We're
always talking about how it would be great to have just one more hour
in the day. We wonder how the uber-successful people in our lives find
time to fit it all in, how they get as much accomplished as they do, and
why they always seem to be one step ahead of everyone else.
Their
secret might be simpler than you think, and with a little shift in how
you lay out your day, you might be able to take advantage of the
benefits of a well-orchestrated, intentional morning. So,
get ready to feel energized, motivated and totally on top of your game.
Here are the top eight things you can do to set yourself up for success
in the morning:
8 Things To Do Before 8AM
1. Move your body.
Before
the many priorities of the day creep in, commit to moving your body.
We're more likely to exercise—and commit to doing it regularly—if we fit
it in before we're overwhelmed by to-do's. Even if it's just for 20
minutes, take advantage of this part of the day where there are fewer
interruptions and kickstart your productivity with a big hit of
endorphins.
2. Meditate.
No
worries if your morning won't allow for sitting on a pillow and
chanting for an hour. You can reap similar benefits with just a few
minutes of quiet, mindful breathing. Focus on inhaling for four counts
and exhaling for four counts as your mind settles and your body releases
any panic about the day ahead. This isn't supposed to be an opportunity
to solve problems; Rather, it's meant to reset the mind and create
space for open thought and creativity later on.
3. Eat something and hydrate.
It
seems simple, but eating and hydrating within the first hour of waking
is a great way to set up your body and mind for success. A nourished,
hydrated physical self will be less stressed, less tense and more
focused throughout the day. Plus, you can avoid distracting hunger later
on by pre-fueling. Aim to have at least three glasses of water before
you leave the house, and power up with ample protein and fats to keep
your cells running strong until lunch.
4. Stay positive, set goals, and speak intentions.
Starting
the day on a positive note by checking in with goals you've set for
yourself and giving yourself kudos for a job well done can set the tone
for more successes and more goals realized. Set an intention for the day
(“I intend to be focused”) and reflect on your goals (“Today I will eat
well to nourish myself”) to keep your priorities in line. You can also
jot down a few lines of gratitude. The more attention we pay to this,
the more likely we are to continue to notice these moments all day long.
This leads to more gratitude, more openness, and more satisfaction with
the little things, which means less stress and feeling overwhelmed.
5. Strategize.
When
we're clear on what we intend to accomplish in the day, and we craft a
plan to realize it, we're more likely to make it happen. Using your
morning hours to map out your day will help you stay on track and well
prioritized. You can visualize or write these out, whichever works best
for your mind. Consider your must-do's, where you need to be, how you'll
get there, and who you plan to speak with that day. Factoring in things
like travel time and anticipating challenges can also be helpful first
thing. If you foresee them happening, you can preemptively develop a
solution to work through them if they arise.
6. Tackle the tough task first.
While
it can be tempting to procrastinate and tick off the 700 smaller tasks
on your to-do list first, that larger more challenging one will loom
over you all day (or all week). Email is often the biggest offender for
tiny task takeover. Instead, scan your inbox quickly for anything urgent
that could derail your day's trajectory, then close your inbox until
you get to work. Focusing instead on the largest task at hand, and
committing to getting it done early, will free up mental bandwidth and
improve your mood.
7. Create a ritual.
Having
something consistent and predictable to look forward to in the
morning—a walk with the dog, a pot of tea and a gratitude journal, or a
few minutes of stretching—is tremendously calming. Knowing you have
something pleasurable to look forward to will get you out of bed and
into an I've-got-this mindset early in the day. Particularly if this
includes something creative, like coloring or music, you'll start your
problem solving, artistic neurons firing first thing, priming them for
easy use later on.
8. Get up an hour earlier.
The biggest hindrance to a productive morning is the snooze button. Even more so, leaving yourself just enough
to time to get the essentials done isn't conducive to spacious, calm
time to yourself (and without that, fitting in any or all of the above
will likely just cause you more stress). Plan ahead for when you intend
to get out of bed, set an alarm and rise when that alarm goes off, even
if that's an hour earlier than you would usually get out of bed. How,
you ask? Go to bed earlier. The quality and quantity of sleep will also
play heavily into the next day's success!
