6 Morning Habits That Will Change Your Life Forever

Hey, Psych2Goers! Do your mornings often tend to get away from you? Do you find yourself seemingly never able to get your extensive To-Do list done? You know, the one! The big list that’s due before lunch time? It can be tough to stay focused and motivated. Especially if you’re still half-asleep. There are some key things you can do to get the most of out your morning. You wanna start your day right! Right?

Here are ‘6 Morning Habits That Will Change Your Life Forever’!

DISCLAIMER: This post is for educational purposes and is based on personal opinions. This post is not a substitute for professional advice, but general guidance. We advise you to always listen to your intuition and always do what is right for you.

#1. Avoiding Screens Before Bed

Okay, this one’s a bit of a cheat, because it can start the night before. It really depends on what time you go to bed though. But how you sleep the night before definitely affects the following morning.

According to Danielle Pacheco from The Sleep Foundation, “Electronic back-lit devices like cell phones, tablets, readers, and computers emit short-wavelength enriched light, also known as blue light. Fluorescent and LED lights also emit blue light, which has been shown to reduce or delay the natural production of melatonin in the evening and decrease feelings of sleepiness.”

If you allow yourself half an hour, or even an hour to not look at the screens, as hard as that is, you’ll get a better night’s sleep overall. Then you’ll feel better in the morning! Great start!

#2. Avoiding The Snooze Button

If you need to be up early for school or work, does your body naturally just wake up five minutes beforehand? How often does your body wake up just before, during or after your alarm? It can be super easy to hit the snooze button and tell yourself, “Just five more minutes!”. That’s a dangerous game to play though, because that “five minutes” could easily become an hour and then you’re really late.

Waking up the moment your alarm goes off and forcing yourself to get out of bed will become easier the more you do it. It just takes practice. And muscle memory, which can become second nature. Teach your fingers to use that muscle memory to avoid the infamous button.

#3. Waking Up Earlier

When you do get up, are you often scrambling to get things done? Are you panicked when always leaving the house, because you’re always running late? Say you have somewhere to be right at 9AM. If you normally wake up at 8, but you’re just barely making it on time, maybe try waking up at 7:30 instead. That extra half hour can give you time you need to process things and relax a bit.

Once you’re used to that extra half hour, you can maybe even expand that to a full hour. If you’re up early enough, you can also catch that beautiful sunrise you’ve been missing lately!

#4. Having Breakfast

Are you a breakfast-skipper or a breakfast-enjoyer? Depending on your diet and how much time you have in the morning, you may not eat a lot, or anything at all. Eating a healthy balanced breakfast can help with your day. It can keep your brain focused. You’re more likely to stay on point at your job, or in class, if you’ve eaten beforehand.

Now this doesn’t mean you need to eat a five-course meal at 8AM. Maybe you’re someone who doesn’t like a big breakfast, and that’s okay too. It’s important to have something, as opposed to nothing. Even having smaller portions can do wonders for your mood.

#5. Showering

People often shower at the end of a long, hard day. Especially when you’re covered in a lot of sweat. Although there are benefits to showering in the morning. Morning showers can help you wake up in the morning, if a coffee won’t do the trick.

A shower can also help tame that pesky and unkempt morning-bedhead! There’s a great sense of refreshment you can feel after you’ve stepped out of the shower. Showers can also improve your mood. It’s better to feel better at the start of the day anyway!

#6. Positive Affirmations in the Mirror

Last, but certainly not least, is being kind to yourself. It may seem silly talking to yourself in the mirror, but give it a try. Think of kind and encouraging words you’d use for a friend when they’re in need. Now use those exact same words, but on yourself in the mirror. You’re much likelier to smile.

Giving yourself a smile before you leave your home will hopefully change your day for the better!

Final Thoughts

There you have it! In the short time you’ve been awake, you’ve already accomplished so many things! Be proud of everything you’ve completed so far! And to make it even better, there’s still a lot more of your day left to go!

The better mornings you have, the better days you’ll have. The better days you have, the more positive your life will be! Changed for the better!

References:

‘How Electronics Affect Sleep’ by Danielle Pacheco, Kimberly Truong, PhD (April 1st, 2022) https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-electronics-affect-sleep

‘Breakfast: Is It The Most Important Meal?’ by Lisa Hill, Christine Mikstas, RD, LD (April 22nd, 2021) https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/breakfast-lose-weight

‘Should You Shower in the Morning, or at Night? Yes’ by Maya Salam (December 22nd, 2017) https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/22/well/showering-morning-night.html