Making the most of those early morning hours each day can boost your productivity, improve your health and increase the chance of reaching your full potential, so if the following habits aren’t part of your morning routine yet, change that this year.
Exercise
Starting your day with exercise will awaken your mind, energise your body and have you switched on and ready for the day ahead, so whether you walk, run, swim or do yoga find a way to get active early. Those morning workouts will offset some of the many hours of sitting you will likely do throughout the day and exercising before you get busy or tired is a great way to ensure that it actually happens.
Tool up
The more skills, knowledge and experience you have the greater your chance of success, which is why many ambitious types spend part of every morning actively filling any gaps in their skill set. Learn a new language, master a fresh app or take an online course in accounting, typing or business management; regardless, advancing your capabilities while your competitors are still sleeping is a sure way to get ahead.
Pursue a passion
It can be tough finding time for passion projects when your schedule is packed with obligations but you can make room for those all-important endeavours just by getting up a little earlier. Pen that book you’ve always talked about writing, teach yourself how to play guitar or bust out your craft supplies and get creative. Whatever your passion, doing something you love first thing in the morning will create a sense of positivity and momentum that will extend throughout the rest of your day.
Nourish your body
Your body and mind need quality fuel to be at their best, making it well worth investing a little time and effort into learning about nutrition. Your diet will impact everything from your strength and endurance to your decision-making abilities and eating a nutrient-rich breakfast will mean you don’t need to stop and refuel again quite so soon. Staying hydrated is also extremely important; after all, water is needed for almost every one of your body’s functions, so start each day by drinking at least a litre of water before you leave the house.
Bond
It can be tough finding time for loved ones when your work days are long and tiring; however, one simple solution is to incorporate a little ‘quality time’ directly into your morning routine. Whether you go for a walk with your partner, eat breakfast as a family or spend time cuddling with your pets, even just a few extra minutes together can do wonders to strengthen those vital bonds.
No matter how lofty your goals may be, even a few subtle changes to your morning routine may be all it takes to finally put them within reach. For best results, start by getting up a little earlier and introduce new habits one at a time so you have time to adapt and adjust gradually.
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