How you start your morning really sets the tone for the rest of the day.

When you wake up early try to avoid your phone, tv and laptop for a while and just take some time for yourself, it will really give you a clear mindset for the rest of the day. Waking up when your alarm goes off for the third time, rushing to the shower to wash yourself quickly and then make yourself breakfast to go… this will make sure that during that day you will most likely feel a bit more rushed and a little off beat.

So why not start tomorrow with a morning ritual and see how it affects you. I used to be a night owl and went to bed really late. In the evening I postponed sleeping as long as I could and read some books, watched a movie or listened to some music before I would finally fall asleep and then the next day I postponed waking up again as long as possible, snoozing my alarm for maybe four or five times. Nowadays I wake up every morning at 06:00 am, go downstairs and make myself a cup of tea, roll out my yoga mat, do a 30 minute yoga sequence, walk my dog afterwards and when I get back I eat my breakfast and I’m ready to start the day. Well, if someone like me can change my habits, so can you!

Here are a few tips on how you can become an morning person as well, feeling inspired, motivated and fresh every single day (well give a day or two per month…)

How else are you gonna wake up early and still feel energized? We all need our good night sleep, for some that is eight hours, for others that might be just six. Find out how many hours you need to sleep in order to feel rested the next day and when you want to wake up at 6 am and need 8 hours sleep, go to bed at least around 9/9:30 pm. So you have some time to relax and get ready to fall asleep.

2. Don’t snooze

Research has shown that snoozing affects your brain chemistry for the rest of the day and can even cause weight gain in the long run. Besides that fact, do you ever feel more energized after snoozing five or six times? You’re only postponing the inevitable and making yourself believe, unconsciously  that you even lack the self-determination to get out of bed immediately.

3. Take some time for yourself without electronics

That email or text message can wait for another 15 minutes. Give yourself and your body the time to wake up properly. Go downstairs and make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, grab the newspaper or do some meditation, but don’t touch the tv, laptop or phone for a little while.

4. Make your to-do list for today the night before

In order to sleep well it’s also good to set your goals and make your to-do list the night before. That way everything will get out of your head and you can go to bed without having to worry about what you need to do the day after. As soon as you wake up you can also relax because you already know that the to-do list will be waiting for you as soon as you are really awake. This way you can really focus on yourself.

5. Drink a glass of water (with lemon)

Your body has been without water for a couple of hours so in order to get things flowing again you need to get hydrated. Before eating anything drink a glass of water, preferably warm water with lemon. The warm water will make sure that your body doesn’t get too much of a ‘shock’ and the lemon will get your digestive system started.

6. Stretch your body

Not only your mind but also your body needs to wake up. Stretch your muscles every morning in order to feel more energized. It will increase the blood circulation and bring more oxygen to your muscles which will in turn release some tension in areas most needed. Furthermore stretching your body every morning will also create more body awareness and will make you feel better mentally after a while, taking that time for yourself can feel like a short meditation.
Do you have a morning ritual or have you tried one of these tips? let me know about your experiences or struggles….