Every year, we dream that ‘this’  is going to be our year. We incorporate a lot of different ideas and plans into our calendars and most of us fail in following through. The thing that I have noticed is that we start incorporating too much too fast. 

 

We have seen how 2020 turned out so let's not put our foot down on the gas pedal and try to rush through but rather take a step back and start slow. 

 

What better way to start our journey to glowing up than starting with some good habits as soon as we wake up in the morning.?

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1. Sleep more or Sleepless?

 

When we talk about getting enough sleep, we often discuss the adverse effect of not getting enough sleep but we don’t nearly stress enough on the disadvantages of oversleeping. 

 

On average, getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night is more than enough for your body to be replenished and full of energy for the new day. Sleeping less or more can negatively affect your mind and physical health. 

 

Sleeping less can often make you feel cranky and tired but oversleeping will also have a similar effect as it will make you sluggish and only delay your start to the day. 

 

So try to get just the right amount of sleep instead of oversleeping to compensate for the late nights. 

 

2. Wake up, Get up

 

In continuation to not feel sluggish in the morning, as soon as you wake up, you need to get up.

 

I know, the feeling of just lying in bed for 5 more minutes cuddled up in your warm blanket even when you have already woken up is tempting but trust me, you do not want to do that. It will only make your body more prone to feel sluggish and it will also delay your overall start to the day. 

 

Just waking up and getting out of bed immediately will make you feel more energized and decrease the chances of you falling back asleep, also something you want to avoid. 

 

Such a simple step might look like nothing but try it out and I can assure you, that you will surely see a difference. 

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3. 5...5...5…

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This is the newest addition to my morning routine but I cannot stress enough how much this has helped me. 

 

I first heard about it from the youtube channel All Things Adrienne and decided to try it. Long story short, I am glad I did. 

 

This basically tells you to start off your day with a 5-5-5 count. 5 minutes to write, 5 minutes to read, and 5 minutes to listen. 

 

You can make your own 5-5-5 rule or modify it to your liking. You can write a paragraph or a single line on how you want your day to be or what you are grateful for. You can read a newspaper or a novel or a magazine. You can listen to worship music or heavy metal or even the latest song from your favorite k-pop group. 

 

Just spend the first 15 minutes of your morning doing this. It helps wake up your mind and also makes you feel productive, which in turn helps you set a tone for your upcoming day. 

 

 

4. Get moving

 

Yes, yes, I know how working out can be daunting and we often try to shy away from it, especially in the morning but the best way to wake up your mind and body is by being active. 

 

And you don’t necessarily have to do an intense cardio workout to be active. You can go for a walk, dance, do yoga, or even some light stretching. Always remember ‘Anything is better than nothing. 

 

Just get out of your head and get your body moving. This will help chase away and remainings of your sleep and also help you harvest your energy for your day. 

 

5. Mindful eating

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I cannot stress enough on the fact about how important it is to drink water when you wake up or not skip breakfast. 

 

We all know this. Some of us follow and some of us don’t but we are aware of this. 

 

We know the importance and benefits of breakfast but what I want to discuss is the importance of a healthy breakfast. If we only have breakfast that is loaded on sugars then the chances are, our body’s energy will go down pretty fast and the tiredness will surely creep into us by mid-afternoon.  This way we will end up blaming waking up early for your cranky mood instead of the artificial sugars in our food. 

 

So for a healthy breakfast avoid contents like cereals or adding a sugar cube to your cup of coffee or tea and instead opt for natural sugars and in fruits, muesli, and vegetables. This will definitely help you keep yourself energized for longer and give you a good start for the day. 

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Always remember you need to start somewhere to reach the goal you have in mind. Don’t get demotivated just because you didn’t get the result you were hoping for. Building a habit takes time and it is okay if you cannot follow through every day for every week of every year. Start slow and build yourself up. 

 

These are just small 5 tips that help me get a better start to my day and I hope some of these can help you too. Let us know in the comments below if you plan on trying any of these or if any of these habits have helped you in getting a better start to your day.