Five Steps to a Mindful Morning
Lots of us wake up at the last possible second, roll out of bed, and immediately hit the autopilot button: shower > clothes > coffee > commute > work…..cruising through our morning routine the same way everyday. Does this sound familiar? Your morning can dictate the vibe of your whole day, so why start it off like a complete zombie? If you want to start your day off by being present and mindful instead of in full-zombie-mode, start fist by noticing your daily routine, and then finding ways to improve it. Without knowing what you are doing while on autopilot, you’ll start everyday off the same without considering how your day could be improved. Check out these five steps to a mindful morning below.
Reflection
Most of us spend our lives running from meeting to meeting, being reactive, churning away in the rat rate, and rarely taking time to consider how we can improve our overall personal wellness and improve our happiness. Before going to bed, or right when you wake up, take five minutes reflect on your day.
It can be difficult to know where to start if you havent done this before, but really all you need is five minutes to ask yourself a few questions. I know people who swear by this five minute journal, which guides you through a quick reflection and helps you become more introspective about your actions, dreams, intentions, and challenges.
By owning your actions, dreams, challenges, etc, through writing them down, you’ll have more clarity on how to take actions that will improve your life in the direction you choose.
Wake Up Early
One way to make sure you are making the most of your day is to wake up early. When you can take your time in the morning, you’ll be able to accomplish more before you begin your day, such as reading the news or a book, doing yoga, going for a walk or enjoying a coffee in a local coffee shop.
When you have more time, you’ll end up being more mindful of your decisions and actions, instead of eating whatever is handy or just skimming the headlines in your news ap. Ultimately, by having more time in the morning, you can start your day intentionally, and mindfully, instead of being rushed and half-asleep.
Breakfast
Breakfast is a very important meal, as it sets the stage for your body’s metabolism, cravings, and blood-sugar throughout the rest of the day. If you eat a sugary breakfast, you’ll feel the sugar crash around noon, which can cause overeating at lunchtime, and will make you crave more sugars to kick up your blood sugar again. To avoid this dangerous cycle, opt for whole grains and proteins, such as eggs with toast (skip the jam and opt for peanut butter instead!).
I also like to make a healthy green smoothie for breakfast in the blender, using yogurt, almond milk, spinach, chia seeds, matcha powder, and a bunch of other purposeful ingredients. I find smoothies keep my blood sugar stable, and keep me feeling full until much later in the day.
Coffee
If you’re like me, it’s hard to start the day without a cup (or two or three) of coffee. Lucky for us, it turns out coffee is pretty darn good for you, according to some recent studies. These studies focus on the real-joe – not those fancy, pumped-up coffee shop lattes, medium-regulars, and unicorn-frappa-whatevers that are all full of sugar and cream (and barely any REAL coffee!). If you need a little extra boost in the morning, skip the sugary death-trap and check out Death Wish Coffee instead: http://deathwishcaffeine.com/ – It’s the strongest coffee in the world.
Goal Setting
Before you’re ready to tackle the day, think about a single goal you want to accomplish during the day. If you have many things to tackle, make a list of all the things you want to do and choose the most important one. By accomplishing a single, important goal each day, you’ll reinforce your belief in yourself, build confidence, and improve your mindset, follow-through, and focus. The five minute journal also helps guide your goal setting for the day ahead.
Or if you have a huge goal – one that can’t be accomplished in one day – break it out into smaller tasks that CAN be accomplished in a single day. Make those your daily goals and before you know it you will have accomplished your huge goal!
I hope these steps to have a mindful morning were helpful! Do you have a morning routine that helps you? Share in the comments below!
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