As much as I would love to be a morning person, it’s just not in me to be up real early despite me being at my most productive in the mornings. It also does not help that I tend to go to sleep late most nights. A rushed morning can most definitely set the tone for the rest of my day & it really turns into a domino effect of issues when my mornings are not planned accordingly.
Recently however, I’ve established a more efficient morning routine and have found that my mood is much better, I tend to think clearer and feel at ease with the rest of my day. I find that in order to remain consistent with organization you have to incorporate it into your life as a habit as opposed to a chore or rule, which makes it a lot less appealing to stick with.
Check out what I’ve been doing to have a more positive and productive morning.
1. Pick out my clothes every Sunday.
Depending on your workweek, every Sunday may not be ideal so make sure to set a day that works for you. I work M-F about 10-12 hours daily, then head home and work on my brand for another 2-5 hours. By the time I get done with my day, the last thing on my mind is what I’ll be wearing the next day.
Every Sunday evening, I “shop” my closet and pick out outfits for each day of the week. This allows me to get more out of my current wardrobe and I’m not wearing the same kind of clothes over and over. I’ve managed to create some really nice outfits I never knew I could put together. This definitely improved my style as I don’t gravitate toward the same black pants and white top I noticed I would always grab.
Time saved each morning: 20-30 mins
2. Make Lemon Ice Cubes
Water has been a very important addition to my diet and lemon water especially has made a lot of difference to my morning digestion & skin. When I first got into drinking lemon water due to it’s detoxing abilities, I was hardcore dedicated to drinking lemon water first thing each morning. That only lasted a while because I’d forget to make it or just get lazy.
Not anymore! Grab a lemon and an ice tray and make lemon ice cubes.
Once I wake up I put my tea pot to boil and serve myself a small cup. Then I just pop a lemon ice cube to my hot cup which prevents me wasting dried out lemons and ensures I get my lemon water each morning.
Time saved each morning: 5-10 mins
3. Stretch, Breathe & Meditate
I keep a lot of tension and stress in my neck and shoulders. It gets so bad that at times I’m unable to move my neck and have a lot of pain throughout the day so stretching & breathing are a must for me. It literally take less than 5 minutes to properly and consciously breath in and out 10 times as well as stretch my neck & shoulders. Meditation is on the same boat where I consciously calm my mind by meditating on my breath for 5-10 mins.
Whenever I skip my meditation sessions, I notice how heavy I feel and how stress creeps up on me before lunch time. Dedicating time to meditation every morning helps me ease tension, anxiety while at the same time keeping me calm throughout the day.
Here is a stretch routine I’ve followed for years called “The sunnyside Morning wake up routine” from one of my favorite Chiropractic books.
4. Positive Affirmations
We often tend to entertain negative thoughts (especially after a cranky & rushed morning) more than we entertain positive thoughts. And once something goes wrong in the morning we attach ourselves to the idea that’s how the rest of the day’s theme will be. We all have bad days but positive affirmations is a great way to shift your mind set and program your mind to have positive outlooks.
Affirmations are important to help you re-program your mindset from a fear based perspective to a more self reliant and trusting foundation.
Affirmations are short phrases that are repeated daily and often throughout your day. Daily affirmations are powerful in achieving & attracting positive energy into your life. Coupled with visualization and your imagination, you can further enhance the quality of your life.
The main objective of affirmations is to “program” your subconscious mind to attract good and positive people, experiences and things into your life. Banish fear, anxiety & other energy draining vibes with positive affirmations. Learn to gain trust in your self and the universe.
My top 3 Daily Affirmations
- “No One Is You And That is Your Power”
- “I am abundant and receive health, wealth & wisdom from the Universe”
- I am abundant in ___________” (Love, health, beauty, etc.)
5. Natural techniques to falling asleep
In the age of energy drinks, caffeine and sugar cravings coupled with tension and everyday stress there’s no telling how much of those things can overload your nervous system and disrupt your sleep patterns. Sleep is important because your body needs sleep in order to heal, detox & repair itself.
Fatigue, lack of focus & interest, mood swings and even depression are common symptoms many experience from lack of sleep. Below are some of my self care tips that helps me fall to sleep in no time.
Aromatherapy & Tea: I’m looking into investing in an oil diffuser but in the meantime I use essential oils like vanilla and eucalyptus in my hot shower and let the steam bathe my lungs.
White noise apps: This is something new I’ve tried, not to necessarily fall asleep, but to encourage me & signal my time wot wind down.
Meditation & Breathing can help you calm down and prepare your body for sleep.
Salt Lamp: Salt Lamps helps clear the energy in your space especially if you have sinus or respiratory issues. It also emits clearing & cleansing energy.
Clear EMF’s: One thing I’ve recently have become aware of is (EMF’s Electromagnetic fields) emitted by all the electronics around us from our cell phones to our computers. I don’t have a television in my room and keep my phone out of my bedroom at night. The salt lamp as mentioned above helps deflect any toxic energy.
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