7 Activities To Include In Your Morning Routine

The importance of having a Morning Routine has been highlighted as one of the most important parts of the day. Having a Morning Routine allows us to set the tone for the day, improve our focus, and feel more energized and active.

We put together seven different activities that aim to help you become more productive, be in control of your day, and respond to challenges with higher clarity.

1. Journaling

We’ve previously highlighted the importance and benefits of Journaling. Below are some topics and questions we found most useful, that you can include in your journaling practice.

• Gratitude: shift your focus and increase self-awareness; acknowledge all the good things already present in your life; start the day with a positive mindset;

• Plan your day: be in control of your schedule. Avoid falling into the trap of daily trivia. Be clear about what you commit to achieving today. Planning the day in advance gives you a clearer idea of all the things you need to do, fights procrastination to a certain degree, and makes you more productive.

• Affirmations or Pep Talk: like gratitude, affirmations are also a great way to shift your focus and redirect your mind to areas where you can take useful and creative action. Write down a set of affirmations that inspire you and make you feel more determined and optimistic. Writing down your vision and goals in the form of affirmations will help you to keep focused on your path.

• What are you excited about today? We find this to be a great question not only to help you acknowledge all the excitements of your life but also as a way to check if you need to start exposing yourself to different stimuli, try different things and embrace new challenges.

2. Meditation

Practice meditation as a way to increase your mental clarity, focus, and awareness. If you are new to the practice, use guided meditations as a starting point. Some of the most popular types of meditation are:

• Walking meditation
• Transcendental meditation (TM)
• Visualization
• Vipassana meditation
• Zen meditation
• Qigong meditation
• Breathwork (Wim Hof method…)
• Loving-kindness meditation
• Yoga meditation

3. Get outdoors. Let’s move!

More than working out, it is essential to move, to keep your body active. Additionally, being outdoors also gives you the benefits of sunlight exposure that enhances feelings of wellbeing and happiness.

Exposure to morning sunlight allows your body to produce Vitamin D, which according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, helps to fight depression, improves bone health, enhances the immune system, and so many others benefits.

Make this part of your morning routine! Simply wake up earlier and go for a walk in the woods, on the beach, or in the park, and enjoy the quietness of the dawn. This is an extremely grounding and calming activity that can have a tremendous impact on the rest of your day.

4. Creative Work

When we first awake, our brain is in an alpha wave state. According to the study Functional role of frontal alpha oscillations in creativity, these increased alpha waves can boost your creativity. This period is the “golden hour” for creative work such as writing, brainstorming, visualization, or creative thinking. Make the most o it!

5. Listen to cheerful music

The power of music is often overlooked and underestimated. What song makes you wanna dance?

Create a cheerful playlist that boosts your mood and brings the best memories.

According to a 2014 study, listening to music promotes the release of endorphins – a neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness.

6. Read – food for thought

The stimuli that we are exposed to during the first hours of the day can have a tremendous impact on how we feel throughout the day.

What information are you consuming first thing in the morning? Are you looking at the news? Social media? Emails? All of these can trigger a reactive response, increase stress levels, and ultimately lead to spending the rest of the day in an anxious state.

Our subconscious mind is more active the moment we wake up. This period represents a great opportunity to reprogram our brain. Therefore, feed it with empowering and inspiring information that aligns with your vision and goals.

7. Laugh

The book “The Ho-Ho-Holiest Medicine” by Dr. Mitchell Bloom, MD says it best.

Laughing is considered to be one of the best therapies to release many of our worries, anxieties and fight depression.

How to get started to the “laughter therapy“?

• Put on some comedy clips or funny videos
• Tell jokes to your friends
• Try laughter yoga
• Laugh off an embarrassing situation you’ve experienced

Besides all the benefits and the physiological changes caused by laughing, it simply feels good! So why not make it a daily practice? Why not start the day with a bit of humor? 😄

If you don’t have a morning routine just yet, start by gradually trying any of the practices described. Explore each one of them and start by picking one that resignates with you.

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