Whether you are an early bird or night owl, there’s something important about starting your day on the right foot. Be that at 8 a.m. or at noon, nothing feels better than being productive when you wake up.
More than ever, getting out of bed and starting the day can be so difficult. Dark winter pandemic days are tough and sometimes it’s easier to stay in bed. To combat this gray season, I’ve been implementing a few steps in my morning routine that makes me feel refreshed.
Oftentimes our first step when we wake up is turning off our alarms and grabbing our phones. However, scrolling on social media in the morning isn’t the best way to start the day.
When we reach to grab our phones, ‘waking up’ is more like ‘catching up’ to things we missed while we were asleep.
Dr. Samantha Boardman from “Positive Prescription” notes that when we wake up in the morning and turn our phone over to see a list of notifications—it frames the experience of ‘waking up in the morning’ around a menu of all the things I’ve missed since yesterday.” There’s something about the early scrolling that generates higher stress to begin our days, notes Boardman.
My suggestion is to wake up, turn off the alarm, and set your phone back down. Put it out of site for the first hour of the day and let yourself truly wake up. This is not the easiest discipline, I often find myself grabbing my phone, but challenge yourself! Start by snoozing your phone time for a few days a week. After a while you may not even think about grabbing it right away.
So, what do we do with all that morning time without our phones? I typically wake up and get out of bed, sporting a morning stretch and walking around. This helps to get the blood flowing and to wake me up instead of going back to sleep.
For some, morning time is the best time of day to get some exercise. Not only is this a great way to help you wake up but it busts out your movement goal for the day. Oftentimes, I find myself more willing to exercise in the morning and have fewer excuses to push it aside.
Plus, many studies suggest that morning exercise can lead to increased focus, higher energy levels, and better mood.
Whether you’re a gym rat or an avid speed walker, try getting up and even better, try getting outside. Go check out HC SPU writer Taylor Schmidt’s suggestions for outdoor activities and trails in Seattle.
We’ve all heard it before, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. If you are a busy person in the morning and often rush out the door (or jump to your in-home office) to get to classes or work, you may prefer hurrying breakfast before meetings. If this is you, you could try to eat a more quality breakfast.
Recently, I’ve found myself more interested in cooking and preparing a meal for myself in the morning. Some of my go-tos are avocado toast, banana pancakes with almond butter, or granola with some oat milk and fruit. Taking 15 or so minutes to make your breakfast makes you appreciate it more.
Not only are there cost benefits, but making a healthy home-cooked breakfast is also good for your health.
Better Health researchers have found that starting your day with a healthy breakfast provides you with replenishment of vitamins, nutrients and helps with energy levels.
“Breakfast foods are rich in key nutrients such as folate, calcium, iron, B vitamins and fiber. Breakfast provides a lot of your day’s total nutrient intake. In fact, people who eat breakfast are more likely to meet their recommended daily intakes of vitamins and minerals than people who don’t,” wrote Better Health contributors.
If you don’t fancy cooking or making a meal at home every morning, try meal prepping or a food subscription service.
If anything, kill three birds with one stone by walking to a nearby coffee shop without your phone and grabbing yourself a breakfast sandwich and a coffee.
Whether you choose to integrate one or all three suggestions, take time and plan out your morning routine to what works best for you.
Give it a shot and watch as your mornings turn from dreadful to enjoyable.