Is Your Morning As Bad As Mine? Tips To Get Your Mornings Off To A Great Start

It’s a couple of weeks into the New Year and I know many of us have set some short and long term goals to accomplish.  A couple popular ones are to lose weight, manage debt or get a better job.  We all have our lists and one of my goals that I would like to share with you is having a better morning routine.  With seven year old twins, mornings can be quite hectic, loud, grumpy and irritable.  Getting the kids up for school is like trying to wake the dead, and then, when they are finally up you have to guide their zombie like bodies to the bathroom to get them to brush their teeth and take a bath. My daughter the singer/dancer puts on a morning show in front of her mirror every morning and my son has to beat his last score on his Nintendo 3Ds. An hour or so later when they are wide awake they come charging scavenging for food and bombarding me with questions which my half asleep brain is not functioning well enough to answer. On top of that there is nothing like a loud hectic morning without the sibling quarrel. We do our morning devotion giving thanks to God for a new day, then when it is just about time to head out the door and get to school we go on a hunt looking for socks, books, winter gloves, hats, which all have a rightful place but yet they are never to be found.  I am exhausted just righting this paragraph! So as you can see mornings can be a bit much in my household and my goal is to change that.

No more irritable mornings for me, I want to wake up peaceful and relaxed with a smile on my face and a sound mind.  It is so important to start your mornings off right as this sets your mood for the rest of the day. Nobody wants to be stressed first thing in the morning.  Here are some quick and easy pointers that will help you as well as myself get off to a good start in the mornings.

YOU CAN'T BE A NIGHT OWL
First and foremost, get a good nights rest. Don't expect to wake up refreshed and ready to go on only three hours of sleep. Your body needs its rest, and taking hours away from your sleep will have a detrimental effect on your motivation for the rest of the day.

BEAT THEM TO IT

Wake up before the family and make time for yourself.  You won't be any good to your family all worn out and stressed, so take care of you first.

THE EARLY BIRD

Wake up a little bit earlier.  The mornings can be unpredictable at times and you don't want to feel rushed or stressed if some things take an extra few minutes to get done.

POSITIVE VIBRATIONS

Start your morning off with positive thoughts. There is power in the mind and tongue, speak into existence what you want your day to be like and let it unfold.

GET CONNECTED

Meditate! Take time to focus your mind and catch your breath. I love meditating; it helps you to connect with your inner bean, to God and strength you didn't know you had within you.

PLAY SOME TUNES

Listen to music. Music is very comforting and soothing to the soul.  Put on your favourite tune and your mood will instantly change. In the mornings I like to listen to inspiring and relaxing music like gospel, smooth jazz, reggae and instrumentals.  

THE SKIN YOU'RE IN

Nurture your body, inside and out.  Your first meal of the day should be healthy and full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are going to help your body to function throughout the day. I love a colorful fruit salad in the morning with a cup of green tea.  Once you've fueled your body, pamper it with a warm bath.  Take time to nourish your skin with body oils and moisturizer, put on your favourite perfume and enjoy the skin you are in!

GET IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

Go outside and breathe in some of that fresh air, enjoy your breakfast on the patio, smell the fresh flowers and feel the warmth of the sun against your skin.  It's a great way to welcome the morning, in the spring and summer that is. Unless you live in a place that is warm all year round!

MOVE THAT BODY

Get your body moving, do some light exercise, go running, do yoga, stretch.  You don't want to walk into work with a stiff back and sleepy legs so get limber! Exercise is a great way to release stress and tension.

NO BRAIN FART HERE

Take some time to read the newspaper, magazine or a couple chapters of that book you can't seem to finish.  Stimulate the mind and get that brain going.

REMIX IT

Lets face it, routines can get boring so mix it up.  Try a new workout, cook a special breakfast for the family or add some fresh flowers to the table.  Mornings don't have to be a drag, be a little spontaneous. 

GET ORGANIZED

Have a 10-15 minute meeting with the family. Discuss the days plans, the to do list; try to resolve matters that have a quick solution, etc. Knowing the day’s tasks and objectives ahead of time will help you to be more effective and time efficient during your day at work or school.

I hope you found this post helpful and inspiring. Start your day with some of these tips and you will be a morning person in no time! Do you have a great morning routine or tip that you would like to share? Leave a comment below!