5 Good morning habits to start your week

July 23, 2020

Who loves to hear the alarm clock on a Monday morning after a relaxing weekend? If you’re like half of the population and hit snooze at least once, you’re not alone! This behaviour typically leads to rushing around to get ready in time. Or stealing minutes from other important tasks, like doing some exercise.

How you start your Monday morning sets the tone for the day and week ahead. Especially when it comes to your mood.

Put down the phone.

If your natural habit is to reach for the phone, either to turn the alarm off or check emails – don’t! The light from the phone can strain your eyes, and depending on the emails you receive overnight they can raise your stress levels. This sets your brain on a path to overthinking and over analysing. As an alternative spend a few minutes stretching in bed. Switch your phone alarm for an old-school plug-in alarm with a radio, or ask Google to play some music to start your day.

Download your thoughts.

Do you find yourself waking up feeling overwhelmed with “life admin”? Trying to balance work/home life pressures can be stressful, so grab a pen and write your thoughts down. Downloading them onto paper means they don’t take up space in your mind. Freeing you to think about other things. Writing down your thoughts removes emotion and helps you rationalise a plan to address them. Consider what you need to do and what can be delegated or done later on. You will feel more in control and able to tackle the day.

Pick your clothes out the night before.

If choosing what to wear in the morning drives you crazy, then pick out your clothes the night before. If you want to be extremely organised pick out your outfits for the whole week, then decide on the morning which one you’d like to wear that day. You’ll be surprised how much time you save.

Move your body.

With many of us in sedentary jobs moving your body is more important than ever. Don’t have time for planned exercise? That’s ok! Try parking your car further away than your usual parking spot. Jump off the bus one stop earlier or take the stairs on the way up to your desk. Take regular breaks at work and consider “walk and talk” meetings with colleagues.

Set a goal for the day.

Decide on something you want to achieve by the end of the day. Make sure it’s realistic. It might be as simple as moving your body more. Or maybe it’s trying a new recipe for dinner, paying a bill you’ve been putting off or reaching a personal best at the gym. Whatever motivates you, build that into your day’s achievements. The feeling of success can last longer than the day itself, so get setting those goals!

Taking these simple steps can make your mornings more enjoyable. Each step doesn’t take a lot of time and can be embraced easily. On the off chance that you can’t focus on them all, pick a couple to add to your morning routine, and appreciate how much better you feel!