How to Start Your Day

A good way to start your day is to instill habits that form a morning routine. That way, you can start the day fresh and awake. There are many habits that you can include in your daily routine (in no particular order):

– Listen to uplifting music
– Follow a guided meditation
– Do some light stretching
– Practice some yoga
– Shower
– Brush your teeth
– Change into daytime clothes
– Wear makeup
– Wear jewelry or other accessories
– Check off your MITs (most important tasks)
– Come up with a gratitude list
– Drink water
– Enjoy sipping hot tea or hot cocoa
– Read a book
– Wash your face
– Apply toner or moisturizer to your face
– Apply lotion or oil on your body
– Massage your hands or anywhere you feel discomfort
– Go for a morning walk
– Enjoy the sunlight (being careful not to look at it directly if it is beaming bright)
– Enjoy breakfast
– Wash the dishes
– Apply perfume, cologne, or body mist
– Comb your hair
– Brush your hair

These are just a few ideas out of many to start your morning routine. For everyone, it may look different. For example, some people (including myself) prefer taking showers in the evening. Other people do not drink anything with caffeine in it.

If you’re not used to having a morning routine, you may want to start with just a few habits at a time. Then, you can gradually build up to instilling more good habits. Eventually, you’ll be on a roll, tackling each habit one at a time and starting your day just right.

If you have a chaotic schedule, you may want to just make sure that you instill a few good habits. Then, let the rest resolve itself based on what you have to get accomplished for that day. For example, if you have to head off somewhere different from usual at an early time, you might cut off going for a morning walk. Or, you can alternatively wake up a little earlier than usual to get your whole morning routine in.

Personally, I try to get my whole morning routine down. If I don’t, I succumb to being lazy and doing nothing. On days when I follow my morning routine, I feel more productive and in balance.

Nighttime routines are also helpful for ending your day. It can put you into a relaxing mood to get some much needed rest. Again, you can apply some of the habits I’ve listed above to get yourself started with a good nighttime routine (e.g. listening to a guided meditation to help your mind relax).

Like I said, if you’re completely out of it with no set schedule for your morning routine, you might want to start with simple habits such as brushing your teeth or drinking water. You can make it a goal for a week to brush your teeth every day for seven days. Then once you get past that, you can add in the habit of drinking water for seven days along with brushing your teeth. Then after that, you can throw something in such as listening to a guided meditation. Go with what feels best or natural to you.