Getting a heads up to the day can be difficult if we have dozens of lists and tasks to look at. In this plethora of lists, we usually forget to focus on getting a HEALTHY START TO THE DAY. I know how it feels, as I have been through this SCHEDULE DILEMMA from right when I was 16 Years old, until recently (at the age of 25) I have almost cracked the code. This article covers my understanding of how HEALTHY HABITS & PERSONAL GOALS are directly related to DISCIPLINE and how I started sculpting my schedule day-in and day-out to finally come to a point of optimal HEALTHY Morning routine ideas list.
The trick of setting a Strong & Healthy Morning Routine is to KNOW WHAT MATTERS. In this post, we will go through a list of CHECKLIST Ideas to identify how you can find out your PRIORITIES which will require less than 90 minutes of your time each day.
Morning Routine Checklist #01: Start your Day by HYDRATING your body (5 Minutes)
Imagine getting your body starved of water for close to ONE QUARTER of the day. That is exactly how your body feels when you get a sound 6-8 hours of sleep without consuming water. So start your day with a glass of warm water. Why WARM WATER? Well for me, it gets my bowel activated pretty smoothly
BONUS TIP: Try squeezing in half a lemon (richest source of Active Vitamin C) and a spoon of Honey (Tons of nutrients to list in Honey). Lemon lowers your body’s acidity levels, which in turn helps you against infections. – One of the best morning routine that worked wonders for me
Or may be just Green tea & its Amazing benefits are enough
Morning Routine Checklist #02: A Warm Face-wash & A 60-Seconds Glance at the Mirror (3-5 Minutes)
It may sound stupid, but I tell you this has worked WONDERS for me. Once I start the day and finish my lemon juice, I splash my face with some warm water and look myself up on the mirror. For a minute, I try to seek what I want to do with my life and the purpose of the day in the grand scheme of things.
With all the hustle and bustle in life, we tend to forget our purpose. This small yet effective productive morning routine helps me get back to the ground and start the day with the right emotions.
BONUS TIP: Try asking different questions to yourself. Don’t try getting the answer. Just absorb the questions and let it sink in. The answers will come through the day when you follow your routines
Morning Routine Checklist #03: Stretch it out (10 Minutes)
A good sound sleep means you have been sedentary for almost 6-8 hours. That means your key muscles would have been deprived of blood flow and thereby are starving of nutrition and oxygen. So the next step in your healthy daily routine is to get up and do some stretching exercises.
BONUS TIP: I personally go with the Surya Namaskar – an Ancient Indian Stretching Routine (Not Yoga but similar) that activates all your key muscle groups and gets your blood flowing right where you need them. Check out my 10 min Guide on Surya Namaskar
Morning Routine Checklist #04: Warm-up your day with Exercise (15 Minutes)
A morning routine checklist for adults will always include exercise and for a good reason. It improves your energy levels, gets your circulation moving & promotes strong lymphatic function. Just 15 minutes every day can really make a difference!
BONUS TIP: Try mixing Cardiovascular and some light-weights for overall toned look in the long-run.
I personally do a 10 + 2 Min. Jog + Sprint and work with body weights for 3 reps concentrating on one muscle group each day for 5 days a week. Plan yours as per your convenience but don’t skip this step!
Morning Routine Checklist #05: Nourish your skin (15 Minutes)
99% of people tend to ignore one of the most important organ (SKIN has be claimed by many researchers as an organ!) during the start of the day. Try spending some time for your skin in your morning routine and you will start seeing the difference both from CONFIDENCE perspective and HEALTH perspective.
BONUS TIP: I generally moisturize my skin right after the hot morning bath. This keeps my skin and hair all tuned-up for the day. I tend to close my day with a cold bath, as it helps me relax my muscle and release body heat, but there are studies that shows the benefits of cold-bath in morning routines
Morning Routine Checklist #06: Don’t compromise on a Healthy breakfast (30 Minutes)
With all the overnight rest and morning exercises, your body will be starving for nutrition. Get it the best start by getting a healthy daily routine mix of slow-release carbs, vitamins and minerals. Well don’t forget protein. Depending on your preference, a vegetarian can look at milk based diet, while vegans can get soya-proteins on their breakfast menu
BONUS TIP: I have a standard farm-fresh organic chicken egg along with freshly baked brown bread. Finish it with ONE FRUIT (banana, apple or orange) and nuts
Morning Routine Checklist #07: Speak to yourself! – Define the Day and define your life AGAIN! (5 Minutes)
6 out of 7 steps listed here was always there in my morning routine ideas checklist for years, but this powerful habit got me that final thrust that I needed to start my day. It may sound trivial but studies have shown that speaking to yourself and reminding yourself of the purpose you have set in life, day-in and day-out will help you visualize a day and prioritize your needs.
BONUS TIP: This small step keeps me charged-up and helps me conquer the day with full energy. I have sets of goals (10 Day Goal, 50 Day Goal, 100 Day Goal etc.) I just keep reminding me of the most-upcoming and the farthest goal and try envisioning a thread connecting the both. It helps me connecting the dots.
Everything you’ve got from this post is just a small part of powerful yet effective healthy morning routine that I have created for myself to stay motivated and achieve whatever I want. It’s nothing more than a metric for you to define what suits you better and how it can change your life.
It is impossible to change your entire life overnight. It took me several years to get to the point of where I am now and I am pretty sure, I am far from being perfect. But, that’s the point, you can gradually change your lifestyle and routines if you stay consistent and be disciplined.
Oprah Winfrey Says – “Her Success Comes Down to Mastering Daily Routine. The key is balance and self-care. This is how Oprah rolls.”
Changing and Re-inventing your daily routine is a big commitment. But By starting small and staying committed, you can develop strong and healthy morning routine that help you get the most out of life.
