Many of us struggle with having a good morning every day, we have this habit of convincing ourselves the night before, that

“I am going to get up at 4am tomorrow and complete everything on my to-do list”.

But that never happens now, does it?

All of us have been there.

So, what do we do?

That’s where I come in.

I am going to be sharing 10 tips on how to have the perfect morning in article and a bonus tip in the end.

So, let’s get started.

#TIP 01 : Planning is key

The very first step to have a productive morning is to plan your day ahead.

We have all heard that very famous saying “Failing to Plan, is planning to Fail”, and rightly so.

You can either list down the activities that need to be done by priority or by time of the day; whatever you are comfortable with but remember writing it down is VERY IMPORTANT.

This also helps you accumulate all the activities that have to be done without missing out on anything, especially when you have too much on your plate.

#TIP 02 : Start your morning the night before

Making a to-do list the night before is very effective since this is the time you are done for the day and you are much more relaxed. I always plan a night before which helps me to be more organized and productive during the day.

Planning your day just after you wake up is a bad idea firstly because you are not completely awake when you just get up and also because looking at that long to-do list makes you feel lazy and tired already.

Jot down the things to be done for the next day in your diary and preferably also note the time of the day you will be doing this particular activity.

For example:

• 6:30 – Wake-up time
• 6:30 to 7:00 – Freshen up
• 7:00 to 8:00 – Exercise
• 8:00 to 8:30 – Breakfast …… and so on

There are various apps to help you make daily, weekly and monthly planners.

 But I would NOT recommend them because using your phone for your plan tends to distract you towards other notifications and thus wastes your time.

Be sure not to include too many things on your list, since just thinking about the workload you have, will make you less motivated and you may lose focus.

So guys, be honest with yourselves and ONLY include those activities which you are planning to do the next day which are going to be DONE, so that at the end of the day when you are crossing off items on the list, you experience self-satisfaction and end the day with positivity and happiness.

Also, DO NOT look at your list every time you finish an activity, perform tasks based on the mind map you have built of the To-Do list and cross off the items only at the end of the day.

This helps in saving time and also if you look at that list every time you, might be sub-consciously getting nervous of the tasks that lie ahead which may lead to laziness and procrastination.

So, save the ticking off of your to-do list for the last, and that would be when you sit down to write down your plan for the next day.

#TIP 03 : Make your Bed

A lot of us don’t feel the need to make our bed because we are going to be sleeping in it at the end of the day anyway.

But what we forget is that the sub-conscious mind plays tricks on us and an unmade bed starts making you feel sleepier.

So, make your bed as soon as you get up and do not delay it for the later part of the day.

Also, as they say, a clear room is a clear mind.

#TIP 04 : Meditate

I can actually hear you right now, screaming and saying that we DO NOT have enough time to meditate !

Relax guys!

I am not asking you to follow the steps of Baba Ramdev. All I am saying is that meditation for 15 minutes a day in the morning will go a long way.

If you still don’t find me convincing, try this. Every morning after you wake up set – your alarm clock for the next five minutes. In these 5 minutes, just close your eyes and take deep breaths and don’t think about anything else.

Try this for a week, I’m sure you will think about extending your 5 minute meditation time.

Meditation is important, as you may have all heard, to calm yourself down and introspect.

It has been very effective in helping in anger and stress management as well. So, try meditating, and I think your juniors are going to reach out to thank me ?

#TIP 05 : Exercise for at least half an hour in the morning

Exercise is something you CANNOT IGNORE.

Exercising in the morning gets your heartrate going and also stretches all your muscles, which is very important to lead a healthy lifestyle.

It is important to exercise in the morning because it alerts the mind, that it has to come out of its sleepy state and activates all your other parts of the body.

People who exercise in the evening, might have trouble getting sleep as the body is suddenly energized and it takes time to return to the calm state.

Exercise can be of any form. It can be running, jogging, walking, Gyming, swimming, yoga, etc.

I prefer dancing.

That’s right. My parents and elders have hammered into my head how important it is to exercise. But I used to find all forms of exercise VERY BORING.

That’s when I thought, hey, I love to dance, so why not built an exercise routine around it?

I select a YouTube Dance video and view it a  day before. I schedule half an hour of my time and practice the steps shown in the video. This not only completes my exercise routine, but also I have never felt lazy to do it.

My favorite YouTube dance channels are Shiamak India, Team Naach and Amit Patel.

So, find your mojo and make it your exercise routine like I did!

#TIP 06 : Put on your work clothes

Now, this tip is for those who generally work from home or those students who are on their study leave.

I know, we all want to snuggle in our pajamas even when we work or study but putting on your work clothes not only freshens you up, but it also motivates you to get working on that list you have prepared.

This is very important because it separates your day into two distinct parts : The active part and the passive part.

The active part is usually the mornings, afternoons and early evenings and the passive part are the late evenings and night.

Here again, your sub-conscious plays a major role. When you are in your work clothes you are less likely to laze around or procrastinate. It gives you confidence and boosts your energy which makes you ready to conquer the day.

#TIP 07 : A healthy Breakfast

If you are someone who wakes upto to a bowl of milk and cereal, you might want to stop that right way.

A protein and vitamin rich breakfast activates glucose levels and it also helps with memory and concentration. It is always advisable to eat breakfast within the first two hours of the day if not earlier.

Eating a healthy breakfast also helps you watch your weight.

Research has shown that those who do eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight than the ones who skip breakfast. This is because if you do not eat breakfast you are more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks in the morning

#TIP 08 : Wake up at the same time everyday

This is very important to set your body clock right.

It does not matter what time you wake up, but it should be at the same time every day. This also means you have to sleep at the same time every day.

Many of us sleep late to complete all the activities on the list, and this leaves us feeling sleepy and groggy the next day. Seven to eight hours of sleep is very important for the body.

Having  a fixed routine, also keeps you healthy and your bowel movements would be perfect.

A fixed routine, also keeps your head clearer and you would not even a need an alarm clock to wake up, so your habit of hitting that snooze button would go right out the window.

#TIP 09 : Listen to Music

Yes, you read that right.

Studies have shown that listening to music helps one improve their mood and also releases stress.

I have personally, found it very effective as it energizes me and keeps me happy and positive all throughout the day.

You can listen to any genre of music you want. I prefer listening to Bollywood party music. This not only helps me freshen up, it also gets me excited about the day that lies ahead.

But, be careful not to get too carried away as you may end up wasting your time. Also, it is advisable not listen to a particular song on repeat (unless it is instrumental) as it may linger on in your memory and might hinder your work.

You can listen to music at anytime of the day. I listen to it in the morning when I am getting ready and sometimes while having breakfast.

This tip is totally recommendatory. Many find that listening to music would disturb their thoughts, so to all those out there, it is perfectly alright to skip this tip.

#TIP 10 : Greet “Good morning” to everyone at home

How difficult is it to greet everyone you are living with “good morning”?

Yet most of us don’t.

Why is that?

Well I feel it is because, we have become so engrossed in our own lives, that we couldn’t care less what is going on in the lives of others.

It is very important to greet everyone at home. It simply puts you and everyone living with you in a positive and happy frame of mind.

I always try and have at least one meal of the day with my family.

For some of us it might be breakfast or lunch or dinner. If that is not possible just sit together for some time and ask each other about their day. This not only improves your social skills but talking to your roommates or parents or siblings or spouse also helps reduce stress.

Now, many of you might say that you live alone. All of those living alone, should may be trying and go for a walk and greet your neighbors or meet up with a friend. Whatever suits you. The important thing is you should connect with others socially for your overall development.

BONUS TIP #11 : LIMIT YOUR PHONE USAGE

One last episode and then I’ll get back to work….  Let me just check what my friend has been upto?      Oh, the awards function was yesterday, let me just have a look what the celebrities were wearing?

Sound Familiar?

Don’t worry, I was there too.

Let me give you some suggestions on how to limit your phone usage during the day:

• Put your phone someplace far away from your workspace, so that you have to take extra effort to reach for it. Trust me you won’t.

• If you are not expecting any calls, put your phone on the airplane mode.

• You can check how much time you have spent on the phone on various apps using “Clockify”, “Forest”, etc. These apps are available free of cost on Play store. Many phones also have such tracking features inbuilt in them.

• Reward yourself with a chocolate or something you like, every time you have successfully stayed away from your phone.

• If you are on an important assignment or you have exams coming up, limit your social media presence, this way you won’t know what’s going on. So, you will not be tempted.

So that’s it from me guys.

I hope this article was helpful to you and all the best for scheduling your perfect morning routine.

Let me know what I should write about next

Happy reading ?