By introducing healthy morning habits, you can start your day peacefully and positively.
How to build a great morning routine
Time yourself. You may be surprised to find that throwing on a load of washing takes only five minutes. Maybe drinking your morning cuppa while you scroll social media is eating up 20 minutes. When you know how long things take, you can start creating a realistic routine.
What to include in a morning routine?
Great options for a balanced morning include:
- Mindfulness – with meditation or a gratitude journal
- Exercise – a home workout or light stretching
- Planning – check your schedule
- Journaling – how can you progress towards your goals today?
- Visualising – see yourself successfully following your healthy eating plan today, as well as achieving other goals
- Breakfast – with Jenny Craig, you get a delicious meal that gives your body the nutrients it needs
- House admin – laundry, dishes, making lunches, looking after family
- Drink a large glass of water – you’re probably dehydrated when you wake up
- Make your bed and tidy up
- Showering, grooming and dressing
- Catch the morning news
You won’t need all of these options. Choose the ones that matter to you most. By planning your morning and creating a logical sequence of events you’re more likely to achieve it most days. After a while it will become habit and you’ll do it all on autopilot.
Get detailed
When will you take your vitamins? Brush your teeth? Drink water? Iron your shirt?
The more specific you are in your morning routine the more it works. Pairing is a good strategy. For example, you might always take your vitamins with your coffee, or feed the dog before your shower.
Lose the unwanted extras
Eliminate activities that can be done the night before so your morning is more productive. You could iron shirts, load the dishwasher and prepare lunches the night before, giving you more time for a morning workout or cuppa and crossword.
A great morning routine sets you up for a great day, and a great day leads to a great week, then month, then year… then great life!
