Rewiring your morning routine: how ditching a phone and thoughtful planning can boost the day
Blaming the world for your poor state is essentially shifting responsibility, a practice which solves nothing. Most often, our mood is influenced by the habits we uphold from the moment we wake up. The morning routine plays a pivotal role in shaping our mood for the remainder of the day. Therefore, it is insightful to know which habits to avoid to prevent falling into a recurrent and draining cycle.
11:22 PM EST, February 13, 2024
The habit that disrupts your morning
Does your alarm clock ring and the first thing you do is reach for your phone to check social media? That's a significant mistake! This habit has become relatively prevalent ever since people started avidly following the lives of others through social media platforms. Succumbing to the internet's stimuli first thing in the morning can lead to feelings of internal irritation. The brain, instead of focusing on the most crucial tasks, gets distracted and struggles to concentrate.
Remarkably, while browsing social media in the morning, a hormone called "dopamine" starts getting released in the brain, prompting a search for more pleasure in your surroundings. A distracted mind cannot work productively, which is why it's best to aim for tranquility in the morning, as opposed to bombarding yourself with countless stimuli.
Establishing a morning routine step by step
Do you want your days to end in success and satisfaction? Develop a morning routine that ensures a promising start to your day. Upon waking, avoid using the snooze function, which will tempt you to stay in bed until the very last moment. You'll waste a lot of time, leading to rush and negative emotions. The habit of setting multiple alarms is detrimental and should be entirely eliminated from your morning routine. The next step is to mindfully cater to both your body and soul. Eat a wholesome breakfast, take a shower, breathe in some fresh air, and aim to maintain a positive mindset from the early morning.
Planning the activities for the coming days is worthwhile. This way, you have objectives to fulfill, igniting you to take specific actions. The habit of strategizing seamlessly blends into your daily routine, assisting you in structuring your day and alleviating end-of-day worries about forgotten tasks. While many people can't envision a morning without rush and clock-checking, it's beneficial to restructure your habits gradually. Start by forgoing your phone in the morning, and then progressively alter habits related to eating, waking up, and the daily activities you perform. Assess what makes your morning routine unpleasant. Once you've identified the issue, aim to eliminate it. We assure you that it would be a boon for your health!