One silver lining of this whole COVID-19 thing is that I’ve had more time not only to think about what I want to change in my morning routine but also to work toward my goals in this area. Since my earliest online class doesn’t begin until 9:30 A.M., I’ve been trying to start each day as productively as possible by waking up early, exercising my mind and body, and cooking myself a nutritious breakfast. Let me tell you–it has been a life changer.
- I set out my clothes the night before.
-
If you are like me in that you spend a ridiculous amount of time picking out what you are going to wear in the morning, then this tip is for you. Before I get into bed in the evening, I check the weather predicted for the next day and carefully select an outfit for the morning. It saves so much time and is pretty satisfying, too.
- I set an alarm for 7:15 A.M., and I try to stick to it.
-
I’m not going to lie–this one is tough. But as my mom always chirps, the early bird gets the worm.
- I go on a jog.
-
This one also isn’t easy, but since I’ve never gone for a jog and thought, “Well, that wasn’t worth it,” afterward, I’ve resolved to get outside and move my body every day. If I’m feeling super ambitious, I’ll throw in a MadFit fifteen-minute stretch or ab workout afterward. It feels so good to spend time outdoors, and I never feel truly awake until I’ve breathed some fresh air.
- I make myself a healthy breakfast.
-
I am a firm believer that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It just is. When preparing this essential meal, I like to include as many food groups as possible. My go-to breakfast is a green smoothie (one banana, a handful of frozen mango slices, two heaping spoonfuls of Greek yogurt, a cup of orange juice, and as much spinach as I can shove into the blender), multigrain toast (filling and delicious, especially with sweet raspberry jam), and scrambled eggs (which, sadly, is about the extent of my cooking. I’m working on it.).
- I work on a crossword puzzle.
-
If you had asked me a year ago how I felt about crossword puzzles, I probably would have shrugged and said something along the lines of “Um, I don’t really do them, but I know they’re hard.”
It’s true–they are hard. However, I’ve come to appreciate the challenges they pose so much so that I now have two different crossword puzzle apps on my phone: the New York Times Crossword and Crossword Puzzle from Redstone Games. I feel like working on puzzles like these warms up my brain for class, and that is why you can find me sitting in front of my computer (phone in hand) five minutes before the start of my Economics 101 lecture, furiously typing in an answer for 14-down’s clue: “One of Joe Biden’s dogs.” Easy money–Major!
On that note, it is time for me to set out my clothes for the morning and hop into bed. I hope you found these tips for having a productive morning to be helpful!