sounds so simple, but by taking some time to wake up properly, eating breakfast and getting some exercise or fresh air, you'll find that you're more productive and less stressed throughout the day. Do you do something different in your current routine? I'd love to hear what other WA members morning routines are like in the comments.