I will be the first person to admit it. I am not a morning person. I have never, ever liked working out in the morning and don’t immediately wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. But one of my promises to myself going into 2019 was to put a strict morning regiment into place to set me up for my day. Because I work in LA and most of my team/clients works on NY hours, when I get into work I have to immediately be ON. There is no buffer time to ease into it – which makes it imperative for me to get my mind right before I head into work. These 5 things I have been doing regularly and it truly impacts my productivity and happiness the remainder of the day.
Don’t Look at Your Phone for the First Hour
While I am no saint with this, I have really pushed myself to not reach for the phone right when I wake up to scroll through IG Stories and text messages and it has had a huge impact on my happiness. Without immediate stress or comparing myself to others first thing in the morning, it has helped regulate my cortisol levels (or the “stress hormone”) which can have direct impact on fatigue, irritability, anxiety etc. Instead, I use this time to make my bed and just tidy my space so when I come home from work my room looks inviting.
Splash your Face with Cold Water
Ok, I know this sounds dumb because duh you wash your face in the morning HOWEVER I used to wash my face with lukewarm water until I heard about the benefits of taking a cold shower/washing your face with cold water. Basically, the shock to your system increases your alertness and gives you a natural dose of energy to start the day. For me, it feels refreshing and like a giant yawn for my skin.
Move Your Body and Breathe
Again, I am not a morning workout gal. If I do a heavy workout in the morning I am hungry literally all day long. Since I have moved to LA, I have made a point to utilize my outdoor space and quite literally “move” for 10-15 minutes. Most of you know that I am big into yoga, however some mornings I will start a flow and then just move anyway that makes my body feel good! My neighbors probably think I am on drugs because I kinda look crazy but whatever it makes me happy. Then I take 5 minutes to just breathe and think about setting up my day. Grounding myself and connecting my mind to my body first thing in the morning helps me stay in tune with how I am feeling throughout the day.
Hot Lemon Water
I am obsessed with lemons. Like I may be pushing it with my lemon consumption. Drinking hot lemon water in the morning helps jumpstart your digestive system and increases metabolism. Not to mention – I love to put it in a great big Anthropologie mug and it makes me feel fancy. Once I drink my warm water, I fill up my Healthish water bottle that regulates how much water I should drink throughout the day (but tbh I drink about 4 of these bottles instead of 1 because I am constantly thirsty.)
Listen to an Inspiring Podcast
I used to listen to The New York Times: The Daily every morning however with the state of the country, I would come to work and either be crying or ready to rant about the day’s political turmoil. I have mixed up my podcast routine to listen to inspiring women, founders and entrepreneurs on my way to work and then listen to news on my commute home. With this mix-up in my routine, I have found that listening to inspiring women gets me amped up and ready for the day and excited to be productive! I listen to The Skinny Confidential, Skimm’d From The Couch, Girlboss Radio and The Tim Farris Show.
So, like of course I try and stick to the 5 things as much as possible because it truly helps me jumpstart the day. But even getting to 4/5 or 3/5 sets me up for the day too. I have found that having a routine and sticking to it even when I am traveling, really helps regulate my mood and honestly something I look forward to every morning.
xx
Kelly
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