When my morning alarm goes off, it takes everything inside of me not to turn that annoying sound off and cuddle back into bed. And if I'm being honest, I do exactly that some mornings. However, this bad habit leads to rushing, frustration, and forgetfulness. I end up leaving my house in a panic, and it sets the tone for my whole day. My morning chaos caused me to start striving to be like the tiktok girls who get up at 4am, go to the gym, cook a healthy breakfast, and get their entire life together by 7am. Unfortunately, this was unrealistic for me. So, I decided to create a morning routine that fosters positivity and happiness but is also realistic for me to maintain.
1. Make your bed:
Every morning I complete a task as soon as I wake up by making my bed. This action allows me to feel satisfied and accomplished as soon as I wake up, and this feeling motivates me to continue being productive. This is the first step of my morning routine because it's easy but effective. As a bonus, it's nice coming home from a hard days work to a cozy bed that is made.
2. Allow time for skincare:
Having a fresh face and clean, healthy skin helps put me in the mood to tackle the day. I may not have time for a full face of makeup in the mornings, but I always do my morning skin care. My routine only involves a handful of products, but this little bit of time that I set aside for self-care puts me in a better state of mind.
3. Start the day with something you love:
Start the morning with a burst of happiness to get your day going in the right direction! This step should be personalized specifically for you. I know there isn't always a lot of time in the morning, but save at least a few minutes for something you love. For me, I like to immediately make a coffee and turn on some music. I also like to do some light stretching and a few yoga poses. Some other good ideas are writing positive affirmations, doing a quick workout, reading a chapter of a book, or even playing with a pet. If none of these ideas speak to you, think about something that makes you happy and how you can incorporate that into your morning routine.
4. Drink water:
I'm a coffee lover through and through but staying hydrated is essential for feeling good during the day. Not drinking enough water can contribute to headaches, dry skin, low energy, and many other negative effects (trust me, I've experienced them). So, in order to start my day off right, I immediately fill up a glass of water and make sure it's gone before leaving the house. I also leave for work with a full, large water cup. Buy a cute one...doesn't have to be a Stanley...to encourage yourself to drink more water.
5. Have your clothes out:
This is a simple, easy step but one that I felt should be included. As a healthcare worker, I go to work in sweats everyday and change into surgical scrubs. Therefore, not much thought goes into my daily outfits. However, just laying it out the night before saves me a little bit of hassle in the morning that I don't have time for.
6. Ditch the old alarm clock:
I, like most people, relied on my cell phone to wake me up in the mornings. However, that was not a very pleasant awakening for me, and I decided to switch things up. There are now alarm clocks that help you wake up in a more relaxing way, and I decided to give this new approach a try. I wasn't willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a clock, but I found a more reasonably priced clock that uses light and relaxing sounds as an alarm. Making this simple change actually helped me get in the habit of waking up 30 minutes earlier, something I had been trying to do for years!
Mornings shouldn't have to be miserable. Making little changes to your morning routine can help you start the day in a more positive, productive way and make that dreaded alarm a little less daunting. Sometimes it takes baby steps and a lot of trial and error to create a routine that is right for you. I hope my experience can guide you and inspire your own journey.
