5 BENEFITS OF MORNING RITUALS

Introduction
If you are not a “morning person” you may recoil in horror at the idea of
waking up even earlier to include morning rituals in your busy schedule. You do not have to wake up at 5 AM every day to benefit from introducing
morning rituals into your life.
If you drink a cup of coffee in the morning or immediately start scrolling
through social media after turning off your alarm then you already have
morning rituals. The idea is to optimize your morning routine for a more
stress-free and productive day. Our mornings can set the tone for the rest
of our day which is why many experts recommend using the morning to
spend some time on you. What is a Morning Ritual?
A morning ritual is a task that you perform in the morning every day. This can
range from taking a walk to making a to-do list. Your morning rituals should
be tailored for what works best for you. Benefits of Morning Rituals
These benefits of morning rituals are backed by scientific studies. More Productive Days
Taking a few moments at the beginning of the day to organize your
thoughts and plan your day can go a long way when it comes to productivity. Going into work groggy, grumpy, and unprepared can leave you feeling
unfulfilled and unaccomplished. Having a productive day is not just about
making a to-do list either. Having a morning ritual that makes you feel good about yourself and start
the day off in a relaxed mood will also help you be more productive. Instead
of rushing into all of the tasks you have to complete with a scrambled mind.
Less Stress

Stress is a normal human reaction to having too much to do in too little time. There are a lot of physical and mental ways that stress can affect you over
time. This includes increased anxiety, developing depression, fatigue, headaches, and even body pains from tension. One of the ways that having a morning ritual benefits you is that you know
what to expect every morning and so your brain has less to worry about. Self-care rituals like exercise, journaling, or meditation can reduce your
stress levels throughout the day because you can approach challenges from
a clear mindset. Live Healthier
If your morning rituals currently include things like pressing the snooze
button multiple times, scrolling on social media while chugging a boiling cup
of coffee, skipping breakfast, and violating several traffic laws as you speed
to work...well that’s not great, but you are not alone. Many people get into
bad habits and do not know how to break them. Having a morning ritual is a
great way to implement healthy habits into your life. Having a schedule in the morning can help you make time in your day for
working out and eating a healthy breakfast. These healthy habits will make
you feel more energized and productive throughout the day and benefit your
long term health. It is tempting to hit the snooze button (we have all been
there), but once you get into a routine your body will adjust to waking up at
a specific time. Having morning rituals that you enjoy to look forward to will
motivate you to get out of bed in the mornings. Better Memory
Have you ever taken a long commute to work and settled into your work
when you suddenly groan and realize you forgot to complete an important
task at home? Having a morning routine can help to prevent you from
forgetting important things. Imagine working all night on writing a paper just
to forget it at home on the day it is due. Instances like that are avoidable by
using morning rituals to take time to reflect on the day ahead of you and
prepare. Getting into a regular morning routine means that you do the same tasks
every morning which makes it harder to forget things. Creating a to-do list is
a morning ritual that will have a huge benefit in helping you to remember all
of the important things you have to get done that day. Being clear-headed in
the morning helps to improve memory
.
Make More Time For Yourself
Morning routines save time because you do not have to waste time thinking
about what to do next. This means that you can get more sleep or get more
things done in the morning. Having time for yourself in the morning means
that you can spend more time getting ready for the day. You can plan out
your outfits and spend more time on your appearance which will make you
feel confident and look more put together. For many people, the morning hours are a sacred time. Families with
children will appreciate the quiet and calm before the kids wake up. Take
time for yourself in the morning to walk outside and smell the fresh air. Write
in your journal, burn a candle, meditate, take a bath, and pamper yourself
and you will feel better all day. There are many ways that you can pamper
yourself in the morning. Why Morning Routines
Are Important
All of the benefits that we listed have one thing in common: they will help
you be a more successful person with a more positive attitude. Both your
career and personal life can benefit from morning rituals. For Your Career
People who work in sales or management know how far a positive attitude
can go. Being in a leadership position is a lot of responsibility and coming
into work every morning in “pre-coffee mode” can be off-putting for your
future career prospects. ● Better leadership skills
● Better decision making
● Look better by spending more time on your appearance
● Inspire others to be like you
● Positive mood
● Increased productivity
● More confidence
Having a confident attitude can go a long way in the professional world. If you
can’t manage to brush your hair or lint roll the cat hair from your slacks before
work, then why should you be trusted to manage important clients and
projects? Appearance is less important than your work ethic and performance, but they both play a role in how successful you can be in your career field. For Your Relationships
Having a lot of stress and a rushed schedule can lead to less fulfilling
relationships in your life. Morning rituals allow you to take time for yourself so
that you can make time for them. Spending quality time with your significant
other or spouse in the morning instead of just silently bumping shoulders in
the kitchen as you get ready for work in a frenzy can help your relationship
be more loving and healthy. ● Less morning grumpiness
● Spend more quality time
● Talk about your plans for the future
● Less stress means fewer arguments
● Get more done as a couple or a family
The same thing goes for spending time with your children. Having an
organized routine for the morning allows you to spend extra time with the
kids by cooking them breakfast, going over their homework assignments, or
simply seeing them off to school with a smile. Being grumpy in the morning
because of stress and lack of sleep can affect the people that you love. Some people get snappy or distant when they are under stress which can
make significant others and children avoid you completely in the morning.
If this sounds familiar then you need to start using morning rituals right away
to get control of your time. Even if you are completely single and childless, your relationships can benefit from a morning ritual. You could check up on
an older relative or parent, text a friend, or meet up with a coworker for
coffee and a morning stroll with the extra time you make in the mornings

For Your Mental Health
The importance of mental health has become more obvious to society in
recent times. In the past, a lot of people neglected to take care of their
mental health when trying to be more productive or handle a heavy
workload/responsibilities. We know now that mental health plays an
important role in how productive and successful we can be. Morning rituals
make time for you to do things that improve your mental health. ● Journalling
● Self-care
● Meditation
● Exercise
● Less stress
Being too stressed out is bad for you in all aspects. Creating a morning
routine that benefits your mental health will have positive benefits that spill
out into other areas of your life. People who struggle with anxiety, ADHD, and depression can improve their mental health and reduce the severity of
their symptoms by using healthy morning rituals. Of course, burning a candle in the morning is not a replacement for seeing
a mental health professional if you need one, but taking time to focus on
your mental health can certainly help. Therapists, life-coaches, and doctors
all recommend having a routine in place. For Your Physical Health
We have already discussed in detail why stress is bad for your health and
how morning rituals can reduce stress, but what are the other ways morning
rituals can benefit your physical health? Having a routine will free up your
time in the morning that you would usually spend scrolling on your phone or
trying to decide what to do first (procrastinating). Structured daily schedules
are an effective way for being more productive overall, including for your
health. ● Exercise more
● Eat healthier
● Get more sleep
● Wake up with more energy
You do not have to wake up earlier to have a morning routine. When you

have a list of things that you need to do each morning it becomes easier to

take care of the necessary tasks in a shorter amount of time. This way you
can catch a few minutes of extra sleep. Your body will naturally fall into a
rhythm of going to sleep and waking up at a certain time which will make
you feel more rested when the dreaded alarm clock goes off. The alarm
clock may not be so dreaded when you have a healthy breakfast and self- care routine to look forward to. It will eventually become effortless to wake
up at the same time every day. One of the best times to exercise is in the morning because it gives you a
rush of endorphins and promotes energy levels to start the day. A lot of
people have difficulty finding the motivation to work out first thing in the
morning, but with a daily routine, it will become easier. A simple walk
around the block while you drink your coffee and watch the sunrise is a
great way to get your blood flowing first thing in the morning.