If you find your life chaotic, stressful, and unproductive, you may need to rethink your morning routine. Here are 5 morning habits that have made me successful (and less stressed).
Personal Trainer Wisdom: This tip is the most important to keep in mind. Chances are that you’ll craft a routine that’s personal for you (which you should). What’s most important is that you stick to it. Not only will you minimize your decision fatigue, but you're also starting your day in a well-structured manner (instead of your typical chaotic run-around that starts your day on a stressful note). The key to your productivity and happiness will mostly depend on your autopilot behaviors…the behaviors that really steer your time. If they are ineffective and anxiety-producing, any positive effort outside of them will be fruitless.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Your body operates on a circadian rhythm. In fact, it depends on it to run effectively and efficiently. Any time you go to bed or wake up at different times, you keep your body guessing. If you wake up at the same time every morning, on the other hand, your body will become accustomed to this habit and efficiently release hormones up to 3 hours before to slowly wake you (while allowing the proper rest your organs need). I repeat an important statement for my snoozers: Efficiently release hormones up to 3 hours to slowly wake you. Moral of the story: Let your body wake you naturally. Snoozing only breaks up your REM sleep and leaves you drowsy (and the REM sleep is the valuable sleep you need for recovery). Any sleep you achieve post-snooze is a tease and a waste since it takes up to 45 minutes to achieve REM sleep again. If you set your alarm for 7:00 am and snooze until 7:30 am, do everyone else in the house a favor and just set it for 7:30 am. Just be sure to run out of bed as if there’s a fire in the house to resist the urge to sleep longer.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Why waste time thinking about everything you have left to do while walking around like a sleepless zombie (yes, I know: redundant)? Take the guesswork out of your morning lineup. You’re less likely to forget to do something and more likely to minimize the frantic run-around before you leave. And you’ll be efficient! Here’s my lineup:
-Shut off the alarm.
-Run to the bathroom with my work clothes as if the bed was on fire.
-Put in my contacts.
-Shave my face.
-Rub on “Make my Face 20 Years Younger” lotion.
-Fix my hair.
-Brush my teeth while starting the coffee maker.
-Etc., etc., etc.,
I perform this lineup every morning (weekends, too). Your list should be just as structured and detailed.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: The healthiest people prepare their meals. Unless you’re Tom Brady or Angelina Jolie, you probably need to wear the chef hat in the morning. If you don’t, you’re taking a chance on takeout or restaurant service. I make 3 meals each morning between 7:10 and 7:25: Meal 1, meal 2, and meal 3. That’s right folks…my eating regiment sounds like a feeding regiment for a thoroughbred. Using a blend of fresh or frozen vegetables, prepared or canned beans, nuts, seeds, and a small ratio of animal protein, I’m able to efficiently make my meals for the day in only 15 minutes (and you can too).
Don't forget that one of these meals must be breakfast. I don’t budge on this rule. You should never start your day on a deficit. If you disagree, ask yourself this: Do you not eat breakfast because...
1.) you never have time?
2.) you’re stressed and lose your appetite easily?
3.) you want to save the calories for overindulges later in the day?
4.) your favorite celebrity does it, or a friend unscientifically happen to lose weight while cutting out breakfast?
You probably answered “yes” to at least one of these questions. Before you say “I don’t do that,” you may want to reevaluate the reasons why. More times than not, the reason is convenience, you're unwilling to adapt, or another intent unrelated to optimal health.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: I’ve hit a wall here…I’m truly struggling to come up with interesting reasons to sell the act of reading to you. Sadly, most people need to be convinced to read even though it’s pivotal to our learning process, helps us organize our thoughts, and contributes to a greater vocabulary and problem solving ability. Even though the act of reading isn’t sexy, the most successful people in the world are constant learners (and readers). If that doesn’t entice you, reading can also help you create more mental space by narrowing your focus and reducing your stress. Most importantly, it forces you to slow down your life for a moment (you can’t run around and read a book at the same time…although I’ve seen people try on the treadmill).
Photo Credit:
Blog.bookbaby.com–Is coffee the only thing you need to charge your day?
Perform the same wake up routine every morning
Personal Trainer Wisdom: This tip is the most important to keep in mind. Chances are that you’ll craft a routine that’s personal for you (which you should). What’s most important is that you stick to it. Not only will you minimize your decision fatigue, but you're also starting your day in a well-structured manner (instead of your typical chaotic run-around that starts your day on a stressful note). The key to your productivity and happiness will mostly depend on your autopilot behaviors…the behaviors that really steer your time. If they are ineffective and anxiety-producing, any positive effort outside of them will be fruitless.
Wake up at the same time every day…without snoozing
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Your body operates on a circadian rhythm. In fact, it depends on it to run effectively and efficiently. Any time you go to bed or wake up at different times, you keep your body guessing. If you wake up at the same time every morning, on the other hand, your body will become accustomed to this habit and efficiently release hormones up to 3 hours before to slowly wake you (while allowing the proper rest your organs need). I repeat an important statement for my snoozers: Efficiently release hormones up to 3 hours to slowly wake you. Moral of the story: Let your body wake you naturally. Snoozing only breaks up your REM sleep and leaves you drowsy (and the REM sleep is the valuable sleep you need for recovery). Any sleep you achieve post-snooze is a tease and a waste since it takes up to 45 minutes to achieve REM sleep again. If you set your alarm for 7:00 am and snooze until 7:30 am, do everyone else in the house a favor and just set it for 7:30 am. Just be sure to run out of bed as if there’s a fire in the house to resist the urge to sleep longer.
Perform the same lineup of getting ready
Personal Trainer Wisdom: Why waste time thinking about everything you have left to do while walking around like a sleepless zombie (yes, I know: redundant)? Take the guesswork out of your morning lineup. You’re less likely to forget to do something and more likely to minimize the frantic run-around before you leave. And you’ll be efficient! Here’s my lineup:
-Shut off the alarm.
-Run to the bathroom with my work clothes as if the bed was on fire.
-Put in my contacts.
-Shave my face.
-Rub on “Make my Face 20 Years Younger” lotion.
-Fix my hair.
-Brush my teeth while starting the coffee maker.
-Etc., etc., etc.,
I perform this lineup every morning (weekends, too). Your list should be just as structured and detailed.
Prepare at least 2 meals for the day
Personal Trainer Wisdom: The healthiest people prepare their meals. Unless you’re Tom Brady or Angelina Jolie, you probably need to wear the chef hat in the morning. If you don’t, you’re taking a chance on takeout or restaurant service. I make 3 meals each morning between 7:10 and 7:25: Meal 1, meal 2, and meal 3. That’s right folks…my eating regiment sounds like a feeding regiment for a thoroughbred. Using a blend of fresh or frozen vegetables, prepared or canned beans, nuts, seeds, and a small ratio of animal protein, I’m able to efficiently make my meals for the day in only 15 minutes (and you can too).
Don't forget that one of these meals must be breakfast. I don’t budge on this rule. You should never start your day on a deficit. If you disagree, ask yourself this: Do you not eat breakfast because...
1.) you never have time?
2.) you’re stressed and lose your appetite easily?
3.) you want to save the calories for overindulges later in the day?
4.) your favorite celebrity does it, or a friend unscientifically happen to lose weight while cutting out breakfast?
You probably answered “yes” to at least one of these questions. Before you say “I don’t do that,” you may want to reevaluate the reasons why. More times than not, the reason is convenience, you're unwilling to adapt, or another intent unrelated to optimal health.
Read a book (not a screen) while you eat breakfast
Personal Trainer Wisdom: I’ve hit a wall here…I’m truly struggling to come up with interesting reasons to sell the act of reading to you. Sadly, most people need to be convinced to read even though it’s pivotal to our learning process, helps us organize our thoughts, and contributes to a greater vocabulary and problem solving ability. Even though the act of reading isn’t sexy, the most successful people in the world are constant learners (and readers). If that doesn’t entice you, reading can also help you create more mental space by narrowing your focus and reducing your stress. Most importantly, it forces you to slow down your life for a moment (you can’t run around and read a book at the same time…although I’ve seen people try on the treadmill).
Photo Credit:
Blog.bookbaby.com–Is coffee the only thing you need to charge your day?
