12 Habits to Create Your Optimal Morning Routine
Taking charge of your life begins with establishing your best morning.
Some people wake up groggy and sleep too long. Others wake up, eagerly anticipating the promise of a new day.
They exercise, read something inspirational, or they eat a healthy breakfast.
Set a routine for yourself and follow it like a ritual.
Stick to it. Conquer your morning. Take charge of your life.
Here are some great, effective ways to have an optimal morning routine and set the stage for the rest of your day:
Supercharge with Coffee
Drinking coffee before a morning workout will increase your performance. It also increases adrenal levels in the blood. Your adrenals activate your body’s fight or flight response, which helps prepare you for physical exercise.
One of our favorite ways to prepare coffee is to mix it in with a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of coconut oil. This keeps the appetite under control before and during your workout, while it increases the coffee’s caffeine absorption.
Coffee also helps you focus on the tasks at-hand and stay mentally alert throughout the day. Studies have shown that a moderate amount of coffee, between 2-4 cups a day, can have numerous benefits [1], [2], [3]:
- Coffee antioxidants help eliminate free radicals which damage cells
- Coffee may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and lower the risk of dementia
- Coffee has been shown to improve mood and reduce the risk of depression
Give yourself 30 minutes after your cup of coffee and then witness your increase in productivity.
Take Nootropic Supplements
Taking metaFOCUS as part of your morning routine will help prepare your brain for a day of maximum concentration, mental energy, and productivity. Later in the day, perhaps after lunch, you can recharge your body and mind with metaDRIVE.
Stretch in the Mornings
Daily stretching can improve your posture, reduce aches and pains, increase blood flow, and increase energy.
If you work at a computer most of the day, your posture is suffering. Stretching will increase energy by loosening up your tight muscles, keeping you flexible and preparing you for an active day. As we sleep, the body is static. Stretching in the morning warms up your joints and eases aches and stiffness.
Meditate
Regular morning meditation is an important habit to form. Consistent meditation has been shown to have many benefits such as improved concentration, emotional intelligence, and reduced stress.
One of the most common ways to get started with meditation is through guided meditations centered around mindfulness of breath. Essentially you focus on the sensations in your nostrils as the breath goes in and out. In the beginning, you will probably have what’s known as the “monkey-mind.”
Thoughts will distract you from concentrating on the breath but as you keep bringing your attention back to the breath each time it happens, your mind will continue to strengthen.
If you find yourself dozing off because you meditate immediately after waking up, try drinking some tea or coffee before doing so.
Experiment with different methods and find what works best for you and your body. Don’t force yourself to sit for longer than necessary. Allow your body to adjust to the natural progression of your meditation. Start with just a few minutes a day and build up, but the most important thing is to be consistent.
A morning meditation routine of just 10-15 minutes per day has been shown to have lasting benefits after a couple weeks.
Plan Your Next Day Before Going to Bed
You don’t want to interfere with your morning routine, so prepare for the next day by organizing your clothes and your lunch items.
Don’t leave important decisions for the morning. Make them the night before when your mind is clear.
Don’t Pick Up Your Phone
Don’t get seduced by your phone or your laptop in the morning. Begin your day with positive activities.
Focus on preparing yourself to be energized and productive. The news, your email, and social media accounts can all wait.
Don’t be a slave to your phone. Turn it off from time to time or put it on Do Not Disturb, especially in the morning. Begin your day being mindful and present.
How Important is Breakfast?
Some experts say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You should eat a good, nutritious breakfast. But there are others who claim that fasting first thing in the morning helps give you more energy and clarity.
Drinking your coffee or tea with butter and coconut oil will help activate your brain into a ketogenic state without having a full meal.
It will suppress your appetite throughout the morning, promote alertness, and help your brain function at peak levels. It will also help keep your weight in check for a longer period each morning.
Music to Get You Pumped
Listening to music in the morning helps you get inspired and motivated.
You can enjoy rising every morning to your favorite song on your phone by setting it as an alarm. It’s much better than waking up to an obnoxious buzzer or some broadcast of bad news.
Music in the morning will help set your mood for the rest of your day.
Water is Life
Drink water and splash it on your face in the morning to rise with vigor and get your day going.
Everyone should drink up to 16oz. of water every morning, depending on your weight, to boost your metabolism, flush out toxins in your body, hydrate your body, and fuel your hungry brain. Your body slowly dehydrates when you sleep, so you need to restore that water loss when you wake up.
All of our body’s tissues need water, including our brains. When you don’t drink enough, you feel mentally fatigued and can have mood fluctuations. Drink water and start kicking butt from the second you wake up.
Get in Nature
Get some air and enjoy nature in the morning to help gain a positive perspective on your day and center yourself.
If you have the luxury of living close to nature, go for a short walk. Breathe deeply and enjoy the clean morning air.
Wake Up Early
Take over the day by waking up early. Don’t hit the snooze button in the morning.
Take charge of your day and get up with tenacity. Try waking up before sunrise, if possible, to jump-start your day.
Pre-dawn stillness and calm prepares you for kicking butt the rest of the day. It’s important to work with your sleep cycles as well.
Know your body and how much sleep you need to stay productive and in a healthy mood throughout the day. Don’t forget to stretch and drink water in the morning after you get up.
Focus Inwardly
Try being a bit antisocial in the morning right after you wake. Journaling can be extremely therapeutic especially in the morning. Get all those thoughts out onto paper (or digital notes) so that you'll have a clear head when you get the day started.
Make Your Morning Routine A Habit
Find your best morning routine. Set a plan, experiment a bit, and make it a habit. This way you have consistent motivation throughout the day and you function optimally.
Some people don’t have a lot of time in the morning, so you can experiment with adding some of these habits slowly to find your optimal routine.
This will get you moving in the right direction by taking the bull by the horns. Set some time aside for yourself and start your day the optimal way.