Ladies if I were to ask "what does a good day look like to you?", what's the first thing that springs to mind? Whatever your response is you can achieve your idea of a good day, everyday. Yes, even in a pandemic! So much of what makes a good day has to do with your mindset and how you feel. The truth is, feeling good doesn't always come automatically and that's okay but if you want something to change you have to create change.
Morning routines have become a hot topic in the self-development industry. Just a quick browse of the words "morning routine" on Amazon, literally produces hundreds of results. Whilst numerous authors have capitalised on this, the truth is that your morning routine can have a huge impact on the rest of your day. Being intentional about incorporating healthy habits at the start of your day, can turn your whole day around, even if you woke up on the wrong side of the bed!
1. Meditate for the first few minutes of your day
"I really try to stay away from my phone for the first few minutes of my day.
During that time, I will meditate and give gratitude."
- Effortlessly Sarah
In a recent post, we talked about the importance of creating stillness in order to gain clarity and nurture your authentic self. The practice of meditating first thing in the morning does wonders for your mental health and gives you moments of peace before embarking on a busy day. In lockdown, meditating has become much easier to incorporate into your routine now that you're not having to rush off into the office, first thing. Use this opportunity to turn meditating into a habit. Start with 5 minutes a day and gradually increase the time as needed.
2. Move your body
We all know that exercise produces the feel good chemical, endorphins. What makes endorphins so powerful is that they're known for reducing stress, boosting self esteem and improving quality of sleep, not to mention all of the other benefits that exercise adds to your overall health!
My suggestion to you, is to find the form of exercise that feels good for your body. Whether that's a light Pilates session, or yoga session, or an intense HIIT workout, or skipping for a few minutes a day. The options are endless when you explore them. Find what works for you and do your best to stick to it!
3. Journal
Speaking of "what works for you", writing tends to be my favourite form of (mental) exercise. Getting my thoughts out onto paper, and not an iPad or tablet, is so refreshing to me. Pen to paper, for a few minutes in the morning always does the trick for me. For the journaling newbies, writing down your thoughts of the day is a really good method for reducing stress and putting things into perspective. You'd be surprised at how simple that situation actually is when you write about it.
4. Write your daily to-do list
Another way to create a feel good morning, is to make a to-do list. Now, here me out ladies, this really does work. After I've gotten rid of any mental clutter through journaling, I enjoy mapping out what I need to do for the rest of the day. If you're feeling super proactive, you can also use this opportunity to plan for the week ahead.
Just a word of warning with this ladies, it is very important that you are realistic with this step. You only have a certain number of productive hours during the day, so take this into consideration when writing your list. If you can only do four major tasks that day, and do them well - be proud of yourself! You're better off doing four tasks really well than doing nine tasks, terribly.
5. Do a tea cleanse
One of my favourite things to drink is a honey and ginger tea first thing in the morning. This feels especially good on the days that I'm intermittent fasting. I'll drink as many mugs of herbal tea as needed until I eat my first meal, later on in the day. I also use this opportunity to scroll through my social media feeds and catch up on any messages, before heading to my desk and beginning my work day. By this time, I'm feeling really good, having met my personal needs before meeting the needs of anyone else.
Take action!
Has your healthy morning routine become non-existent over the last several months?
Or is your morning routine in need of some spicing up?
Choose one new habit to incorporate into your "feel good" routine and set a reminder to start this habit tomorrow! You'd be surprised at how much of a difference this makes to the rest of your day.
Written by Faith O.
Contributing writer for Effortlessly Sarah
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