Beginning each day with a good routine is important: the way we begin our day is sure to affect the way we go about the rest of it. In the words of Erin Engle, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, starting our day right can instill “ and lead to a more productive rest of the day.” Many people brush their teeth, take a shower, eat breakfast, and get dressed every morning. These habits are very common. There are some habits, though, that everyone can do to improve their mornings. To start each day right, we could consider putting a limit to how long we look at our devices, drinking 3 cups of water after waking up, and performing a physical activity such as a short workout or stretch.
Limit Screen Time
Our devices, such as phones, laptops, TVs, and game consoles can be time-consuming and distracting to us. It is best to avoid excessive screen time in order to have a more productive morning. Engle says checking our phones for news “may make it tempting to mindlessly read content, which may feel purposeful, but is actually a passive activity." This does not mean that reading the news everyday is bad. Still, there is a risk that one may overuse devices when time could be spent more wisely. Instead of being compelled to check Instagram or other social media each morning, we could try silencing the phone until we are at least ready to head out for work or class.
Drink 3 Cups of Water After Waking Up
Drinking 3 cups of water soon after waking up gives us many lasting benefits. According to an on Pinnacle Care Internal Medicine, benefits of drinking water every morning include increasing skin radiance, helping with weight loss, improving metabolism, increasing shine and hair texture, relieving heartburn and bladder infections, and–arguably the most important–strengthening our immune systems. All of these bonuses come with drinking 3 cups of water after waking up each day. Of course, drinking water throughout the day is necessary–but having water in the morning can help our bodies in ways we may not realize. Try to drink water in the morning by having a water bottle in the room or getting some water from a vending machine or the Gazebo.
Exercise or Stretch
Exercising or stretching in the morning can help us with many things. According to an on Medical News Today, stretching helps us have better mobility, prevent injury, improve alertness, ease muscle tension, reduce pain, and boost our mood. A few toe touches and flamingo stretches do wonders for the body. Not to mention, exercise is also beneficial in the morning. According to an on Healthline, morning exercises can improve alertness, boost energy, improve focus, improve mood, help us make healthier food choices, lose weight, control appetite, improve sleep, manage blood pressure, and control blood glucose. Even a small walk around campus or a couple pushups in the room can get blood flowing faster and the mind thinking more clearly. Overall, exercising or stretching in the morning is very beneficial to our health.
Limiting screen time, drinking water, stretching, and exercising are great morning activities that can improve our wellbeing. A lot of health benefits can be reaped from doing these small things each morning. Most importantly, performing these tasks daily can give us more self-confidence and help us be more productive throughout the day. In order to improve our morning routine, we should all consider implementing these practices into our mornings in order to more effectively start the day.
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