Just about everyone has heard of the importance of getting up early in the morning. It can be difficult, but if you follow these 8 things that every person should do before 8 A.M., you’ll be well on your way to making it a daily habit that you can stick with for years to come.
1. Wake up Early,
This is perhaps one of the most important things you can do, regardless of whether you’re a lark or an owl. Research shows that people who consistently wake up early are more organized and conscientious and are less likely to suffer from depression than night owls, and getting up early is also correlated with success in terms of both career and academic performance.
According to Ayurvedic medicine, which has influenced wellness thinking for thousands of years, the timing of events like exercise, work activities, and even dinner should be set according to your body clock. If you want to lose weight safely but quickly, setting an alarm for 5:30 a.m. might be exactly what you need to do!
Waking up early is one of those things that sounds easy, but it can be very difficult in practice. If you’re a person who enjoys sleeping in, it can take a real act of willpower to force yourself out of bed at 4:30 AM every morning — but your body will thank you for it!
The benefits include better work performance, more energy, and higher energy levels all day long. Some people are even able to get their most important tasks done before lunchtime! Best of all?
For many of us, mornings are dreadful. But getting up early has real benefits — in addition to having an extra hour in your day, you’ll likely have less stress and get more done because you won’t be dealing with rush-hour traffic or dealing with a complicated morning routine for your kids.
It can also boost productivity: Studies have shown that people who start their days earlier than others tend to end up being more successful — both personally and professionally.
2. Exercise
It’s estimated that about 20 percent of Americans do some form of physical activity first thing in the morning; however, that doesn’t mean you have to be one of them. It can seem overwhelming and make people feel they are going at it alone, but exercise is a great way to reduce stress and gives you more energy, Tyke says.
So if you don’t want to get up at 5:30 a.m., try getting some exercise — before work if possible — so that when you do arrive at your desk you can stay focused on tasks with greater ease than someone who didn’t move around first thing in the morning, Tyke suggests.
Getting some morning exercise is a healthy way to jump-start your brain. Research has shown that even just 15 minutes of exercise in the morning can give you more energy, improve your mood and mental clarity, and reduce stress throughout your day.
If you find it hard to squeeze an early-morning workout into your routine, try waking up 10 minutes earlier and working out right before you leave for work.
For many people, exercise falls on their to-do list just as soon as they get out of bed in the morning (or after checking e-mail). According to experts, it’s a good idea to get your workout done early — and not just because it makes you feel more productive and energized for your day.
Recent research has found that people who work out before work are more productive at work than those who sleep in until they’re feeling ready to start their day. In fact, one study found that regular exercisers increased their energy levels by an average of 15 percent on days when they worked out versus days when they didn’t exercise.
3. Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Many people associate exercise with sore muscles, fatigue, and aching joints — but those who push through their morning workout report feeling energized, focused, and ready to tackle work tasks afterward.
Exercise increases blood flow and oxygen throughout your body, speeding up metabolism and helping you burn more calories throughout your day.
Whether you wake up early for a morning walk or squeeze in a quick lunchtime yoga session (because yes, you should be doing that too), these eight things will help ensure that getting fit is easy and routine for you:
1) Set Your Alarm Early: Research shows that early risers tend to be happier than their late-to-bed counterparts — and it’s because of morning workouts. See #2 on our list!
Eating a healthy breakfast is one of those things that everyone should do, but often doesn’t. Studies show that eating breakfast is important for a number of reasons, including managing your weight and keeping energy levels stable throughout the day — not to mention, it prevents you from eating out of boredom during lunch or other meals.
So whether you prefer oatmeal or something more decadent, make sure you eat something in the morning before your day begins!
If you’re trying to lose weight, it’s a good idea to monitor your intake of sugar and refined carbs; you might be surprised to learn just how easy it is for calories to sneak into treats. For example, a glass of juice or sweetened coffee could bump your overall calorie intake by as much as 800 calories.
To lose weight safely but quickly, switch to a sugar-free diet. Also, make sure that whatever you eat in the morning doesn’t leave you starving throughout the day — some options (such as pancakes) will only satisfy for about 15 minutes before cravings strike again.
4. Drink Water, Coffee, or Tea
If you’re running low on energy and need a quick pick-me-up, eating breakfast is your best bet. Not only will you prevent yourself from becoming hangry (hungry + angry).
But studies have also shown that those who eat breakfast perform better in school or at work because they don’t experience as many energy slumps during the day.
For an extra jolt of energy and focus, reach for foods that are high in vitamins, like blueberries or avocados; proteins to build muscle mass, like eggs or Greek yogurt; healthy fats to improve concentration, like salmon and avocado; and complex carbs for sustained levels of energy throughout your day, like whole grains, oats or quinoa.
When you wake up in the morning, it’s hard to know what you should do next; a great way to help orient yourself is to grab a cup of something warm and drink it. There are three basic choices: water, coffee, or tea. Which one is right for you?
This is a good habit to adopt first thing in the morning. While some people are comfortable going straight to their coffeemaker, others need a little more time to wake up; either way, drinking water helps ensure you’re well-hydrated for your day ahead.
And if you’re looking for an energy boost before your caffeine kicks in, try having a cup of tea instead (especially green tea). What’s more: If you’re on board with drinking tea, we suggest trying those that are rich in catechist like green and white teas as they have been shown to help melt fat faster than other teas!
You can’t live your best life if you don’t start your day right — and that starts with meditation. Beginning each morning with a quiet, calm period of meditation has been shown to help combat stress and anxiety, boost energy levels, and encourage creativity.
With these benefits in mind, it’s no wonder that increasing numbers of people are incorporating some form of daily meditation into their morning routine. And it doesn’t have to be hard!
There are lots of great apps out there like Calm or Headspace, but even just a few minutes spent focusing on your breath and calming down after waking up is beneficial for both body and mind.
Making time to focus on your thoughts before any distractions come up is a great way to start your day off right. It gives you a sense of peace and control that can carry over into other areas of your life, from work to relationships.
According to Dr. Andrew Weil, Every day you have a choice — to live your life in a fog or awake and aware of what’s happening around you. What better way to start your day than by waking up before your mind is clouded with distractions? Take some time each morning to quiet your thoughts and focus on yourself through meditation.
From removing daily stresses to relaxing body and mind, there are numerous benefits associated with incorporating meditation into your morning routine, including improved mood and decreased anxiety levels (1). If you’re looking for some guidance on getting started, try reading How To Meditate: The Complete Guide With Step-By-Step Instructions.
6. Journal Your Day
People who write down their goals are 40% more likely to succeed than those who don’t, and every night before you go to bed, set aside time to review your notes from that day and reflect on what happened (good or bad). Keeping a diary can help you keep track of your daily activities and determine how productive you were — or not.
As you work through your list of things to do each day, write them down in a journal with notes on how well they went or didn’t go. Keep it organized with tabs for each day, so you can quickly flip back if needed.
Mornings can be a great time to clear your head and do some personal reflection. Start every day with a journaling session that asks you to reflect on what’s most important in your life, how you felt during and after your day, or what you want to accomplish tomorrow.
Get up early to get some time for yourself. Consider journaling your day as you go through it, just as a way to keep track of what’s happening in your life and where you want to focus your energy next week and even further down the road.
7. Prioritize Tasks and Goals
Before you even get out of bed, do a quick scan of your day and prioritize your to-do list for maximum efficiency. Make sure you’re completing all high-priority tasks and leaving enough time in your schedule to accomplish everything that’s most important to you (at least on a given day).
When someone asks how you want something done, know exactly what kind of answer they will hear from you: yes or no! (Most likely yes, if it is an achievable request.) Time management is a vital element for success — even more so than skill development and experience.
Everybody has different priorities, but if you want to make headway in your day, getting a jump-start is one of life’s little secrets to success. It’s not always easy to push yourself out of bed when you first wake up — but if you can carve out time for certain tasks before everyone else wakes up, you have a much better chance of following through on them.
Starting your day off with a clear sense of purpose and focus will keep you motivated throughout, so take time to prioritize both your long-term goals and tasks that need to be accomplished on a daily basis (or week).
It might seem obvious, but it’s easy to lose sight of these things when starting your day in a hurry or sluggishly getting out of bed.
Map out what needs to get done each day by listing off all that you have going on and putting them into order from most urgent to least urgent; then, once you’ve completed those tasks for that day, relax for a little, a bit before focusing on tomorrow’s tasks and start again!
8. Get Ready for the Day Ahead
It’s no secret that mornings are often a time for productivity — and if you’re following a solid routine, then you’ll wake up early and get right to work on your top priorities. But what many people fail to realize is that before your day even starts, you have a chance to set yourself up for success: at night before bedtime.
The way in which you use these last few hours of your day can set up or break any goals that you may have for tomorrow — so take advantage of it by putting some serious thought into your nightly routine! In fact, here are a few things everyone should do at night before they go to sleep…
Everyone is different when it comes to their daily routines, but if you have time before work to get ready for your day, here are a few things that will help you start your day right.
Even if you’re not heading out early, some form of exercise will kick-start your brain and prepare it for what’s to come. Not a morning person? Make a commitment to yourself — and your body — to take care of your health every day. Get enough sleep, eat right, and exercise as often as possible before work!
If you’re still having trouble getting going in the morning but want to get something done before work, try waking up an hour or two earlier than usual and utilizing that time to achieve something meaningful instead of sitting on your computer and getting lost online.
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