5 Morning Rituals to Set Yourself up for Success

Congratulations on making this small but significant change in your life. You are on your way to achieving the bigger goals you have for yourself during the day. It's okay that you might not always have the extra time in the morning, but whatever time you have, make it count!

When starting each day with inconsistency, you may be causing yourself unnecessary stress, and the truth is, you might not even realize it. A morning routine isn't about adding more to your daily to-do list. A solid routine will increase productivity, energy, and momentum and make you feel better by starting your day on the right foot. These five simple morning rituals can help set up your day for success.

Make your bed.

When you make your bed, you set the day's tone. Making your bed is a simple habit that can significantly impact your day. I know this may sound silly, but it's true! It's like taking a deep breath before jumping into cold water: it helps prepare us to face whatever comes our way.

Making your bed each morning is a small action that makes you feel like you've accomplished something, even if it's just for yourself. And – you can get this step of your morning routine done first thing in the morning! So, right after you wake up, you've already accomplished one thing for the day.

Practice gratitude.

A daily mantra is a short phrase or sentence you repeat to yourself every morning. It can be something like "Today is going to be great!" or "I am ready for anything!" Your daily mantra should be positive, empowering, and inspiring. When you start your day thinking of one thing to be grateful for as soon as you wake up, there's no room for negativity to bring you down.

While practicing gratitude, you can do it internally or grab a journal, write down a few things you are thankful for, and elaborate on them. This doesn't need to be more than a page – jot down what comes to mind.

Fit in a quick workout.

It sometimes feels like a Herculean effort, but getting up and going is a great way to start the day. There are many options here that anyone can choose from. You could take your dog for a walk, go for a morning jog around the block, or do a 10-minute yoga flow. The options can go on! If you want to add another positive to this part of your routine, you can even add a cold shower after your workout. Cold showers help reduce muscle soreness after workouts and increase circulation. Try slowly decreasing your shower temperature daily until you reach a comfortable, cool temperature.

Create a to-do list.

Planning out the day and making a list of what you'd like to accomplish will help you internally plan for what is ahead. As you start your day, consider what's important to you. You may want to focus on specific goals, or you may want to set intentions that will guide your actions throughout the day.

Eat the frog.

No, not a real frog – I don't think that would be a great way to end the morning ritual. The eat-the-frog strategy is a prioritization and productivity method to help people identify complex tasks. The idea is to identify one challenging task (the frog) and complete it first thing in the morning (eating it). After creating your to-do list, look: what is the day's most challenging task? Once you decide – eat it! Do the most critical or complex thing first! Don't give yourself a chance to put it off until later.

Bonus Tip! Set up your morning the night before.

Before you go to bed, take a few minutes to set up your morning. Why? Sometimes, the most challenging part about getting out of bed is thinking about all the things you need to do to get going in the morning. Waking up knowing you've made things easier can make a big difference. Some examples include:

• Laying out your clothes
• Getting your coffee maker set up
• Laying out your breakfast (any part that isn't in the fridge)
• Organizing your work area
• Creating a meal plan
• Time blocking your day

There are so many small things you can do to set yourself up for success, and they all start with how you start your morning. A few of these resonated with you, and if not, there are many more things you can consider for your routine. Whatever it is, get out there and start your day on the right foot! Seize the day and create your own morning workflow!

Tags
personal productivity   morning ritual   ritual   routine  

Categories
Productivity Points   Productivity Tips  

Toni Buffa

Toni is a member of the Integrify marketing team and writes for the Integrify blog. Toni lives in Colorado and loves animals of all stripes.