One thing about me, I have never been a morning person. Ever. If the early bird got the worm, I would be the bird that got ready for lunch and hoped for the best. Looking back at my mornings, I have always gotten up groggy and pre-annoyed as if someone had already assigned me the toughest tasks for the day, which I would have to finish before sundown. I knew others who felt the same way when they woke up in the morning, and I thought maybe all of us were just not morning people. In reality, it was not until later that I realised that the way I started my morning was affecting the rest of my day. As I grew up (until eight weeks ago), I adopted a few small habits that proved useful in making me feel calmer, focused, and even a little pleasant about waking up early in the morning.
Here are five simple habits that helped in transforming the meaning of morning for me:
- Drink Water
I might sound like your mother, but you know, she was right, too. Drinking water first thing in the morning not only makes you feel refreshed, but it also improves your metabolism and helps you with your bowel movements. Dehydration is common in the body after a night of sleep because during the night, you lose fluids through sweating in your bed and breathing. Drinking water post getting up refills your body with the nourishment it lost through the night.
Don’t want to do it for energy? Do it for your skin. Your skin would be thankful to you later, trust me. - Hug Yourself
I said it. You made it up early; you deserve a hug for that alone. I believe in giving respect where respect is due. Wrap your arms around yourself and tell yourself you did well. Expressing compassion towards yourself is the first step you need to follow before getting ready to share compassion with others. This sets the tone for the day; it also softens your inner critic and fills you with warmth.
- Avoid touching for Phone for AT LEAST 28 Minutes
We are an advanced generation, I agree. We wake up and we remember the world needs us, and almost immediately we come to its rescue. However, the next time you do it, take 2 minutes for yourself and think, who is going to do the first two tasks I mentioned above? That will take more than two minutes, I guarantee you. You can save everyone else after 28 minutes; they can wait for you. - Journal for 5 Minutes
Hm, now that you have 28 minutes left before you reach out for your phone, take a minute and process your thoughts. Writing them down would serve you with clarity, help you clear your mind, and set intentions for the day. I roughly take 15 minutes to jot down everything I am thinking, which mostly encompasses my goals for the day, including the goals from the other day I failed to achieve because I got lazy (at least I am honest!).
- Set up a Small Win
According to my math, 2 minutes for drinking and hugging yourself, 15 minutes for journaling, leaves you with exactly 11 minutes and let me tell you what can be done in 11 minutes. You can make your bed in 11 minutes. You can wipe down your bathroom counter in 11 minutes after brushing your teeth and washing your face. You can start prepping breakfast in 11 minutes. You can achieve the goal of not touching your phone in 11 minutes!
In all seriousness, after religiously following this routine for almost eight weeks now, I feel like I can tell you, it works! It works because improving your morning does not need to mean ditching all of your bad habits; it just means making a little space for a few good ones. Now, as a self-practicising expert on how to maintain small habits for a better day, I can say that hydration, compassion towards yourself, avoiding cellphones, journaling, and starting your day with a small win can actually make your mornings GOOD MORNINGS.
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