I love mornings! There is something about the quiet, peaceful stillness that begins a brand new day. Now I know that there are many people out there who hate mornings, and maybe you are one of those people. Not to mention, there are tons of morning routine blog posts and Youtube videos that list a whole bunch of things that you should do in the morning to have a “perfect” day. However, I know that many people don’t have the time to spend hours going through a full-on self-care morning routine. Therefore, I decided to create this post for those who don’t have much time in the morning, but still, want to cultivate the perfect self-care morning routine.
To me, the perfect self-care morning routine would be one that metaphorically “fills my cup.” One that is focused on detoxing, positivity, productivity, things that bring me happiness, and ultimately a routine that starts my day off feeling right. Yet, one that still can be completed within an hour or even less. The trick to this morning routine is to do each task with intention. No matter how long or how quickly you go through these. Nevertheless, I feel that no matter what, they set me up for success, make me feel good, and launch me into my workday feeling healthy and happy.
I hope to inspire you to take a few moments each morning to focus and invest in yourself. And simply add a little self-care back into your busy workday.
1. Disable the snooze button
Like me, you may be a big fan of the “snooze” button. You try to give yourself another 9 minutes of blissful sleep before you have to get up and face your day. I get it, the snooze button can definitely be tempting. However, did you know that the snooze button is actually doing the complete opposite of what you would like to happen? But, what does this have to do with self-care?
Well, I’m not sure if you have ever noticed, but when your alarm goes off again 9 minutes later, you wake up feeling even sleepier than before! It was this year when I noticed that I had developed a pretty bad habit of hitting the snooze button. However, I decided recently that it was time to break that habit!
What I decided to do was deactivate the snooze button on my phone. It’s incredibly simple and now that “snoozing” isn’t an option for me, it makes me get out of bed straight away. It makes me anxious to think that my alarm will not go off again once I turn it off since the snooze button isn’t there. And after a few days of not hitting snooze, I’ve noticed that my energy levels have definitely improved throughout the day! Therefore, like many things, this was a matter of shifting my mindset.
I know upon waking, snoozing for an extra 9 minutes seems like a great idea. It feels as though those 9 extra minutes are going to make you feel so much more rested. However, it actually disrupts your sleep schedule and it can actually cause more harm than good to your body. Fragmented sleep causes you to feel more tired, sluggish, and less productive. Not to mention, it is worse for your overall mood and cognitive function.
Therefore, I’m starting to realize it’s more worth it to get up as soon as my alarm goes off to avoid rushing around and to complete a few things that I enjoy doing in the morning!
Related Post: “How To Have A Positive Morning”
2. Lemon water
If you have never heard of the powerful benefits of lemon water, definitely keep reading! And for all of my fellow coffee lovers out there, don’t freak out. I still enjoy my delicious cup (or cups) of coffee each morning, but after I drink my lemon water. Drinking lemon water first thing upon waking, on an empty stomach, does so much for our digestive system, energy levels, and our overall well-being. Not to mention, it is such an inexpensive and effortless way to start your morning off right!
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C which is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect your cells from any damaging free radicals in the body. Along with that, Vitamin C also improves skin quality. Meaning that it can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, rehydrate dry skin, and reduce the damage from harmful sun rays.
Lemon water also aids in healthy digestion and prevents constipation! Especially if you drink it lukewarm or as hot tea. Lemon water has been shown to improve immunity and eliminate harmful toxins. Not to mention, lemons have an incredible alkalizing effect! Which helps to maintain a proper pH balance for overall health and wellness.
So with that, simply squeeze half of a lemon into your morning glass of water, and be ready to reap the incredible health benefits that it will bring each morning!
3. Brain dump
While you’re sipping on your lemon water, take this moment in the morning to write. Grab a journal, a notebook, or a random piece of paper, and simply write away! It can about anything: your dreams from last night, a to-do list, a grocery list, goals, a prayer, a list of daily affirmations, etc. Anything you want to jot down on paper – just let yourself write.
I think this is such a beneficial and even productive habit to adopt simply because it allows you to clear your head and reflect on your upcoming day or something else that is stuck in your mind. Allow yourself to write freely without any sort of boundaries! For me, I love to open up my notebook and write down the things that I want to accomplish for the day. My goals, blog post ideas, daily schedules for the week, you name it. I love to have many of my thoughts written down, that way I can either remember them easier or I can free them from my mind in order to think more clearly.
4. Meditate
A really special time for me in the morning is the time I set to disconnect, sit on my couch, and drink my coffee. After my lemon water of course! 😉For as little as 5 minutes each morning. I consider this time of the morning, my time to meditate, relax, focus, breathe, and self-reflect. I love it because it’s not one of those things that take 30 minutes to work effectively. All you need is 5 minutes, and you’ll be surprised how great you feel afterward. Morning meditation really allows me to feel relaxed, especially if I’m feeling anxious at all about my workday.
I love using these 5 minutes to add a little self-love + confidence boost into my morning as well! Getting into the habit of practicing this positive ritual in the first 15 minutes upon waking can really change your outlook on mornings, and possibly yourself! Definitely give this one – and all of them if you can – a try, at least one morning this week! Better yet, try it out tomorrow!
I hope you enjoyed these 4 tips on how to cultivate the perfect self-care morning routine! And my challenge to you is to begin tomorrow morning with a routine that nourishes your mind, body, and soul. When you decide to take a couple of minutes out of your morning to invest in a little self-care, you will definitely notice the benefits straight away!
Remember, it is so important to start your day with your cup full. That way you can take on your day with enough energy and a positive mindset!
Which of these 4 tips was your favorite?
Let me know in the comments!
xo, Cydney
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