You wake up to that god awful iPhone alarm and hit snooze five to ten times. When you finally build up the effort to keep your eyes open, you spend the time staring at your phone. Instagram Snapchat,Twitter, iMessage, and worst of all, TikTok. After minutes and maybe even hours have passed, it hits you.
“Ugh I have that meeting today”
“A three hour zoom call later… no thanks”
“I’m hungry, I’m tired, and everything is a pet peeve today”
And just like that, half your day is out the window and all of it can be attributed to the way you started your morning.
Mornings can be tough, and if you add an eleven month global pandemic into the mix, they can seem lethargic, slothful and repetitive in the worst type of way. Getting out of a self-sabotaging cycle and making the most of your mornings to set yourself up for a peaceful and productive day doesn’t need to be so difficult.
The first few minutes of your day is a reflection of the next few hours of your day.
It all starts at night. Get a planner and write down everything you need to do the next day. And do not type it on your phone either, we are trying to spend less time on that (but we will get to that later). By doing this, you plan your day and wake up with intention and a game plan for the day. In addition to this, find a really good book and put it right next to you on your nightstand. It could be anything, just make it something you will enjoy and even learn from. This will be the first thing you grab for in the morning as opposed to your phone. Lastly, a giant cup of water should be keeping your book company on the nightstand.
Try to get up a few minutes earlier than you’re used to. Shut off the alarm and dive into your book. Try to see how long you can go without getting distracted. Do not answer a text or start scrolling to check up on others. You want to have a productive day, you shouldn’t be giving your attention to others. You will be surprised how a good book can suck you in and distract you from the world. While reading, sip your water and the motivation to get up and start your day will start with your strong urge to pee.
If you’re really into journaling, you can journal and write down your intentions for the day, what you’re grateful for, or something small you can do today to accomplish them. This boosts a bunch of different things: emotional intelligence, practicing mindfulness, strengthening self-discipline and accountability, and expressing gratitude. These are the practices that will be carried with you throughout the day.
It is time to actually start the day and you already have the game plan, thanks to your planning from the night before. Maybe you’ll make your bed, then do some laundry, and then be ready for any meetings you may have. Go for a walk or run, make an amazing cup of coffee and breakfast. At this time, social media is still out of the picture. Being present in the moment and using the morning to your advantage leaves no time for TikTok dances and an Instagram feed full of negativity. Try to get one more thing accomplished on your to do list before diving into the digital world.
Having accomplished so much already, you will be going into the afternoon with more wins under your belt and a greater urge to accomplish more.
When 5 PM hits you will realize you checked everything off your to do list; you read and learned something new, and your screen time was significantly less than usual. Pour yourself a glass and celebrate all that you have achieved today- just make sure to write a to do list for tomorrow.