A solid morning routine has long been the backbone of my self-care practice.
You dont have to take my word for it, though.
Therapists will be quick to tell you the mental health benefits of starting your day this way.
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As soon as you wake up, every decision you make dips into your brains willpower reserves.
Of course, these willpower-depleting decisions are unavoidable; our lives are full of them.
Thats where a good morning routine comes in.
So lets talk about some of the things you might want to add to your morning routine.
Experiment with what works for you, and remember that the key is consistency.
), and it might also do some surprising psychological work behind the scenes too.
And by the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.
At first, it was simply…nice.
Turns out, it made all the difference.
Nail a getting ready order.
Remember that decision fatigue we just talked about?
Its extremely applicable to getting ready in the morning.
), but you might not have it down to an exact order yet.
you might save yourself from constantly having to ask yourself, Okay, what next?
by solidifying a step-by-step process.
Those micro-decisions add up.
The more you’re free to have on autopilot the better.
Put off checking your phone.
Why not delay that just a little bit?
When you wake up, youve been sleeping and youre in a comparatively relaxed state, says Howes.
Wouldnt it be great to maintain that general level of calm as long as you could?
Plus, reaching for your phone first thing is a quick way to derail your whole morning routine.
Whohasntlost themselves down a Twitter hole before even getting out of bed?
Butbutanyone can enjoy a good stretch in the morning.
It doesnt have to be a full-on yoga routine or even have the purpose of supplementing your regular workout.
The benefits ofdrinking waterare well documented.
Making a habit of knocking back your first glass in the morning can help a lot.
Whatever works for you!
Officially, morning pages are the brainchild of Julia Cameron, author ofThe Artists Way.
This can be a great way to start off a day that will be otherwise busy and stressful.
Do something fun or creative.
The idea of a routine kind of has a no-nonsense connotation that you get shit done.
Seriously, I currently start my day with Pokemon Shield.
Write or review your daily to-do list.
For some people an ideal morning is a protected bubble wherein work isnt allowed.
But for others (like me!
This is great for productivity, yes, but planning is important on a larger scale too.
