7 Simple Habits To Kickstart Your Day

It's no secret that having a good morning routine is one of the best things you can do to get your day started off right.

Instead of hitting snooze and reacting to your day, incorporating just a few tweaks to your morning ritual can make all the difference.

Regardless of whether you consider yourself a morning person these 7 habits will get your day started off on the right foot.

Wake up 30 minutes early

No. You don't have to wake up at 4:45 to have an awesome morning.

Stop feeling guilty about not jumping out of bed before the break of dawn. Instead, aim to give yourself just 30 minutes of extra time to get moving.

30 minutes is just enough time to give yourself time to wake up and not feel rushed throughout your morning while not sacrificing the amount of sleep you get.

Use the extra 30 minutes however you like. Heart a few Instagram photos. Watch the lady with the Chewbacca mask. Or get started on some of the habits below --- guilt free.

Make Your Bed (3 minutes)

It may sound silly, but making my bed each morning has been one of the best additions to my morning routine this year. Starting your day by making your bed is perfect "small win" to give you a quick boost of momentum and get your mind in the right place to tackle the day.

For one, making your bed is something you can control, and feeling in control is one of the best ways to improve both your confidence and overall well being. There's something that feels inherently good about having a made bed before you walk out the door. It's also a nice way to return home after a long day at work. :)

Floss One Tooth (1 minute)

This is something I learned from Stanford professor and habit extraordinaire BJ Fogg. Before coming across the floss one tooth concept I had always struggled to floss consistently despite knowing the clear health benefits.

After you brush your teeth, you commit to flossing just ONE tooth --- which takes less than a few seconds. If you floss one tooth you are successful. Of course, to get the benefits of flossing you'll want to floss all your teeth eventually, but building the habit of flossing is far more important in the long term.

Some days you'll get "lazy" and floss one tooth and that's perfectly ok. Eventually after doing one tooth for consecutive days you'll work your way to adding another tooth. Because you're already in motion you're literally tricking your brain into building good habits.

Our brains are funny aren't they?

If you've struggled to make flossing a regular habit give this a try. Trust me.

Get Up And Move (5 minutes)

I like to spend a few minutes moving my body after making my bed. Sometimes I like do pushups. Other times I'll do a quick 7 minute workout. In the spirt of small wins, moving your body even just for a few minutes helps you start your day off on the right track.

Not only does moving help you wake up, it gets the blood flowing to your muscles and brain.

Plan Your Day (5 minutes)

Stop reacting to your day and take a few minutes to plan your game of attack. Open up your calendar. Take note of what's on your agenda. Give your mind a general idea of what to expect. Is today packed with meetings? Perhaps you should leave for work a few minutes early. Lunch with coworkers? Perhaps you should skip the usual Starbucks frap.

Once you have an overview of your day, jot down 2-3 of your most important tasks for the day. I like to to put my 2-3 tasks on a blank index card.

Your goal should be to complete your 2-3 MIT's (most important items) each day. If you can do that, you'll have had a "successful" day.

Of course life happens, but taking a few moments to clarify your focus will significantly increase your chances of having a genuinely productive day.

Take A Cold Shower (5 minutes)

Taking a cold shower certainly isn't for everyone, but I can say for certain when I've taken cold showers consistently my productivity and overall happiness levels have skyrocketed.

I typically like to commit to 30-60 days of cold showers when ever I want to step up my game. I use the app Cold Shower Therapy (CST) by my friend Joel Runyon to help keep track of my cold showers and gamify the process.

While I can't attest to the many claimed "health" benefits of taking cold showers, my personal experience has proven them to be accurate.

Nothing says "wake up" like standing under a stream of freezing cold water.

Meditate (3 Minutes)

Since the beginning of 2016 I've made it a priority to meditate on a consistent basis and couldn't be happier that I did. Without a doubt, it has been one of the best things I've done (aside from quitting smoking.

The science behind meditation is real. You can see how to meditate here.

If you're looking to get more out of your day I suggest you give these morning habits a try. :)

P.S Would love to hear about your morning rituals... what do you do each morning to give yourself an edge? Leave a comment below!

Originally Posted on A Boundless World

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