The alarm wakes you up in the morning. You reach over to your desk and pick up your phone, checking your inbox and notifications. Before you know it, an hour has passed, and you're still lying in bed, scrolling on your phone, procrastinating, truly waking up, and beginning your day with an unproductive morning.
Sound familiar? Here are six-morning activities to start doing tomorrow to optimize your performance and productivity in the daytime!
#1: Get a Good Night's Sleep
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A productive morning always begins with a good night's sleep. Waking up groggy and tired will make you revert back to old habits. Scientists say that the average person should get around 7 to 9 hours of sleep to optimize mood in the morning and productivity during the day.
For different people, this might mean sleeping at ten and waking up at seven or sleeping at 12 and waking up at 8. Whatever it might be, make sure you get enough sleep to last you through the day.
Getting good sleep can lower your risk of developing serious health problems, reduce stress, decrease negative thinking, and clear your mind for the day ahead. More benefits for getting good sleep can be found here: 10 Benefits of Sleep. Quality rest is key in starting your productive morning.
#2: Drink Water
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Although this may seem simple, it is game-changing regarding health. After a night of dehydration, eight hours without water, helping your body recover by refreshing it with a cup of water is important. Drinking water in the morning has been shown to increase your immune system's mental performance throughout the day and improve the appearance or health of your skin.
Drinking water should not only be in the morning, however. Water is important in daily functions and should be drunk throughout the day. Scientists recommend drinking around 6 cups of water a day.
However, this is a very generalized number – a quick test to find out how much water is enough for you is to find your body weight in pounds, divide that number by two, and drink that many ounces of water daily. The full study can be found here: How to calculate how much water you should drink.
#3: Catching the Morning Sun
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This, again, may seem like a trivial thing to do, but it can do wonders for your overall mood and production during the day. Having sunlight enter your eyes and rest on your skin for just ten minutes in the morning helps improve your sleep quality, enhances mood by triggering the release of serotonin, and boosts your alertness and focus. More benefits of early morning sunlight can be found here: 9 Benefits of Sunlight in the Morning and How to Get It.
Catching the morning sun might mean reading the morning newspaper on the porch, sitting on the balcony and drinking your morning coffee, or simply standing by your bedroom window for a while. Other ways might include studying outside on a bench, reading on your front lawn or at a park, or going on an early morning walk. Including the sun and nature in your morning routine can significantly boost your daily productivity performance.
#4: Stretch Your Muscles
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Stretching your muscles will only take five to ten minutes of your time, but its impact on your day can be enormous. A morning warm-up can improve your performance in physical activities throughout the day and keep your muscles flexible and healthy. It can relieve any pain you have the night before and increase your blood flow. More benefits can be found here: Benefits of Stretching.
Your morning stretch routine may consist of knee-to-chest, back, neck, or shoulder stretches. Lists of stretches can be found online with a quick Google search. Here is one to start you off: 40 Stretching Exercises That Will Leave You Feeling Brand New.
#5: Taking a Short Walk
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lk can kill two birds with one stone; you get a little exercise in and give your body some sunlight to start your day off. Including a stroll in your morning routine can improve your sleep quality, strengthen your muscles (especially if you include small exercises along your walk), and boost your mood to improve productivity throughout the day.
This activity is great, especially if you have a dog you need to walk. Changing up your walk to include a small run, a rigorous hike, or even shooting a couple of hoops at a nearby basketball court is a great way to spice it up. Walking allows your body to fully wake up and build the energy and focus it needs to last through the day.
#6: Enjoy a Healthy Breakfast
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The last, but certainly not least, activity to help boost your daytime performance is eating a healthy breakfast. According to recent report, around one in three students recall skipping breakfast 'sometimes or often' to save time or simply because it is too much of a chore. However, studies have shown that eating a healthy breakfast can significantly boost your energy levels throughout your day and increase your level of focus on study or work. Healthy breakfasts also help with weight management and decrease the likelihood of type 2 diabetes and heart-related diseases.
A well-rounded, healthy breakfast should contain sources of protein foods, fiber, and nutrients. Foods like eggs, yogurt, and nuts are abundant sources of protein. You can acquire fiber from fruits and vegetables, which are also rich in nutrients. For more ideas on breakfast items, visit this article here: The 12 Best Foods to Eat in the Morning.
Conclusion
What you do in the morning can considerably impact your productivity throughout the day. Starting your day off right with exercise, early morning sun, and a healthy breakfast will improve your mood and performance in the short term and your health in the long term. A productive early morning routine is the first step to optimizing your daily life, which is another step towards building the life you want.
