When you work full time and have a busy life, it can be tough to find the motivation to get up and start your day the right way. However, starting the day on the right foot is important and sets the tone for the rest of your day.
I have definitely noticed that when I get up and get going in a good way, my day is much better. I feel calmer when I get to work instead of rushed and overwhelmed. Starting off in a good place truly does allow for a productive and all-around happy day. Here are eight ways I’ve found have the best effect on my day:
Tidy up before you leave – before I leave for work in the morning, I try to make sure that my apartment is tidy. I empty the dishwasher, make sure there are no dirty dishes in the sink, put miscellaneous things away, wipe down the counters…and so on. Accomplishing even something as small as emptying the dishwasher feels good and sets the tone for the day of getting stuff done and leaving my living space clean and tidy just makes me feel better.
Make your lunch ahead of time – I usually try to bring my lunch to work every day, and making my lunch (and packing my snacks) the night before makes the morning so much easier. It’s just one less thing that I have to worry about in the morning – and it does make a big difference, even if it only seems like a few minutes.
Get up early! – this is one of the hardest, but it makes probably the biggest difference. Almost always, on the mornings that I have time to myself when I wake up before I have to rush off to work, those are the days I feel happiest and most fulfilled. It allows me to start the day in a good state of mind and do whatever it is I want to do – which feels great.
Read – getting up early allows me to have time to do something that makes me feel happy, fulfilled, and calm – read. I love being able to do it before I head off to work or even on the weekends when I get up early, enjoy my coffee, and sit and read it is always the best feeling.
Set up the coffee the night before – is there anything better than waking up the smell of fresh coffee?! I love having a coffee pot that I can set up to automatically brew the night before (as opposed to just a Kuerig). Again, this is one of those things that saves you only a few minutes in the morning but makes a big difference.
Get your clothes out ahead of time – whenever I don’t pick out my work outfit the night before, I always regret it. I end up agonizing over what to wear and going back and forth, making a mess in my closet, and wasting tons of time. When I pick out what I want to wear the night before, I don’t even have to think about it – just get dressed when I get out of the shower. It just makes things so much easier.
Make your bed – if I don’t make my bed in the morning, I know it won’t get made for the entire day. And I think it feels nice after a long day to get into a neatly made bed. Also, it makes my room look tidy and together.
Work out – like waking up early, this one can be tough to do, too. It also takes a decent amount of time and planning. But, working out in the morning gives me so much energy during the day, makes me feel accomplished, and makes me feel good about myself – which makes it worth it. To make it easier, I always try to get out my workout clothes the night before and leave my sneakers right by the door.
What are the best parts of your morning routine?
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