Some days are really good for me. I'm productive, I feel confident and happy, and I check a bunch of things off my to-do list. Other days, I have to force myeslf to get going, and my day never quite takes off.
Why is this? I think the key is the way I start the day. The way you start the day can set the tone for the rest of the day, so it's important to get off to a good start. I've found several things that help ensure that my day is happy and productive rather than blah. Here are 5 quick tips for starting the day right:
1. Get up. Okay, maybe that was obvious, but I mean that when you wake up, get up immediately. If you take your time getting up, you'll fight grogginess for the rest of the day.
2. Meditate or pray. Spend 5-1o minutes at the start of the day in prayer or meditation. You may be surprised to find out what kind of effect these quiet moments will have on the rest of your day.
3. Eat breakfast. Your body needs fuel. We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so don't skip it! And bonus points if you make it healthy.
4. Exercise or at least breathe. If you have time (or want to make time!), exercise in the morning. The endorphin boost can get you going and help you feel good. If you don't have time for exercise, take some deep breaths and notice how good it feels.
5. Go for it. Before you settle in with your time wasters (whatever yours happen to be - TV, Internet surfing, chatting, etc.), get started on your first 'to-do.' Pushing forward and finishing a task feels good and can help you build momentum toward the next task.
There you have it. Try one or several of these tips and see if they help your day go better. Let me know the outcome! And if you have your own tips, feel free to comment and let me know what yours are.
5 Quick Tips for Starting Your Day Right
Labels:
Motivation,
Productivity
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5 comments:
Great Tips Holli! Tip for the night before: right after dinner, if I do the dishes & wipe down the crumbs, I love wake up to a clean sink. If I wait until bedtime, the kitchen stays dirty. (FlyLady's Shine Your Sink Principle)
My current priorities for Morning routine:
1. Go to bed on time.
2. I'll 2nd the: Get up when you wake up. I feel so much better when I get out of bed willingly!
3. Get dressed to the shoes, ASAP.
3. Eat & Drink. Hydrate. Vitamins.
4. Clear the table, load dishes. Wipe down table and counters.
5. Start a load of laundry.
I receive a great feeling of accomplishment just spending 10 minutes to "clean the kitchen" and throw a load of laundry in the washer! It's a great feeling to start the day.
flyingwithkids.blogspot.com
I totally never thought about your #5 tip, but it is so true. When I get to work I just go into waste-time-on-the-internet mode. I think if I do the first thing on my to-do list I will be motivated by the sense of accomplishment and delay the time-wasting at least until after I've done some productive things. Thanks for the tips!!
Alyn: Thanks for sharing your tips and routine. I agree, the night before is very important. I haven't yet been able to force myself to go to bed at a reasonable hour...
Are you able to do those 5 things on your list? If so, I'm pretty impressed!
Cassidy: Tip #5 is hard to implement, but it really does give you a sense of accomplishment to get a task out of the way right off.
Thanks for the boost, Holli Jo! My schedule changes all of the time, but the one thing I've noticed is that when I make time for myself in the morning, enjoy my breakfast, etc., the rest of my day is smoother than when I don't. It really sets the tone.
Kristen: The way I start my day really does set the tone for the rest of the day. Making time for yourself is another good way to start the day right. Thanks for sharing.
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